The Terrifying World of Temu

Temu is only getting started... Let's talk about what's really going on with Temu and the consequences of the 'shop like a billionaire' mindset that Temu promotes. Thanks so much to Mint Mobile for partnering with me on this video! Check Mint Mobile out here: mintmobile.com/caranicole
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🎥 More about this video:
Temu is a new online shopping app out of China with a parent company called PDD Holdings. The world of Temu is a little terrifying, from potential security concerns to labor scandals to helping fuel a global climate crisis. In this video, I walk through what I learned about Temu in my research and why I'm personally opting out of using Temu. I also discuss the ways that Temu, and platforms like it, can negatively impact your finances and our planet.
🔍 Resources mentioned:
iilluminaughtii's video on Temu: • Temu: A Shein Clone
Al Jazeera's video on the Uyghurs: • What’s happening with ...
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🎥 Check out some of my other videos! 🎥
- How TikTok Is Fueling Overconsumption: • How TikTok is Fueling ...
- Let's talk social media's 'aesthetic' obsession: • Let's talk social medi...
- How Consumerism Ruins Our Planet and Finances: • How Consumerism Ruins ...
- Multilevel Marketing Schemes & The Scam of Financial Freedom: • Multilevel Marketing S...
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Time Stamps:
00:00 What is Temu?
01:33 Is Temu a scam?
01:59 Temu's fishy parent company
03:50 Strange articles on Temu's ethics
05:02 Temu's low prices (how??)
6:06 Exploiting US Trade Loophole
6:55 Artificial pricing
7:41 Mint Mobile Partnership
8:53 Overconsumption and gamification
9:57 Do we really need this?
10:16 The environmental toll
10:59 "Shop like a billionaire" implications
12:11 Uyghur forced labor
12:46 Retail therapy & hoarding
13:44 Temu's unnecessary goods
15:18 Everyone's situation is unique
15:53 Check out these next!
Keywords for some sweet, sweet metadata:
Personal finance, money management, Temu, Temu Haul, aesthetic subculture, sustainability, video essay, video analysis, social media, instagram, pinterest, tiktok, overconsumption, consumerism, consumption, video essays

[@EphemeralTao]

"Retail therapy" is not therapy, it's addiction, and a very harmful addiction at that.

[@felzebub1762]

Second to that. It's instant gratification through swiping motion. It is endless

[@biteofdog]

And it's just junk that will break easily and be thrown way.

[@EphemeralTao]

@@biteofdog Disposable culture.

[@pikespeakgamer_]

and then the retail theft chain we have a problem with in the US wonder if it all some how coincide with one another. I mean make ppl have an addiction for stuff and if you can't afford it anymore then what happens?

[@charsta2072]

Im about to divorce my wife because of this and she has a master's degree in business management it's been years and she is such debt I refuse to be apart of it...I've given her every dollar I've made for two years and your telling me we have 60k in debt I gave her 10k in onw months on a good banquet month and 3k on a (we're engaged but I'm a write relationship in the government eyes) but I'm getting that shit done because it's not right

[@daniboy9198]

I've never understood their tagline about shopping like a billionaire. I'm not a billionaire, but I seriously doubt that billionaires are buying loads of cheap crap online and filling their mansions with it. 😑

[@biguattipoptropica]

I think they mean “treating everything in your life as disposable,” which is just toxic.

[@liamcollinson5695]

To be honest they just spend it on even more hideous expensive crap

[@kof2001kof]

They actually do…u r just not rich enough

[@MassiveSwordAndCards]

Billionaires just pay someone else to shop for them

[@kof2001kof]

@@amandak.4246 well you don’t understand rich people

[@TheShadowcreator]

"There's no ethical consumption under capitalism" is for when you have to drive your car to work or buy food with tons of plastic packaging, not to justify your shopping spree fueled by child labor.

[@jen-cy6wj]

🎯

[@kathrynj.hernandez8425]

We do not have capitalism here. We have Democrat support of Fascism. But leftists don't know what that is.

[@delusion5867]

who's gonna tell them that if you truly believe that statement you would live with only your direct needs to avoid contributing to the exploitation of humans and that in the case of inability to ethically consume, consuming the least is the second best option? I'm 99.9% sure you can live without shitty plastic earbuds from a cheap website, and rather save money and buy a higher quality ethically made product that will last instead or consider wearing clothes you already have on hand until they fall apart and then repurpose the material. When you need clothes, look for high-quality, long lasting products that support your local area. Remember that such products are only so expensive because of the skilled labour used to produce them but also the crushing capitalism that the labourer is under that requires that they earn enough to survive even while they compete against cheap clothes made with blood and oil. Capitalism is made of a cycle of being unable to live in it while also being unable to live without it. Only those fortunate enough to gain the system are capable of escaping the harm of capitalism. To shop like a billionaire would be to have enough money to afford ethical products. But, if someone considers "There's no ethical consumption under capitalism" as enough justification to overconsume then I doubt my rant will change their cognitive dissonance

[@FactsDontCareAboutFeelings_97]

Driving your car to work is not a problem. Fossil fuels are giant scam. Don’t even get me started. The rest of what you said is fine.

[@laurennelson3918]

@@delusion5867 just say there is different levels of unethical consumption under capitalism and that buying stuff made by children in factories is closer to the bottom level than only buying more sustainably sourced and necessary products.

[@BoneappleG]

Shopping at thrift stores can emulate the feeling of getting novel, cheap items but in a sustainable way. You are not creating more waste by buying things secondhand, and you get the rush of finding unique pieces.

[@harrypike731]

Most of the things will be way superior in quality, too. Obviously, high-quality products are still produced now, but on average, all these products from the likes of Temu and other large multi-national corporations and drop-shipping companies, cut major corners on quality and life-span of the materials used, in order to maximise profits and keep consumer costs as low as possible.

[@karlareyes1671]

Also yard-sales are My favorite to buy clothes, books and purses and most of the time people just want to get rid of things quickly so they give you the lowest price possible.

[@BoneappleG]

agreed! Part of the reason i enjoy thrifting is because I can find a wide range of unique and clothing made of quality materials @@harrypike731

[@InTheWorldILiveIn]

Actually, something I was reading and listening to recently was saying that thrift stores are also contributing to these clothing landfills. The numbers were something like 60-80% of what’s donated isn’t actually sellable, and when it comes to what they put out-they only sell like 10% and then the rest go to the landfills. I know from working at a thrift store, we had TONS of waste

[@BoneappleG]

@@InTheWorldILiveIn oh yes that true! But i would assume that as a consumer it’s still reducing waste and energy consumption since you’re buying and repurposing a garment that is secondhand plus, you’re reducing the amount of garments from the thrift store that will end up in the landfill. I see it as a lesser or two evils scenario when compared to purchasing brand new fast fashion pieces from retailers.

[@tianshuqu9704]

I’m from China. The Mandarin commercial about Temu that runs on KZbin literally said “Pinduoduo is here in the US now.” So yes Temu is Pinduoduo, no matter how they try to hide that fact.

[@pe4774]

stay safe

[@AliA-wy2tf]

@@pe4774why you telling to stay safe lol

[@pe4774]

@@AliA-wy2tf well, china isnt the place where you want to use youtube ;)

[@AliA-wy2tf]

@@pe4774 what do you think they get thrown in interment camps for using youtube? 😭 brainwashed kids make me laugh

[@pe4774]

@@AliA-wy2tf oh hello there shill! stop your bullshit chinese propoganda. the whole world knows what china is anyway.

[@rileyf.838]

Shopping with temu: -fleeting dopamine for gimmicky trinkets -costs money -bad for the enviornment -contributing to genocide Picking shiny things off the ground: -endless dopamine from timeless trinkets -costs nothing -removing foreign objects from ecosystems -makes you feel like a little crow

[@localreviewer3871]

i get a dopamine rush from finding cool rocks

[@awesomepossum4375]

Bone hunting is another dopamine rush that is absolutely wonderful, as long as you're legally doing it and your ethical about it.

[@melissa9734]

OK this is my favorite comment so far I love it

[@dexterrity]

plus imagine the varied stories and journeys all those random timeless trinkets had and which shall always remain a mystery (just like any great item of second hand clothing)

[@kasapbandy1776]

I got my 9 month old 3 dresses for 2$, a swim suit and swim diapers, a 5$ head scanner thermometer for that works… and a Tibetan singing bowl that I cherish since I lost my last one…. Idk

[@oliviapasquarelli99]

I had a short shein phase during the pandemic, this app looks like an even more aggressive version of that. Some things that helped me - 1. Journaling how I felt before, during, and after a ’haul’, when the box actually showed up at my door. I usually found that I was anxious and avoiding something before; when the package actually arrived I felt guilty and burdened 2. I deep cleaned my house, went through all my stuff and organized it. It took weeks but it was worth it. I realized how much stuff I already had and gave away so much. It made me realize I had everything I needed and more 3. If I had an urge to buy something, I’d spend the money on experiences. I took a pottery class, went on a ghost tour, even stuff like getting my nails done. My urge to buy stuff came from anxiety. When I spent that money on experiences instead, it forced me out of my comfort zone and enriched my life instead of causing further anxiety and guilt.

[@hanniballecter1960]

this is wonderful advice. i struggle a bit with impulse shopping when im anxious, even if its online thrifting and random little purchases, it still burdens me financially. i love the idea of journaling and spending on experiences instead. thank you!

[@lametho]

Beautiful advice and so we’ll worded! This is something I will onboard personally :)

[@bri_33]

Great alternatives and solutions!

[@matthewsmith2362]

It’s comments like this that keep me actually caring about what’s in the scroll bar. Every rare once in a while you find a little gem of brilliance that makes to much sense to ignore. Thank you

[@oliviapasquarelli99]

@@matthewsmith2362 this means so much :) I always read the comments for the same reason

[@Netalula0707]

My method of filling that need for “retail therapy” is basically making wishlists and boards on Pinterest. I have a whole board dedicated just to outfits that i like and might want to invest in buying when i can afford it. After about 10 minutes of adding pins to it, i realize that the need is gone

[@sam-grey]

Thats a good idea. I should try that out.

[@jonathonmenth3901]

I do the same thing. Stuff I see on Amazon that I want I add to my buy later list. I look the list and the excitement wears off on things I don’t really want.

[@thefarmista]

I have an extensive Amazon "stuff for later" list. I have other wishlists too, that are shared for gift ideas, but I NEVER purchase something same day from Amazon, I usually let it sit on the later list for a week. The exception is I need something and go to Amazon for that specific item, ie, I know I'm running low on diaper ointment, I'll order that now.

[@thefarmista]

​@@sam-greyit really works! Same dopamine hit as adding to cart I think!

[@unicornman147]

Mine is to download a bunch of addons from the Gmod workshop and then play with them. Gets my dopamine kick for "shopping" without spending any actual money or creating waste. Custom content for Sims and Minecraft mods do a similar thing.

[@sundaydriver206]

I'm a United States postal worker. I learned that Temu has free shipping because China identifies as a 'developing nation' and uses that to subsidize freight costs from the global postal union. So, they basically don't pay postage. Buying anything from temu undercuts every single American postal worker. What kind of developing nation has a space program??

[@Aruuuuv]

For sure! If anything in an economic stance china is almost/as powerful as the usa

[@donnasingleton6320]

What developing country has a military with 2,035,000 active soldiers and over 500,000 in reserve? #3 in World Rank

[@jp7176]

I think it was 2 or 3 years ago that Denmark specifically changed the laws regarding postage prices because people were ordering so much crap from wish with free shipping. It cost the state a bunch of money because it took up paid for shipping

[@sundaydriver206]

Another little known fact is that the USPS is not funded by tax dollars. Many people think they are, but most of our funding comes from people buying stamps, shipping and other services. When you get someone like temu not paying postage, it becomes problematic on a big scale

[@FutureCommentary1]

How long ago was that. The Trump admin put pressure on the international postal body to change that status for China so that they should pay for shipping.

[@chickadee1607]

The library is a great way to get that shopping rush. You can walk in and take whatever you want off the shelf! Movies, music, books - even if you don't actually want them or know if you'll like them, they're free, and the circulation numbers help the library get funding. Then you can take them back a few weeks later instead of leaving them to clutter your house.

[@Barb6106]

And they have free ebooks and a free reader app so you don’t have that monthly cost! A lifesaver.. I see so many ads for books or movies I want to see… my first stop is the library app to place a hold on the book! The library has so many new services that save me so much time and money!❤️

[@chickadee1607]

@@Barb6106 pro tip: swap card numbers with friends out of state so you have access to EVEN MORE content.

[@thefinancialfreedomgirl]

love this idea!!! such a great way to channel the shopping urge!

[@deea3586]

Yes Jennifer!! I love your comment! The library is such a forgotten gem that people need to rediscover!

[@chickadee1607]

@@amandak.4246 not sure where you live, but this isn't true in the US. I used to work in a library and we didn't pay authors or send checkout info to anyone who would have. The author gets paid for the copy the library buys and that's it.

[@mikecrews9112]

My grandma had a saying, "You get what you pay for" this is the reason why i havent bought anything from them; i cant expect something so cheap to have good quality

[@sidology1.0]

Them elders speak so much facts. If only I started listening to em earlier 😪

[@ivy88880]

I buy from them educational games for my son, it's not bad quality and they cost from $5 to $25.

[@mayanovak2497]

I’m not gonna lie I’ve gotten some GOOD stuff on there for cheap. I just buy things that I would buy anyways like a tofu press, hooks for the wall, dog poop bag leashes, pizza cutter etc. everything has been great but I’m not proud

[@heatherh1690]

You are right. It's a way for China to take Americans $$$$. It's not stealing when you get cheap plastic 💩 for a couple of bucks.

[@CL-mp4vn]

I bought from them 3 times and found that they have lower prices than other retailers (amazon, walmart...). Some items actually have good quality; but also some items don't look as good as in the pictures or don't work as they say. So, I think buying from Temu is just gambling. But people can return items they don't want (of course it takes your time to return) I returned many, but the last time, I didn't return something that just costs about $1.08

[@moldypotatochip]

I have never shopped at Temu, Shein, or Wish, and I also don't use TikTok. I Honestly don't think they would add anything meaningful or good to my life. I also question the security of the apps and question the quality of the goods being sold. While it is somewhat reassuring to hear Temu is more legitimate about what they sell than Wish, I still don't think it is a positive thing. They just hurt our local commerce the same way that dollar stores and big box stores make it hard for small businesses.

[@Tad-zh4wr]

Also the chemicals. Please research this

[@moldypotatochip]

@@Tad-zh4wr I'm aware they contain unsafe amounts of lead and other chemicals.

[@LoveLife-oo9cz]

Disagree. By your logic, people should work their butt off, pay extra for retails so they can be more rich. Get real. No thanks. If the goods are on the markets. I'm going to buy the product that I want with the least price I can find.

[@LoveLife-oo9cz]

BTW, sonetimes high price doesn't guarantee the quality. I have seen plenty of cheap ass products with high priced marks. As always, buy the products, not the marketing.

[@teatimewithsomer1852]

@@LoveLife-oo9czdid you read? They’re saying people should buy ethically from small businesses, who are not the “rich” people you’re worried about. Buy from small businesses even when the price is higher, because you’re supporting locally and not big brand stores that want to wipe out the local businesses.

[@therobotdevil2284]

It's hilarious to me that anyone, person or news outlet, would see prices this low and think, " Wow, I wonder if this could be a sustainable, ethical company." It shouldn't take more than one millisecond to realize that that's impossible.

[@ErieRosewood]

it's so dissapointing seeing youtubers I kinda liked take a temu partnership. these same people who have advocated for ethical spending throwing it all away for a haul of junk that'll be trashed in a year.

[@Centrioless]

All of the products are manufactured in an environment thats completely different from the states. 5$ isnt enough to feed a family in the states, but its more than enough to feed a family of 2parents and 3kids in 3rd world country. You dont need an economy degree to understand all this

[@CameronM1138]

The news outlets definitely aren't genuinely thinking that, they're being paid to write it.

[@Barb6106]

And each crappy bit of junk is wrapped in plastic. I’ve watched these hauls in dismay, knowing all the garbage (along with the plastic bag it arrives in) will be in the landfill in a year. Why are we blindly giving $$$ to China yet crying about the environment… countless resources to make the garbage they sell, plastic galore … so frustrating!

[@DevonRexLady]

Unfortunately, there are many uninformed and/or apathetic consumers out there.

[@mangospade]

Temu feels like rebranded Wish. Great video Cara!

[@kitsura]

They are owned by a Chinese company who made the pinduoduo app. Which means it is just another cheap China marketplace.

[@femmecubaine]

I've been saying this!!! It's literally the exact same thing and everyone is acting like Temu is something completely brand new. People were buying the same exact items 5 years ago from Wish until KZbinrs/influencers starting doing comparison videos. Suddenly consumers realized how trash Wish items were and the website died. It's just rebranded and probably Wish items that have been sitting in the same warehouse years later.

[@user-xo6rm6ng9t]

​@@femmecubaineexactly.

[@BlairMountainNetwork]

Ironic that the ad-break in this video was for Temu... 😭 I made a few orders on there & it is such a racket. ~ As a former addiction counselor, I totally agree with you on the "gamification" of consumerism encouraging over-consumption. 🥺

[@dumbmilmarnia9122]

That’s the exact same thing I thought when I saw temu for the first time. Like the cheap prices and all the stuff that’s on sale « for 24h » feel just like wish

[@kyleplatte4257]

My fashion design teacher taught us to make a budget technique based on our extra spending money. It was along the lines of: if you have $500 of extra spending money regularly, wait one day before spending $20, wait one week before spending $100, and wait one month before spending $500. Make sure you really want it before spending all of your money on it so you don’t waste all your money on something you don’t actually really want.

[@s2304030]

I’m a shopaholic and still recovering, I quit buying luxury goods but I’m having hard time to say no to cheap gadgets, I kept falling back into buying unnecessary products just because I felt like I needed them. It’s so hard because the ad is EVERYWHERE! Every time I felt like I am going to click on the check out button I come back to watch channel like yours, to pause my mind, to remember I got more important things to focus on. Hopefully one day I can be fully recovered and stop buying anything nonessential. Please keep on good work, your videos are helping people like me a lot!

[@two_5]

ive found that having a (moderately) productive hobby is very helpful! buying supplies for it and finding new ideas fills the void that meaningless consumerism creates and you can make or do some pretty cool stuff! for example i crochet and take care of my many plants! keep up the good work!!

[@ParisGreen-zw7yd]

Inspire yourself with watching video about minimalist .you are not become one tomorow but just be in that type of mental state help a lot .

[@VanTilburger]

The "theres no ethical consumption under capitalism" saying has always seemed weird to justify overbuying stuff. You'd think that people would instead consume less to be as unethical as possible. Or at least think what would be the least unethical way to consume things

[@Saphius-]

As all sayings, it got distorted over time into people's status quo and in doing so, lost its original meaning ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@dalkay]

Yeah it’s a cope phrase. You can always minimize the harm you do even if you can’t fully get rid of it.

[@lpsmurder]

Exactly, it's not meant to be a justification, it means that it's an often inescapable issue and to survive we often can't say no to it, but we don't need to buy heaps of crap off Temu to survive. Having to buy bottled water when your drinking water is full of crap, water that's produced by a company that steals from and exploits people to sell said water, selling water back to the people who own the land it comes from, and giving us in the first world no choice but to buy from Them, THAT'S an example of when this phrase is justified, when we have no CHOICE but to feed into it for our own survival or because there are no other accessible alternatives

[@umm3766]

yeah idc i'm team overbuying 4ever

[@meghansullivan6812]

Right? It’s so defeatist like “welp if I can’t do the right thing completely then I just don’t care about the issue at all! 🤷🏼‍♀️”

[@Barb6106]

Poorer countries are drowning in our fast fashion waste… and how high do the garbage dumps have to get? This should make us angry as a country… the targeted ads and sneaky business…Why would we want to give them more $??? “Influencer” culture is also depressing. The senseless hauls-ugh

[@LizRealGirlBeauty]

They don't just dump it. They light it on fire. It's actually better to just throw it out here, where we have responsible landfills, with filtering, liners, proper disposal of things life toxic chemicals, etc. Over there, it's just dumped on the ground.

[@pamelahornick8108]

@@LizRealGirlBeauty What would be better would be to stop creating and buying this crap so then it wouldn't be polluting anyone's country.

[@TheIHVPNetwork]

Everything you said! 100% ---we should be angry but---everybody is too high and distracted with over consumption of fake food, drugs, mj, church, college degrees, social media, tv, QVC, politics, gender stuff.

[@Aj-me8mo]

What that gotta do with me?

[@butternutsquash6984]

Protect yourself from sites like this. Decide what you need and want and buy it as a one and done. Avoid browsing or shopping without some kind of plan, even if it's minimal. This advice has worked for generations.

[@ReginaDailey]

Thank you for mention slavery. When I saw the shop like a billionaire ads, my first thought Temu could only be able to have the cheap prices because of slavery.

[@realDonaldMcElvy]

The irony of KZbin pushing a Temu ad on me while I was watching this video made your message 100× stronger.

[@lvrichardson7966]

$14 a month to go ad free on KZbin (Premium). So worth it! 😊❤

[@narkles9122]

Another really important aspect to this is the psychological burden of stuff. I'm not a hardcore minimalist or anything, but I do find myself feeling far worse mentally when my space is full of crap. Having a ton of things as a result of overconsumption makes moving harder, it makes traveling harder, it makes cleaning harder, it makes having friends over harder...you get my point. Too much stuff is not good for the human brain and sites like Temu are setting young people on the path to hoarding-it makes me very nervous for the future.

[@leaharvey5201]

YES! The psychological aspect is real. I don’t shop on TEMU, Wish, Shein, etc. but I tend to accumulate stuff, more specifically crafting supplies and materials, you know, that I MIGHT use one day. It gets harder to organize stuff when you have too much of it, and it definitely affects my mood. I find more relief when I declutter instead of trying to organize the impossible. Every other day, I grab a garbage bag and I fill it to get rid of things I don’t use. I feel proud of me after that.

[@semekiizuio]

Always wondered why people decorate their homes by season 🤔 Buying stuff every season and trashing the old just because it isnt new

[@nevevirgo]

this is why i think carefully of what i buy and i don’t buy a lot of little things that don’t really have a use to me. but also buy things for hobbies. it’s good to find a balance of what you’re buying for fun and necessity. if that makes sense.

[@lizjo7213]

​@ozymandes your words are a comfort to me...I feel guilty at times for all that I have...

[@pamelahornick8108]

@@leaharvey5201 I have found that if you stop buying then you don't have to declutter as much. I was working in a thriftstore and buying stupid stuff because "I might need or use it one day" and I just finally got sick of clutter. I've stopped buying things for the most part unless it is a necessity but I'm still trying going through my stuff and getting rid of some because I find that clutter causes me physical, mental, and emotional stress.

[@thepeterone]

I got a temu ad on this video. "This criticism of temu is brought to you by temu."

[@allisonw6762]

I looked into the company and made a decision of not buying from Temu. It is frustrating to see youtubers partnering or hauls. I appreciated your additional concerns in the video. I grew up using what we had. Someone mentioned the library. Ours had a huge room in an old building, the newspapers were on wooden rods that you took to the large tables to read. For me I should limit my time on the phone.

[@juliajs1752]

I fell into "retail therapy" after my mom died suddenly and I had the urge to experience everything "now" because I might be dead tomorrow. My poison of choice is knitting yarns, so at least not too much plastic waste created, but it took me years to break out of that cycle, which was its own kind of FOMO. I tore open all of the advent calendar on December 1st, because I might not see December 24th. I bought and ate whatever I saw, because waiting until tomorrow it might be too late. Understanding this as a trauma reaction and coping mechanism made it a bit easier to fight, but it's still not really gone. Funnily enough, these past months I have decluttered and minimalised my household to the point of austerity, except my knitting supplies, and it feels so much better!

[@thefinancialfreedomgirl]

First off, I'm so sorry for your loss. That is devastating and I hope you're holding up okay these days. Also thanks so much for sharing your story with retail therapy and the emotional element to it. I think it makes a lot of sense that you'd feel so anxious for the present/unsure of the future, and wishing you the absolute best as you continue your minimalism journey!

[@valzahnzahn]

Knitting is the best therapy!

[@Hollyhock7]

We all grieve in different ways ❤❤❤ you're not to blame, ok??? Our culture is ♡♡♡.. and I also love knitting . Do you sell your knitted yams anywhere?? :)

[@katec9893]

I'm sorry about your loss, I know how painful grief is. I relate to how you fell into a shopping addiction. I've realised I started using clothes as an armour against bullying as a teenager (ie having cool clothes and looking good stopped bullying). I'm way past teenagehood but I still find myself buying clothes when I have enough, as a sort of social protection mechanism. It's so good once we trace the root of the behaviour and we can start to heal it and reduce or stop the behaviour.

[@rattlecat5968]

I am there with you! When I was just blooming into adulthood and had my first job, I wanted to buy my father the leather bomber jacket that he so wanted, but refused to spend the money on himself in lieu of providing for his family. I decided to spend the hundreds of dollars for the jacket for him for the upcoming Christmas! Unfortunately, I could not find the jacket in the 42 Long size in the stores by Christmas and realized *I would have to wait until next year* when the stock was replenished for the season. Shortly after that Christmas, my father unexpectedly passed away in his sleep. I was absolutely devastated. In fact, it took over a decade before I could think of him without falling apart. He was such a good man... It bothered me that I wasn't able to give him that leather bomber jacket that Christmas before he passed. And that experience shaped the rest of my life. As I "matured" into the adult I am now, (debateable!) and had children of my own, I could not hold off on giving them whatever they wanted as soon as I could, never "waiting for" birthdays or Christmases as I was incredibly fearful that waiting might turn out to be *too late.* The peculiar thing is that it took me many years to realize why that (semi-irrational) fear overtook my thoughts. My kids were never spoiled, as in they never demanded things and never argued if I told them "no." I was very lucky. But, they did grow into adults who carried on that "no need to wait for it" mentality. I haven't decided if that's necessarily a bad thing... especially since all responsibilities are taken care of as a priority. But, birthdays and holidays have lost those special moments of anticipation leading up to the "surprise" factor. 🤷 Personally, I frequent thrift stores for the ethical reasons, but moreso, admittedly for the theraputic coping mechanism of buying something I've needed or wanted, or upgrading, "before it's too late." Time is precious and priceless, as is family. Money is worth only as much as the security and joy it can bring to those we care about, including ourselves... as long as priorities (shelter, food, health) are maintained firstly.

[@mispalobti4982]

I highly suggest reading “The China Price” by Alexandra Harney. It will provide a great, in depth understanding of how we are able to get products for such cheap prices. An example is “black factories”, which are unregistered factories; if a factory isn’t registered, it doesn’t exist, and if it doesn’t exist, so do the workers that work there. This allows for rampant worker abuse and exploitation. There are even cases of child labor violations.

[@whatrtheodds]

😢Why do humans exploit each other and can we break this cycle?

[@tatelabianca666]

​@@whatrtheodds We are a parasitic species, exploiting/feeding on pretty much anything there is, including our own species and the very basis of its existence. So don't worry about breaking the cycle, it's already in progress, and exponentially so. Not a good outlook, but it'll definitely come to an end, rather sooner than later.

[@mmi940]

That is old news! Kinda like Nike 😂 There is no way around this until China changes the way they treat their citizens.

[@abundantlyinspired]

I was raised that if everyone is doing something I should stand still and ask why. 🤔It has helped me tremendously to avoid being sucked into many nonsensical trends and scams over the years.

[@beatrixbrennan1545]

I usually do the exact opposite of what the masses do as a general modis operandi.

[@katherinesica3215]

I’m so glad you did this video! There are women in my little rural town who are literally addicted to TEMU. They are buying so much junk. I told them about TEMU but they honestly say “so what”. Many are younger and are clueless about the bad parts of China (not the hardworking people). They don’t care about child labor. They just want their junk. I don’t think anyone can get these people to see the seriousness of TEMU. I have an 88 yr old friend who purchased a shower curtain from TEMU. TEMU “accidentally “ sent her two more curtains. She wants to send them back. I was rather firm and said to throw them away. She was unaware of TEMU. It just shocks me how trusting and gullible people are! Keep up the excellent work! Maybe they will listen to you rather than me….a 71 year old boomer ❤️

[@o0MRG0o]

Shopping has changed. It's no longer about quality, mission statements, or necessity. It's an endless series of proxy transactions pushed by places like Temu and the algorithm. Shopping - and its consumption of life - has become a well-oiled machine. Shopping has changed. Sponsored influencers carry Sponsored gadgets, wear sponsored gear. The algorithm inside their phones enhance and regulate their experiences. Social control. Information control. Emotion control. Market control. Everything is monitored and kept under control. Shopping has changed. The age of abundance has become the age of control... All in the name of averting catastrophe from not keeping up with our peers, not sufficiently sedating ourselves. And they who controls the marketplace... controls history. Shopping has changed. When the marketplace is under total control... Shopping becomes routine.

[@terminator572]

THEY PLAYED US LIKE A DAMN FIDDLE

[@o0MRG0o]

@@terminator572 HA! You're pretty good!

[@lawlznet]

@@o0MRG0o a metal gear reference is the last thing i expected to find as the top rated post in a youtube channel talking about Temu about I love you for it.

[@Akerfeldtfan]

Metal TEMU??

[@MiroslavMydlo]

Shopping. Shopping never changes. Or does it? Shopping has changed

[@emperorchopchop7726]

Thrifting is my dopamine outlet. It hits all the right notes for me. My ADHD loves how unstructured thrift stores are compared to the rigid displays in regular retail. I love how easy it is to be surprised in a thrift store, and I love that a $5 find that creates zero new waste can give me the exact same dopamine rush as any other purchase. Love hunting for first edition hardcover copies of favorite books and classic old pyrex mesuring cups...my problem now is that my apartment is a bit cluttered with 'finds'

[@robbbbery]

Same! When the video showed that plastic claw machine I was thinking that the idea of buying a new one of those made me feel ill, but I could stand the idea of finding it in a thrift store for a few bucks, playing with it for a week, and then redonating it for the next person to enjoy.

[@MassiveSwordAndCards]

Same here, love thrift stores so much. Especially the older, city-subsidized ones that don't employ people who know how to price things properly! I've gotten new-in-box $150+ laptop bags for like $5 each from them several times, as well as rare vintage video games.

[@tffnyc1033]

The thrift store I shop at and donate to is directly connected to a children’s hospital. I’m loving it.

[@CiarnaK]

Agreed! Short of something I need immediately (like, say, my last pair of jeans just shredded in the back, the thrill of the hunt in thrift stores and garage sales gives a way bigger emotional high than just clicking "buy now" online.

[@tdsollog]

Thrift stores, yard sales, flea markets and estate sales are my favorite hunting grounds. I seldom buy new stuff.

[@petrieberries]

Instead of shopping I go out in the forest and pick mushrooms. The rush I get when finding a new sacred spot with chanterelles is amazing. My freezer is full so I end up giving away my overconsumption lol

[@krogers8678]

I haven’t purchased anything on temu for months. But I was at a market for people who hand-make things and purchased an adorable cat plush. I thought my nephew you like one so I googled to see if I could find the ladies online store it and was shocked to realize it was a $2 temu product. I paid 6 x that! With drop shipping and resellers sometimes you’re feeding the beast without even knowing.

[@Magicwinguy]

The claw machine girl's completely lifeless face relecting in the glass has some sort of symbolism to it

[@2010schelle]

I had to playback the video to see that. You're right, she wasn't even smiling. She was more concerned with taking the video than having fun.

[@putupututu]

OH YEAA I JUST NOTICEDD- btw for anyone who's searching for the time: 9:40

[@kof2001kof]

These negative videos make people wanna try more lol😅

[@watermelonpuree]

LMFAOAOAOOA

[@paolaanimator]

Somehow that makes it funnier, sounding excited but the face is just dead.

[@melodieknowsit]

My take on shopping, regardless of the platform or the shop, is that I don't shop unless it's necessary. I hate it when companies send me stupid emails saying "you need this shirt" when mine works just fine.

[@BBYD-hm5vc]

Yes and it's cheap material wait like 2 3 weeks just to get it💀

[@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj]

@@BBYD-hm5vc I agree and my friend once bought an outfit that looked nice for only $1. She wore it only once and it ripped apart once she put it in the washer. You truly get what you pay for.

[@sunflowervibes3041]

Yeah, it especially bugs me when sustainable fashion brands tell me I need something…

[@thehoardedgrotto8521]

Exactly because the first step to being environmentally friendly is REDUCE, the second step is reuse and then at the very end is recycle. We get that so backwards sometimes.

[@Olivia-W]

See, you need Shirt 2.0! Now with extra thin polyester!

[@skyggsja]

one thing i rarely hear mentioned in videos about overconsumption is how it actually affects our mental health negatively. it‘s bad for our wallets and our planet but it‘s also bad for our minds to have too much stuff. cluttered homes are a big cause of stress and a a pretty hidden one as well. many wouldn‘t expect their homes and their things to be a cause of stress because they chose to buy many of those things. but owning a lot almost always comes with wanting yet more. it often comes with comparison, you compare what you have to what you could have and what others own and go out to buy new things even though what you have is often perfectly fine already. or even though you already have several of them (buying a couple of t-shirts cuz the colors are trendy now but you already got 60 tshirts at home). It often comes with difficult choices. that‘s why it‘s more difficult to find the right outfit while owning many clothing items than it is while owning a capsule wardrobe. the things we own we get used to and often lose a bit of respect for them (the brand new iphone that‘s treated like a raw egg versus the same iphone but 1.5 yrs old thrown across the couch or into a bag) but the cheaper an item was the less respect we have for it (the 1000 dollar shein haul where you hear people say „idk i don‘t like it. i might just throw it away“ which you would never do for a shirt of better quality and higher price). And all of this cn be quite unsatisfactory on a day to day basis because even though one might have everything that one could ask for materialistically, there is always something missing ( or you‘ll be buying new shoes this month and the shoe-hunger will be satisfied but you‘ll be looking for new cushion covers next month cuz you need a change there as well and maybe a new backpack the month after that). a big culprit in causing this is social media and people sharing everything they have and bought. all the ads and sponsored posts but there are soo many unsponsored ones as well (whimsical cottagecore account shares details of an outfit and even though everything was self purchased it kinda triggers the audience to check out those shops. old argue that, though being a form of art and creativity, it‘s also but… idk weird (know i‘m definitely guilty of it myself buut I still find it weird) to have this urge to show off the stuff one owns…).

[@byesialater]

this comment needs more attention! it hit way to close to home lmaooo. as someone struggling with a shopping addiction and retail therapy compulsion tendencies, buying unecessary stuff i KNOW i don’t need makes me feel good in the moment but once it gets here and i have to put it away among my other countless amounts of clothes, it makes me feel anxious and suffocated because of all the clutter (and my room already isn’t very big). i also end up feeling super dissapointed and ashamed of myself for contributing to overconsumption and harm to the environment. yet i can’t stop. slowly ive been getting better at buying less but now that it’s black friday szn im being sucked in by all the deals smh 😞 ive already spent so much and it’s not even official black friday lmao. social media definitely plays a huge role, esp since i follow a lot of body positive and fashion influencers and they’re always being sponsored by a clothing brand. i should probably unfollow them but they are very inspiring to me so it’s hard 😔 i will definitely be taking a long social media break soon because i really need to stop buying shit

[@chriss7552]

I am from asia. And we use to boycott anything made from china. And comming to the USA. People are going crazy buying stuff from TEMU. This is scary😢

[@jessicamontaperto810]

Nope 🙅 I refused to go near Shein I won't go near Temu either.

[@Oh_mariam]

​@@jessicamontaperto810ur loss

[@jessicamontaperto810]

It is very concerning 😟 exactly.

[@haleysalter90]

Love the video! Sadly, it’s unlikely that it will ever be watched by anyone actually contributing to the problem. They definitely choose ignorance so they don’t have to face what their actions actually mean. I hope the message finds them eventually. My slightly related anecdote: I deleted all my social media and my spending has dropped dramatically. Not just with websites like Amazon or of the fast fashion variety-I just spend less period. Plus with all the extra time, I’ve been able to dedicate time to both new hobbies and ones forgotten, like reading, going to the gym, and I’m almost done writing a novel I forgot about years ago. It’s hard at first but gets really easy, I strongly recommend it to anyone considering making the jump!!

[@thefinancialfreedomgirl]

how amazing!!! so glad that you've been able to cut social media and replace it with such positive things! it is incredible how much social media encourages spending, comparing yourself, etc. I've been thinking of doing a dopamine detox (especially with tiktok) and this is encouraging me even more :) also good luck with finishing your novel! how cool!!

[@Barb6106]

How wonderful for you!! It’s being in the real world! Congratulations!

[@fluffycloud9]

Congrats, that’s awesome! I’m struggling with a bit of a KZbin addiction myself… (its just a great escape from reality for me) hopefully I can succeed in reducing the amount of time I spend on KZbin. I want to enjoy life to the fullest, especially as a teen. I almost spent $80 on Temu before reconsidering and asking myself if I really needed it just because the things were cheap. My mom also convinced me otherwise by telling me that Temu is possibly stealing data from people buying from them. I hope you continue to enjoy your life without social media pressure and such!

[@kingworm7168]

I’m gearing up to start moving away from social media. I enjoy KZbin as it doesn’t seem to cause me excessive stress or over buying, but FB and Instagram are soul sucking. I won’t even consider TikTok. Social media can dangerous and emotionally draining. I’m ready to be rid of it and go back to reality

[@caravanrose]

Yet here you are on YT. Thank you for all the virtues you possess and flaunt but I smell something fishy

[@DeluluIsTheSolulu]

My dad uses Temu a lot and he's tried so hard to convince me to use it as well but first of all, I don't need extra junk and second of all I work in the fraud dept of a large bank. We have way too many fraudulent cases that involve this site, so no thanks!

[@Blueprince224]

Smart.

[@John_Jonah_Jameson.]

Yes.

[@aidanm.1683]

I wish there were people as intelligent and emotionally mature as you in my life.

[@liljepolak8565]

I get that dopamine rush from "buying" stuff online, I put things in my cart and tell myself that I'll return a month later, then I just forget all about it. Literally, all the excitement is gone and I don't even remember what I was so hype about. I apply this logic to other things too, and while my shopping cart doesn't call to me, that tattoo idea from a year ago is still strong. I really want it, just have to get some money and find an artist for it.

[@Unfortunately_Mickey]

What a terrible time to suggest illuminaughtii 😅 She’s going through a huge controversy which includes her plagiarizing her content and treating her employees terribly

[@thefinancialfreedomgirl]

bad timing indeed 😅 I don't watch her or keep up with KZbin drama/scandals so didn't know what a pile of internet poop I stepped in by mentioning her video haha. I simply mentioned it because it nicely packaged information that is relevant and supplementary to my video topic, since it was honestly pretty difficult to find another video that touched on the topic. I will say it's been... interesting to see people's responses. tbh I've been quite frustrated how people have been jumping to conclusions about me "endorsing" her by mentioning her video. in my opinion, citing a relevant & supplemental resource that is factually accurate is far from an endorsement, especially since I don't know who this lady is lol. it feels like people are losing sight of the larger important issue I'm trying to address via providing a relevant resource and instead enjoying the pursuit of capturing a "gotcha" moment that narrows in on an irrelevant scandal. that's not me dismissing the bad things she's allegedly done, but ultimately her personal life scandals are - in my opinion - not relevant to the conversation I'm having within the video. ah well, everyone's priorities are allowed to be different, and I know that when you're on a certain corner of the internet it can feel like whatever issue you're thinking of is at the center. anyways sorry for the long response 😬 this has been bugging me a bit, as you can see! also, thank you for watching & mentioning the illuminati scandal without demonizing me in the process, I appreciate it!

[@Unfortunately_Mickey]

@@thefinancialfreedomgirl girl I totally get it. Your content is very matter of fact and I understand that the suggestion you made was only for the specific piece of content you had viewed yourself. For what it matters, it seems that you in general check your sources and make sure you don’t suggest things to your audience that might be harmful. You didn’t do anything of the sort. People just tend to take internet drama as black and white and are unable to say “hey I don’t like her as a person or creator, but she provided accurate information here.” Focus on yourself and your message and content. They’re what matters. The drama fiends won’t stick around if it’s that important to them.

[@bandhariwickette]

​@@thefinancialfreedomgirlI got you girl, there's nothing wrong with not being privy to KZbin drama, it just means you're focused on more important things~ :)

[@mookinbabysealfurmittens]

It's just that her videos _aren't_ a good source for info. She's a content farm, and it shows. Edit: That says nothing of you and your channel, though, and I understand your frustration with anyone railing you for "endorsing a bad blah blah". I'm not saying anything of you, and your video is all good so far (halfway). Can't imagine a sudden direction change that would change my thoughts. ...Omg! Look at all the packaging waste in each order! It's a big plastic bag full of double plastic bagged plastic crap. (Remember, folks, synthetic clothing is plastic, and trashes the planet just the same.) Ahem anyway, thank you for your video. We need more CCs pointing out this stuff for especially the younger generations, and maybe we can change the consumption habits that started with industrialisation and just got worse c/o Reagan and his whole... thing... Tl;dr I'm not holding anything against you. Quite the opposite: great video. Cheers!

[@om-nj2hw]

I watched a few of her videos, while they had potential, she just seemed blocked by her own "woke" perspective. Everything had all her bias and opinions all over it rather than just the subject matter. So I stopped watching. I really wish true journalism would come back in fashion, instead of opinion dressed as truth.

[@BoujeeGrapes]

I'm all for any company or person undercutting Amazon out of the transaction. However 98% of the crap on Temu, you really don't need.

[@lealeawalker1820]

Exactly, it’s poorly made trash 🗑️

[@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj]

Yup and they are extremely bad quality too.

[@kitsura]

Amazon is full of Chinese sellers too

[@D.von.N]

I think Amazon is a lesser villain here.

[@kitsura]

Amazon has lots of fake stuff they are not curating the listings so they are as evil as Temu. At least with Temu you don't get conned into buying counterfeit stuff.

[@kolonarulez5222]

Calling their ad campaign aggressive is still putting it too lightly. Omg I cannot escape that jingle

[@anabritelora]

I am sooooo glad I started KZbin Premium before Temu got big and the ads were everywhere…it’s a miracle getting to avoid all that noise!

[@OptimusPrimordial]

I tried it, and it was VERY game-ified. The way they have it set up I felt like I was in a casino. And the games never stop. This will be absolutely terrible for people who have trouble quitting.

[@craftyhobbit7623]

There are many people vulnerable to gambling and even video games that have in game purchases have been criticized for encouraging addictive spending. That's another problem with this - when does buying a few items to make you feel better become something that stops you buying things that you actually need, that your family needs? Aside from the health issues that you get with cigarettes' and alcohol, it stopping money from being spent on essentials are one of the reasons I hate them and refuse to spend money on them - gambling and betting are like that and worse, and uncontrolled 'retail therapy' shopping can be as bad - add in the gambling aspects and it'll be worse.

[@dna9838]

Got zero desire for filling my house up with low grade plastic crap. Fewer, better quality stuff will ultimately give more feelgood factor.

[@TrinhNguyen-sh4fj]

Exactly! Go for quality rather than quantity!

[@kairoscomic]

I've shopped with Shein but always feel guilty about it 😅 that said, Ive had to make a lot of adjustments for health reasons, including not being able to work, and the cheaper prices mean I can afford my hobbies that make me happy (embroidery, for instance). I also have gotten things like walking sticks and bags i won't struggle to carry that I wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise. You're totally right about the gamification, it's very hard to not get sucked in - also a lot of it is a false economy, the quality can be poor. The fact they copy designs from independent artists makes me very uncomfortable too, I'm trying to shop with them less.

[@moniquecurry1926]

That is understandable. Just try to pick wisely and not get too happy about something that may break really fast or let you down.😇

[@ina5843]

As much as I agree with you and refuse to buy from them myself, Temu actually does sell a lot of useful things too so if someone is super broke they could actually afford to even get small pieces of furniture, kitchen/bathroom appliances or even super cheap school supplies if needed. It's not the best option but it's an option neitherless. As sad as it might be.

[@Azores88]

I wouldn't share Illuminatii's videos unless you endorse youtubers that proudly show off other people's suicide notes as a way to shame them

[@putupututu]

hwat

[@apfelfreund6859]

@@putupututu yeah... just look the Videos about her up

[@qqqqqqqqqqqqqqq67]

Sharing an unrelated video = agreeing with all a person has ever said

[@shenzxq]

@@qqqqqqqqqqqqqqq67it’s still supporting a very horrible and borderline criminal KZbinr and giving them more money. Even if it’s covered well, it’s still endorsing them.

[@katiewarren4866]

@@qqqqqqqqqqqqqqq67but it is….it’s giving a terrible creator support and allowing them to make money while exploiting their employees/friends 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@Villymanillyvoop]

The irony of a Temu ad playing before this. But also, Thank you for this video! Their whole "shop like a billionaire" thing really pisses me off. It's all arbitrary consumerism. Plus, while making these items? How are they getting paid? Who pays the transport costs? So many questions, thank you for raising them

[@SmileB4uDie]

If you want to know you can go research it yourself. To give some brief info, every company follows the same import and export laws in their category. Temu follows the same rules as all the other exporters. Honestly OPs video is not bad, but provide little substance. Unsure how Temu's good marketing practice is Temu's fault. Every company does the same. Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, Coca Cola, any blue chip company spends hundreds of millions a year on marketing. If you want to protest Temu, why don't you protest Amazon where pretty much 95% of the items are from the same manufactures except Temu is straight from manufactures while Amazon are resellers making 200-500% profit margin. Their slogan pisses you off because you're against consumerism? This entire world is consumerism especially and primarily U.S is consumerism. We are the #1 consumers, #1 polluters, #1 in waste, #1 in starting wars to fund this consumerism. The problem with these types of videos are the viewer is oblivious so they just consume this content with no background. And this content while made well in terms of speaking has no substance and tries to correlate waste and consumerism with Temu when there are dozens of other retail apps much worse in these aspects.

[@Natalia-df5iw]

I really hope more people see this video or even think about this topic. It's a huge societal problem, getting worse and worse. We finally need to start being more mindful and stop this toxic trend that is fuelled by media on and on

[@motleyassortment5512]

I am tired of seeing their commercials/ads. Nonstop nagging you to buy something . You can't block them PERMANENTLY! The more they throw ad in my face, the more I refuse to buy anything from them!

[@gemmagreene362]

My mum (she’s 84) asked me about Temu because her friend told her about it. I checked it out and something just looked wrong (because it was a Chinese company which appeared to be masquerading as a US company). I told her to avoid it completely. I’m so glad she checks these things with me!

[@semekiizuio]

Makes me wonder what an old lady can buy off Temu when Temu is mostly designed for X and Zs lmao 😂 since its all fast fashion and cheap stationary bags following trends not something older people wear or do

[@samy_panda6605]

@@semekiizuiooh dude. you have no. idea. old people LOVE cheap things, plus the free shipping and “coupons” for $100 off. for older people its usually household stuff and shoes/slippers instead of genz focusing on fashion, cute stuff, and makeup

[@caravanrose]

Riiight, cause Chinese goods only come from Temu, definitely not Walmart or Amazon or Target, Home Depot, Whole Foods or department stores 😆

[@semekiizuio]

@@caravanrose assuming old people can drive to brick and mortar box stores 😂

[@gEnIoOhAzEl]

I was about to buy from there. ..

[@loaf_iii9558]

I bought a 1 dollar Keychain accessory from there and was instantly put off by how much packaging they use for such a tiny item, you could've easily fit 30 Keychain accessories in the bag they used to deliver one.

[@esperanzaruiz8371]

😂😂

[@aleccino]

​@@love_nyc_ there's a reason it's so much cheaper. Several in fact, and none of them good.

[@love_nyc_]

@@aleccino yea cuz amazon be making hella profit....not from my wallet tho

[@aleccino]

@@love_nyc_ And Temu are making even more profit per item sold because of how many corners they cut and the atrocious exploitation of their workers under slave labour. Amazon isn't perfect by any means but Temu (and Shein, Wish etc) are far far worse. Hence their cheapness.

[@love_nyc_]

@@aleccino Well Amazon isnt going to be profiting off of my wallet. There is no sense in spending $10 on a keychain you can get for 97 cents. It's worth 97 cents, not $10. Stuff like this adds up and my wallet is not going to be saving the world, let someone else overpay and be a hero :)

[@vvitch-mist20]

Temu being pushed was more or less the reason I stopped buying fast fashion entirely. I'm gonna teach my daughter to fix, make, and thrift her clothing as well. I try to make things with my hands, or organize what I already have.

[@deknees8969]

I can't imagine thinking "Im bored" and then hopping on that app to buy something. These apps like Shein as well and ofc social media as well are so horrible it's sad

[@oldguy7402]

Using "ethically" "sustainability " indiscriminately are the modern snake oil salesman hype.

[@michaelditto]

I don't know how I got here but this person is overflowing with knowledge, thoughtfulness, and wisdom.

[@thefinancialfreedomgirl]

Thank you so much - I appreciate that, and glad you found your way here :)

[@TaraMichelleZ]

I am a thrifter/reseller and have only found out about Temu through other reseller's videos. Many are being sponsored by them, which just strikes me as odd. These particular resellers/ most resellers claim to want to save items from the landfill, but then partner with a company like Temu. I do completely understand taking sponsorships where you can, but Temu seems to be popping up everywhere quickly. I am a new subscriber and am really enjoying your videos. I try my best to not over consume, but I am not a stranger to it. No one is perfect, but it's nice to have logical thoughts flowing in my mind before clicking buy.

[@abaddon2148]

crafting in various ways for me has filled the dopamine void that shopping used to. i still get to shop, but for crafting supplies/fabric and to a much less extent. and i get a rush when something is completed (usually after days to weeks of work), and either used/worn by me or given to someone to use or wear. then i get to do it all over again!

[@Armazillo]

I battle with my girlfriend every day about her consumption addiction. She buys bullshit because spending money is the only way she feels in control of anything, and I try to get her to look within herself for validation, but this kind of thing feels really predatory. It's production designed to fuel content producers; production for production's sake. It really is a fucking nightmare landfill.

[@GemmaMarie278]

You’re a really good guy. Don’t give up on her. I struggle with this too and my hubby is so supportive. He’s helped me and forgave me so many times. It’s so important having someone in your corner when your facing any kind of addiction.

[@lovingsunshine3515]

@@GemmaMarie278I hope you are finding the will to stop though. It is very exhausting and draining living with someone who has some kind of addiction and doesn’t try to help themselves. As a frugal and simple person, I personally cannot handle being with someone with a shopping addiction. Their consumer debt becomes the household debt preventing you from living your life bc you can’t afford to do anything else.

[@lvrichardson7966]

"Battling with my girlfriend." Not a good omen for future success in your relationship. If you stay together, there will always be tension around the subject of her over- consumption. She's not going to change.

[@Daithai96]

OOh - isn't that what Amazon did to every bookshop and subsequently every other retailer on the planet?

[@caravanrose]

Yes exactly, its what all those investment companies do when starting a new brand. Just like Chewy, Uber and like you said, Amazon. And they all do it with Chinese goods.

[@clane1013]

Walmart started it all.

[@AmandaClarkHOOTIE]

I hate delivering this crap every day! They shove so much stuff into their bags it almost too heavy to carry. 😔

[@yellowzora]

I love your earrings! This video sums up all the reasons why I've been suspicious of Temu right from the start , thank you so much for making it. I try to only spend money on things I actually need, which can be so hard when we're so bombarded with adverts all the time. Ironically, I got a Temu advert right before this video...

[@CyborgWolf]

I'm trying to get my "dopamine shot" by lifting weight, reading philosophy & learning new langage. I find it more fulfilling. Also these past years i've found out that baking was such a stress relief & it gives so much satisfaction. I've heard of temu but for me it seemed like another cheap chinese garbage site. I've been guilty of trying these in the past but now I try my best to not use these website & be careful with money.

[@nervousbreakdown711]

You should probably cut out the Illuminatii part. She’s being ripped to shreds by the entire internet right now. Swoop has a doc about it

[@RachelJayne92]

This! I really don’t think it’s a good idea to promote her rn.

[@thefinancialfreedomgirl]

thanks for watching and flagging! I'm not going to cut it since I think it's important to cite my sources + I personally think the topic at hand in that video (labor exploitation to the point of death) is more important than KZbin drama that a sect of the internet is following (and I don't mean that in any belittling way, this is just one of those compromises that we each make on an individual level). that being said, I absolutely acknowledge that people's thresholds for whether that's acceptable are different and will likely be impacted by how close they are to that KZbinr's story.

[@nervousbreakdown711]

@@thefinancialfreedomgirl I get where you’re coming from, and it’s fair that you would want to be transparent about your sources. But calling Illuminaughii’s exposé “KZbin drama” is dismissive. “KZbin drama” is you saying something dumb on Twitter. She drove one of her workers to nearly kill himself, attempted to create a company town, and made him homeless. She also lied about one of her ex co-workers of being a pedophile enabler. Like, this is the kind of thing people go to prison for. And look, I’m not entitled to tell you to stop watching her or anything like that. But it’ll look bad if you’re citing someone who is being torn apart left and right for being a serial abuser and labor exploiter.

[@nervousbreakdown711]

@@thefinancialfreedomgirl kzbin.info/www/bejne/e5ildKGhqLGnbrM

[@thefinancialfreedomgirl]

@@nervousbreakdown711 I appreciate you explaining the situation more, thank you. Yes, it seems like a serious situation and calling it KZbin drama is dismissive. My intended point was more that the issues are being discussed in such a small niche of the internet (even if it doesn't feel that way to those in that niche) that it 1) feels unfair to characterize it as the whole internet - me and those around me don't watch or know who she is, and 2) ultimately, her video has important points about labor issues that I felt needed to be addressed in my video. For my personal value system, I would rather provide viewers access to that information so they can make informed decisions that can potentially positively change the labor abuse going on internationally vs remove that information because the KZbinr in question is a very questionable and a seemingly bad person in her personal life. It's my personal value system, and I absolutely respect people thinking differently. I don't watch this person or support them; I simply wanted to reference a source of information that nicely lays out an issue important to me, as there weren't other videos I could find that succinctly captured the situation. Thanks again for your time explaining the situation more!

[@reginaerekson9139]

3:19 I’m concerned that they sell all your shipping information, phone number and as you mentioned data breaches. I’m starting to look at the sketchy Terms of Service/Cookies on websites/apps - I think that’s how the scammers are getting to us. Temu isn’t the only one. I barely want to use the internet anymore.

[@miqotelover]

The gaming, and addiction to shopping/buying was an amazing tie in that I hadn't considered before. It's crazy how often I find myself going to Temu to browse, and I have bought products tailored to my needs, but overall if it's cheaper buying from Temu than Amazon, I want to save money at the end of the day.

[@Detective_asparagus]

A wee bit ago I had a huge a HUGE problem with spending money on plushies, so much so that my mother warned me how irresponsible it is. The biggest way I'm (working on) getting out of it is removing accessibility. Because you can save your card details on most platforms, you can buy something in just a couple of clicks, giving you no time for forethought. By taking my card/shipping details, etc. off my devices, I was in much more control of what I actually buy, since physically getting up to grab my wallet and typing everything in gives me time to back out. That's what's been most helpful of me

[@fuzzybunnybutt]

I've done 3 orders with Temu. And I got some stuff I actually love. But a few things that were literally crap. And not even like the pictures. I'm done and sick of Temu bc of that alone. Plus I only use about 3 of the 30 things I bought on a regular basis. So yes it was a waste of money and I've learned my lesson on that part of useless shopping. Retail therapy has put a burden on our finances, so we r turning to learning instead. When I am tempted to even watch a shoppy haul on KZbin I change the video to something interesting to learn about instead. It does seem to help me not shop so far. 💜

[@YOURLOVERBOYOLLIE]

Personally, to get a dopamine rush or just to feel happy without buying qq bunch of useless stuff, listening to music, or creating art, or cleaning help me a lot. Especially with cleaning and art because i get this sence of fulfillment when im done and i get to feel proud of myself when I'm done.

[@ellieparks2497]

I appreciate the depth of information in such a matter-of-fact style. This has been the only helpful video I’ve seen regarding the topic; the majority are KZbinrs capitalizing on popular topics by pushing long videos with minimal facts.

[@carlamartirano1321]

This is crazy, I don’t have instagram nor ticktock, so I only saw some random ads of TEMU on KZbin and I didn’t realize it was such a terrible phenomenon. I really think that not having instagram or ticktock and just enjoying long KZbin videos from someone really making content protects me from this terrible overconsumption. Thank you Cara for this new video and your elaborate insights ❤ kisses from Italy 🇮🇹 🌍🌈🌞

[@weird-guy]

They number 1 on the App Store in Portugal, for me is the tiktok trend that know once KZbinrs started to talk about😂, they are some of the weirdest thing in the world sometimes feel like living in parallel universe 😂

[@Dee-so3by]

@carlamartirano1321, 🤣🤣🤣it's in the making right now, is that no need to eat, drink breath air, there is only one thing to do.

[@paige-vt8fn]

Same, inly KZbin for me, and sometimes Facebook. Sending you blessings and love to Italy❤

[@lvrichardson7966]

If you love KZbin and hare ads it only costs $14 a month to go ad free. It's a game changer! ❤

[@StrangeQuark-kp6kb]

Irony us that billionaires buy few extremely high quality items and are then ones least interested in fast fashion, cheap crap and fads.

[@solsthrash2603]

Perhaps (it depends, some have for example huge closets or collextions filled with things that will bore them eventually) but they use up a lot of resources and create many emissions by having many vehicles, jets or just flying a lot in general, several houses/mansions with pools and gardens that use a lot of electricity and water etc etc can they technically do all that since they have the money? Yes, but nobody can convince that it isnt strange when a single rich man lives in a 9 bedroom mansion

[@9lavender]

Hi Cara Nicole, Thank you for making this video. I appreciate you relaxed speaking style and the clear, concise way you present ideas. One of my favorite KZbin channels is by a vintage and antique reseller. She is also a big fan of Temu. Her videos about Temu piqued my interest and I visited their site a couple of times but never downloaded the app or purchased anything. My reasons for not buying from Temu have to do with the very things you talk about in this video. I was sure whoever was hiring people to make such unexpensive products probably has no regard for workers rights or safety or for the environment. It's so great that you address retail therapy and suggest better ways to nature ourselves. I do use RT to soothe myself and I hope to return to meditation as an alternative. However I would say about 95% of my RT takes place in thrift stores. Whew! So glad I didn't put the Temu app on my device. Thank you. 👏❤🦋💐🙂

[@ellenicarr-cv8sf]

Thank you for this information. I have been able to resist temp just by asking myself if I would still want whatever item caught my eye in one month’s time. My personal dopamine hit is from thrift shopping, mainly clothes and then sewing and refashioning them.

[@aryntedstone2119]

As a native Bostonian, I am saddened to learn that we house their headquarters. Let's hope that it dies as quickly and aggressively as it began.

[@jenniferhcsmith-5586]

Agreed

[@lovelyheiferdev]

Same here tho I'm pissed as fuck 🤬

[@deedeeramone34]

Let’s go back to the good old days when Boston’s elite were the merchants who engaged in the slave trade, or when the police department was a corrupt ethno-nepotistic entity

[@ComeJesusChrist]

You still owe us money for the tea, buddy!

[@Maydenne]

I must be in the minority; I've made two Temu orders for things that I've always wanted but didn't want to pay Amazon prices for: cocktail maker set, screen window repair tape, glass containers for food storage, bass strings for my fiance and his band, reusable storage bags and food container covers, gym shorts since my others wore out, gardening soft boxes. A lot of things I couldn't start because it was too expensive but I'm so excited to finally start gardening for a fraction of the cost, and my fiance saving money on his musical staple also. It really depends on the person.

[@rattlecat5968]

Here's a piece of advice you may appreciate- Go into a high end neighborhood where there's a thrift store. You will be shocked at the high quality, low priced items you can buy to soothe all your needs. I've been thrifting and "picking" for 25 years and live way above my pay scale bc my money goes waaaay further. Give it a try 👍

[@RiverJanewayRoslin]

I too must be in the minority. I've ordered stationary (pop-up cards and unique greeting cards) from them because it's easier to buy my cards for the year from them. A quality pop up card anywhere else is $15 vs $3 on Temu. I'm an avid pen pal and send letters and cards all year. I have gotten a few "trinkets" likes stamps, or wax for seals but the gameification just isn't something that gets me. I probably won't continue ordering from them but I didn't know people were consuming so much from Temu

[@sukilenz1901]

I've been in this band camp as well. This is all stuff I would have bought on Amazon, that is honestly helping my budget go much much farther, appreciated in this economy.

[@youreapunkishthing9438]

⁠@@rattlecat5968as much as i thrift, there isn't always going to be what you're looking for/need in a thrift store, regardless of how "high end" it may be. and plenty of thrift stores have their stuff priced high. that may not be the case at your thrift store, but a lot of thrift stores charge an arm and a leg for secondhand items.

[@mamadoom9724]

I’ve found some of the exact same things from my Amazon wishlist on Temu for so much cheaper. I’m struggling financially this year and have been stressing about being able to get Christmas gifts for the kids. Temu is really helping me with that. I’m done with their stocking stuffers. I got them some useful things like socks, underwear, and bath loofahs. Also I wear dresses everyday in the summer and last summer I was stuck wearing stained, torn dresses. The dresses I get on Amazon are about $30 and I just couldn’t afford it. I just got two dresses for next summer on Temu for about $10 each. Temu feels like a godsend to me right now but I can see how it could be addicting if you’re a big shopper who likes to buy things just for fun.

[@HarmonyHope7534]

Temu is bad to artists too. My mom ordered a Care Bears sticker pack, and it was filled with not only stolen cover art from DVDs(even still having the U symbol in the art) and even from fan artists(someone had made an edit to draw Heart Song in the classic style and Temu stole it)

[@henryfleischer404]

Yeah, for me, I'm somewhat used to waiting months for things I buy, so Temu had no appeal. I mostly buy clothes, which take 1-6 months to arrive, and Gunpla, which get here faster but take a while to build, and teach me about injection molding, and engineering. As a game developer and 3D modeller, engineering is an important thing to know a bit about. And it's fun to put Gunpla together.

[@cherrycordiaI]

I ordered from Temu once to get some cheap craft supplies for a project for my niece. Everything was just as I expected but I once I recieved my order I couldn't stop thinking about my next one. I already have a problem with retail therapy and overspending, but this damn app had me in a stranglehold. For weeks after I found myself wandering there everyday, multiple times through the day (once every couple of hours, easy). I'd add trinkets and stationery to my cart, window shop for stuff I didn't need and waffle over making purchases I knew I couldn't really afford - all of it was stuff I did not need in the slightest. I already have so much, but I needed something shiny and new to anticipate. I almost folded a couple of times thanks to the frequent coupons, but so far I've managed to resist. Good lord is that site perfectly designed to prey on people like me. I hate it. I hate it because I know the quality of most of these products is rubbish. I've read negative reviews and seen at least four or five warning videos. Yet and still, I'm still tempted. Addicted, almost. We all joked that AliExpress and Wish were online dollars stores in the past, but Temu is so much worse. Like, sure you can find decent quality stuff for a a great price, but it's almost never worth it in the long run.

[@pamelahornick8108]

This. Exactly. I was going on the Temu app every day looking at stuff and adding it to my cart. I didn't order most of it because I realize it's junk. As soon as I got the last item I ordered from them I deleted my account and when I received confirmation that my account was deleted I then deleted the app. One of the best decisions I ever made. Humans these days are brainwashed and conditioned to believe they need to have everything and combining that belief with Temu is a recipe for disaster.

[@jessicamontaperto810]

Craft stuff I usually do Hobby Lobby they have plenty of craft items but much better!! I highly recommend it!

[@avengermkii7872]

It boils down to corporate culture of infinite growth and enshitification. Companies like Temu and its parent companies are willing to take a loss to attract customers to grow exponentially. Once they get enough customers, they pull the rug out and start exploiting the customers for more money resulting in over-consumption. Temu isn't really any better than Amazon or Walmart. If it makes them a quick buck, they don't care what they destroy.

[@gh0stliboii620]

Something that helpswith dopamine is geocaching for me!! ticking off a little box and the experience of finding one is so emjoyable, also forces you to interact with your neighbourhood which is satisfying

[@jeremygardner3193]

Hello, Cara! Just discovered your channel this morning and I really appreciate how you address consumerism and its impact on our planet. Keep up the good work

[@sancochita7392]

I live in Germany and I think Temu just started their aggressive campaign here as well. As a matter of fact, I just got two ads for Temu in this video, one at the beginning and one at the end 😆😆. Edit: I checked, and they have just launched in April which has been nonstop aggressive marketing. Similar to the USA, overcosumption is a problem here as well.

[@thefinancialfreedomgirl]

oh how interesting! they're spreading so fast!

[@weird-guy]

They recently entered Portugal and they are blasting me all the time with banner ads and are number one app on the App Store with shein in second

[@sancochita7392]

@Weird guy that's sad. What people are consuming. It's basically trash that we will end up in third world countries in some landfill:/

[@charsta2072]

Dude I refuse to download it my wife has it and at first it was so I can use the deals after hers runs out but now i don't want it because it has become an addition to my wife and we argue so much

[@sancochita7392]

@@charsta2072 has she received the packages already? I feel like most things will be useless or end up breaking very fast! I hope your wife can see how bad they are!

[@zoeashcroft3898]

I’m a masters student currently finishing my thesis on sustainable consumption and I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS

[@lateoclock4281]

What an interesting topic! Good luck with your thesis!

[@pinkcrafter9623]

I work for a company that makes deliveries, and it is scary how many of those ugly orange packs we get every day. in our docks.

[@gracegray3545]

I’ve also seen claims that people have their bank info stolen after buying from the site-it’s not talked about much, so I wonder if there may be many more who are embarrassed to come forward. (Getting phished/scammed is always painful and some people like to blame and shame, which isn’t helpful.)

[@shoneycreation3313]

After spending two years on a minimalist journey, getting rid of junk I had acquired, I will say that I find zero joy in cute trinkets or random objects that have one unnecessary use. It takes a lot of work to get rid of clutter. Temu seems like it's just a invitation for clutter to come into your home. It's way easier to live without an excess of things and without the desire to own more.

[@hoorayitsjackie6166]

I doubt you’ll see this, but I would appreciate any tips or references you have. I’d like to start my same journey, but am having trouble getting started for many reasons.

[@sarcomeresarecool]

I get massive red flags from any site promising the rock-bottom prices that Temu does for even items that couldn't possibly cost that little to produce. Like, I'm clearly not their target demographic, but I find their marketing *incredibly* off-putting.

[@laina6817]

I read this book called "The Vine Basket" by Josanne La Valley, and it is written about the Uyghur people, specifically a young girl, experiencing the erasure of her culture by the Chinese government, and it's extremely saddening that they are still experiencing harsh, cruel and unfair circumstances today. I am unsure of when this story takes place, but it was published in 2013.

[@SinisterXRouge]

For me, I get my dopamine from repairing or fixing items that I already have. it takes a significant chunk of time but I feel much more long term satisfaction when I complete that task as opposed to buying one more thing. it takes some active and thoughtful decision making to take this path, but it is always worth it!

[@CyrusPendragon]

"Shop like a billionaire" just gives me the ick. First time I saw one of their ads with that line, I just shook my head.

[@howliteandcoffee]

I really don’t think we are supposed to have a constant stream of dopamine hits throughout the day the way smartphones have got us used to. I read a summary of an ethnographic study where they looked at all these rural tribes around the world- so much of their time is literally doing nothing but staring and sitting. I wonder what effect we miss out on not having that kind of downtime.

[@janemclean7032]

I really appreciate this video. Whenever I ask an influencer who is getting Temu hauls about child labor, laws, etc. I get radio silence.

[@trostlefilms]

I went through a 6 month temu addiction. Now, all of those products have either made it to goodwill or been thrown away because they no longer work. Now, my eyes are opened to the darkness behind it.

[@Catluvsdogs]

I discovered temu in January 2023 and went completely insane on buying. I shopped like I was a billionaire. I bought all kinds of makeup dupes and all the TikTok gadgets I could never afford on amazon, I bought all kinds of Bluetooth gadgets and headphones, kitchen gadgets, the most random useless junk. I bet you already know what's coming.... I don't use any of it. It broke, burnt out or wasn't useful it was just the fun of getting the cheap deal, owning something my fav tiktoker also owns, just look around and see all the cute stuff. I say all that to say this, I regret it. Especially when I am forced to look at myself for what I've done and my part I've contributed to spreading temu to others so I could get more coupons and now feeling guilty for shopping like a billionaire. Also temu is changing. Prices are going up, coupons are way fewer and worth far less plus all their knock off items have disappeared. I think they may be in some trouble, we shall see. Thank you for this video, I'm gonna check out some more on your channel. I've enjoyed this.

[@sidology1.0]

Same way airbnb started. I'll give temu until the end of the year until is fadss away

[@alyishiking]

I've recently been seeing a lot of banner ads for Temu when browsing the internet on my phone, and seeing the insanely low prices, I was immediatly skeptical. This vid just confirmed what I suspected. Thanks for continuing to make informative content! Also I might just switch to Mint Mobile and save myself $18/month :D

[@thefinancialfreedomgirl]

thank you so much for watching ❤️☺️

[@jackiemartin7276]

My local library system has inter-library loans that feel very much like online shopping for the dopamine hit! I scroll through a bunch of colorful options, request a book or books online, promptly forget I ordered it, and then a few days to a few months later bam! Surprise package is waiting for me! Best part it, it's all free and I don't have to keep any of it!

[@croissants2390]

I've actually just uninstalled it. I loved it so much especially for its cheap prices, but then I found when I went to write a review and select a photo to show the item, I usually get an option to choose whether or not I wanted it to see all my photos or select a few for it to see. But I didn't get anything at all and I saw ALL my photos being shown. When I checked my iPhone settings I saw in my privacy and then photos, I saw it only has a one time selection. I cannot select any option for it to not see my photos. I got to thinking, how much more can it see on my phone right now? It doesn't give me the option to deselect it from seeing my messages, mic, and calls.