Amazon Haul Versus Temu

There’s no doubt that a large percentage of people have been struggling financially for a few years now. Inflation was out of control, and we even lost the very concept of a “dollar store” as the world’s top such retailer Dollar Tree, bumped prices to a range of $1.25, $3 and $5. While there are signs of things getting better in the economy in general, it’s still hard out there for many folks.

As a result, we have seen the rise of apps and websites that sell goods at what seem like closeout or ultra-low discount prices. These goods generally take a while to receive rather than the quick delivery of most major online retailers or the instant pickup in brick-and-mortal shops. They also tend to be hit or miss when it comes to quality and durability. One such outlet is the retail app Temu.

If you haven’t heard of Temu, you must have been living under a rock for the last few years. While they weren’t technically the first in this game, they are the biggest. But, as any good business does, within the last 6 months or so, Amazon has innovated in an attempt to create their own ultra-discount market that they are calling Amazon Haul. So, the question is, which one is better? This is my perspective.

Let’s start off by saying I have made three orders from Temu and two from Amazon Haul and will be basing my analysis on these experiences.

Temu Pros

First off, you can use it either on the app or on their website. This is not the case with all similar retailers. Second, the selection of items and categories is impressive. Most of the items I have gotten have met or exceeded expectations given the price.

Temu Cons

As soon as you open the app or go their site, you get bombarded by a prize wheel or some other popup promotion that is at best annoying and at worst deceiving. Temu has a bit of a negative reputation for security and how they use customer information. I got a pulse oximeter that didn’t work from the start, and returns or refunds are a pain.

What I Got

In my orders I mainly purchased small home décor, a few keepsakes, non-electronic photography accessories and a couple of shirts.

Recommendation

I would suggest that if you shop with Temu, you both protect your information (use a prepaid card) and avoid items that fit the electronics category. Everything else I’ve gotten has been pretty good, especially small home décor items.

Amazon Haul Pros

In this retail space, simply being associated with a well-established and trusted company says a lot. Some of the products are virtually the same or exactly the same as those I had seen on the main Amazon site in the past, now at lower rates.

Amazon Haul Cons

While a desktop application is expected to be released soon, at the moment you can only shop through the original Amazon app. Amazon Haul seems to have limited categories and products compared to Temu as well. Much like Temu, product descriptions are not very detailed. Several of the times I got were smaller than expected.

What I Got

Most of what I ordered here was either clothing accessories (socks, ties), craft supplies or other wearables.

Recommendation

So far so good is how I would describe my experience with Haul. I have not come across anything that I feel like I need to return. Some items are cheap, but I wouldn’t say I’ve picked up anything that would deserve less than 3 stars as an Amazon product rating.