Temu is as addictive as sugar, comments the BBC, explaining the appeal of the online shopping site to the consumer public.
The roughly one-year-old Chinese online store has everything at incredibly low prices with shoppers finding it almost impossible to resist its magnet website.
When Manchester-based Lucy Clark first logged into Temu’s app in 2023, she felt like she was in a virtual casino, the British publication reports. It promises free delivery of the goods, but they may fall short in terms of quality.
“I had heard about Temu on TikTok, with people showing off its benefits and sharing promo codes,” says Clark, 27, the company’s marketing director.
“Everyone I know has visited Temu at least once and taken a look. Anyway, I wasn’t looking for anything specific. But seeing the products he was selling, from home gadgets, electronic devices to novelty items, I decided to buy some dog toys, such as for Rickson, my mother’s French bulldog. These cost much less than if I were to find them at retailers like Pets at Home or even on Amazon.”
She admitted that she was not bothered by the two-week delivery delay of the products she had ordered. Perhaps because Temu offers customers the chance to earn “coins” that can be redeemed against future purchases, along with gifts.
The online store employs sellers who ship directly from China to customers around the world. Consequently there is no need for middlemen who make profits and therefore raise the cost to consumers.
Clark knows that the quality of the products she promotes is not guaranteed, but she is interested in the online shopping experience. “You’re either going to buy something really good and at a bargain, or you’re going to get something that’s not good quality but you’re not going to return it because it costs no more than ten pounds, so it’s not worth the time to bother,” he points out.
Regarding the pricing of the products and the way in which Temu promotes them, experts argue that it knows how to push the right “button” in the psychology of consumers so that they continue their purchases undeterred.
What is gamification
“Gamification,” the practice of applying game-related elements to the e-commerce experience, is increasingly common. Customers are encouraged to continue shopping by introducing bonuses and coupons that mimic video games.
Now, brands around the world are trying to capitalize on this phenomenon by incorporating the features that have made Temu so popular, such as quizzes and sophisticated referral systems, into their website.
Even iconic brands like Starbucks and Sephora have added gamification elements to their online rewards programs. For its part, Lacoste has a crocodile hunting game in which shoppers unlock bonuses in its virtual store.
Why Temu Is ‘As Addictive As Sugar’
Few brands, however, do all of these things simultaneously and as subtly as Temu. The Chinese shopping platform is designed to make consumers’ minds not think that they have to put the brakes on shopping. “Temu is as addictive as sugar,” says retail analyst Neil Saunders.
“The experience and cheap prices give consumers a boost of dopamine and keep them on their toes so they keep coming back to the platform to get more and more stuff. Regular offers build consumer loyalty and give them the illusion that they can ‘dive in’ and rummage through to discover lots of great bargains, especially if they move fast.”
Mark Griffiths, a professor of behavioral addiction at Nottingham Trent University in the UK, explains that Temu combines shopping and the psychology of acquiring products through play.
Temu’s marketing strategy means that you literally have to browse the platform to receive bonuses and gifts without wasting time. “Temu uses the ‘sense of urgency’ by convincing consumers that the offers are running out,” he emphasizes.
Read also:
E65 gives priority to Igoumenitsa-Danger of isolation of Patras
Patras-Pyrgos: At 80% the progress of work until the end of 2024
Video: The outburst of relatives after the decision on the Eye: They shouted, threw chairs, the accused fled
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: Special productivity bonus for civil servants
#Temu #sugaraddictive #BBC
