Amazon is a mature e-commerce giant with fast shipping, buyer protection, and diverse inventory, while Temu is a Chinese social commerce platform offering ultra-low prices through direct manufacturer sales but with slower shipping and data privacy concerns. Amazon dominates for reliability and speed; Temu attracts budget-conscious buyers willing to wait longer.
Temu vs Amazon — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Chinese e-commerce app offering ultra-discounted items shipped directly from Asia with minimal middleman costs.
E-commerce and cloud services giant dominating online retail and digital advertising.
Origin & Market Focus. Average Shipping Time. Price Point Strategy. Buyer Protection. Data Privacy Concerns. Product Categories. Social Features. Customer Service Quality
Amazon excels for consumers prioritizing speed, reliability, buyer protection, and broad selection with strong customer service. Temu appeals to budget-conscious shoppers willing to accept longer shipping times and lower buyer protections for significantly lower prices. The choice depends on whether you value savings over convenience and trust.
Temu: Variable (2-4 stars) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: Electronics, gadgets, home goods | Amazon: N/A
Temu: Temu 620 million | Amazon: Amazon 380 million
Temu: 7-15 days (varies) | Amazon: 30 days (standard)
Temu: 12+ main categories | Amazon: 30+ main categories
Temu: Free (optional coins) | Amazon: Prime $139
Temu: Limited oversight, mostly China-based | Amazon: Strict vetting, A9 quality standards
Temu: 14-28 days | Amazon: 2-3 days (Prime)
Average Product Price Index (baseline=100)
Temu: FTC Investigation (2024) | Amazon: GDPR/CCPA Compliant
Temu: 14-day dispute window with store credit only | Amazon: N/A
Temu: Non-compliant, Chinese data collection | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 60-65% positive reviews | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 22.5 days (15-30 range) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 35+ major categories | Amazon: N/A
Temu: Ongoing (flagged 2024) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 28 days average | Amazon: 1-2 days with Prime
Temu: 2.4 stars (based on 1.8M reviews) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 7 days (severely limited; most items non-returnable) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 2 years (founded 2022) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 8+ categories (fashion, electronics, home, beauty, sports, gadgets, pets, food) | Amazon: N/A
Estimated Price Savings vs Traditional Retail
Temu: No limit (typically $100+) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 30-50% dispute win rate | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 3/10 (data harvesting concerns) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: ~3 years (major expansion) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 72% (all categories) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: Electronics, toys, home goods, apparel, gadgets (20+ categories) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 30-60% vs traditional retail | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 15-45 days | Amazon: 1-2 days (Prime members)
Temu: 80+ million | Amazon: 2,100 million
Temu: $0 (Free) | Amazon: $139 (Amazon Prime US)
Temu: 30 days (limited) | Amazon: 180 days (A-to-Z Guarantee)
Temu: 2-5 million | Amazon: 500+ million
Temu: $8 billion (est.) | Amazon: $575 billion
Temu: China-based, banned in US/EU countries, privacy concerns | Amazon: US-regulated, transparent data policies
Temu: High (FTC/EU investigations) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: Minimal transparency | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 7-14 days (disputed) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: 180 (per Reddit/Trustpilot analysis) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: High (U.S. Treasury ban threat as of 2024) | Amazon: N/A
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 240+ Prime members + broader reach
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 40% US e-commerce market share
Temu: N/A | Amazon: $2.36 trillion (July 2026)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 15-25% (FBA included)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 220 million Prime members
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 500+ Amazon Go/Fresh stores
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Same-day to 1 day (Prime)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 240 million Prime members
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Competitive on items under $50
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Multi-category general retailer
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Basic category and keyword filters
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Limited home furniture brands
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 40% global e-commerce market share
Temu: N/A | Amazon: $638B (e-commerce only)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: All categories (diversified)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 5-20% on Subscribe & Save
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 190+ countries and territories
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Industry average ~40-45%
Standard Non-Perishable Pet Delivery Time
Temu: N/A | Amazon: ~50,000-100,000 (estimated pet section)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 500+ million SKUs across all categories
2025 Pet Supplies Market Position (GMV Rank)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Not #1 in pet supplies
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 30 days (standard Amazon)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Limited pet-specific subscriptions
Specialty Pet Food Availability (Exotic/Medical Diets)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Limited; depends on seller listings
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 300+ active customers
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 3-7 days (instant access)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 0% customer data; Amazon owns relationship
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Varies by category and account tier
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 4.4/5 average seller rating
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 2.5 billion downloads
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 2 days (Prime) / 5-7 days (standard)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 150+ million customers
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Proprietary (freemium model)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Not offered; external pharmacy required
Temu: N/A | Amazon: $139 (Prime basic tier)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 1-2 days (Prime members in metro areas)
Average Price Difference on Beauty Products
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 10-25% discount below MSRP
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Same-day or 1-day with Prime
Temu: N/A | Amazon: Varies; typically 1-5% with Prime
Temu: N/A | Amazon: $0 with Prime / $25 without
Prime Eligible Items with Two-Day Shipping
Free Shipping Threshold (Standard Members)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: $35 (with Prime; $100 without)
Temu: N/A | Amazon: 500+ furniture brands available
Average Beauty Product Price Comparison (Foundation)
Customer Review Average Rating (Beauty Products)
Temu vs Amazon — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Temu vs Amazon. Contains 238 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Temu vs Amazon — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Temu vs Amazon.
Temu is generally safe for transactions, but concerns persist about data privacy and the app's data collection practices. Governments in multiple countries have launched investigations. For purchases, use buyer protection features and avoid storing sensitive payment information. Quality can be inconsistent, so stick to established sellers with good reviews.
Why is Temu so much cheaper than Amazon?
Temu cuts costs by selling directly from Chinese manufacturers, eliminating middlemen and warehousing. They subsidize prices through venture funding and referral bonuses. Amazon's higher prices reflect faster shipping, quality control, buyer protection, and operational overhead in developed countries. You're paying for convenience and security on Amazon.
Can I return items bought on Temu easily?
Temu's return process is more complicated than Amazon's. Most returns must be initiated within 7-15 days, and you may need to pay for return shipping. Refunds can take weeks after the return is processed. Amazon offers 30-day returns with prepaid shipping labels and faster refunds, making it significantly more consumer-friendly.
Is Amazon Prime worth it compared to Temu?
Prime at $139/year is worth it if you make frequent purchases and value 1-2 day shipping, free returns, and customer service. Temu is free but shipping takes 3-6 weeks. Prime also includes other benefits like streaming and storage. For occasional shopping or those on tight budgets, Temu's free model has appeal.
What products should I buy on each platform?
Buy on Temu: trendy fashion, bulk gadgets, impulse items where you can wait. Buy on Amazon: essentials needing quick delivery, electronics needing warranty support, items requiring quality assurance, anything where buyer protection matters. For urgent needs, Amazon is always better. For extreme discounts on non-urgent items, Temu wins.
Origin & Market Focus: Temu has Chinese social commerce platform launched 2018, while Amazon has American e-commerce giant founded 1994.
Average Shipping Time: Temu has 15-45 days (standard international), while Amazon has 1-2 days (Prime) / 5-7 days (standard).
Price Point Strategy: Temu has Ultra-low prices via direct manufacturer supply, while Amazon has Competitive prices with quality verification.
Buyer Protection: Temu has Limited refund windows, dispute resolution issues, while Amazon has Strong A-to-Z guarantee and seller accountability.
Data Privacy Concerns: Temu has Significant scrutiny over data collection practices, while Amazon has Subject to US privacy regulations and oversight.
Product Categories: Temu has Fashion, electronics, home goods, gadgets, while Amazon has Nearly all categories including cloud services.
Social Features: Temu has Built-in gamification, referral rewards, live shopping, while Amazon has Minimal social features, transactional focus.
Customer Service Quality: Temu has Limited support, language barriers reported, while Amazon has 24/7 multilingual support across channels.