Choosing an online marketplace for your next order is no easy decision, especially if it is between Temu and Alibaba. These are the two major players in the online retail space, they offer similar inventory, pricing, and policies, making it difficult to decide between them.
This article will help you make a better buying decision by looking at Temu and Alibaba differences, and their pros and cons.
Read Next: Temu vs Aliexpress-Which Is More Reliable?
What You Should Know About Temu vs Alibaba?
Alibaba and Temu are two of the world’s leading e-commerce platforms. Temu is a subsidiary of PDD Holdings Inc., a Chinese online retailer of agricultural products. It was created in 2022 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Alibaba, on the other hand, is a Chinese multinational technology company established in 1999.
Temu was just established and hasn’t gained much popularity as Alibaba. It sells in retail, unlike Alibaba, which delivers products exclusively in bulk.
Both offer online sales of a broad range of products. These include fashion items, home appliances, and beauty products. They also have a free app on Google Play Store and Apple Store. Temu had the highest number of mobile app downloads in the US between September 2022 to January 2023.
You only need an internet-enabled PC or smartphone to see the products listed for sale on Temu and Alibaba.
Alibaba vs Temu- Differences
Even though Temu has many things in common with Alibaba, they differ in the following areas.
Product selection
Temu has wide-ranging products listed on its website. Categories of these products include apparel, electronics, home & garden products, vehicle parts, toys, games, mobile phones, etc.
Alibaba also sells all the aforementioned products, with many cleanly used products in top-notch condition.
However, you cannot find second-hand items in Temu, as the company only offers new products.
You can get virtually any product on Temu and Alibaba for your personal use, kids, home, office, pet, or car.
Undoubtedly, Alibaba is a better option whenever you want if you need to buy a used item online or seek an e-commerce website with a more comprehensive product category.
Pricing
Temu and Alibaba are popular for their affordable products and promotions. Yet, products on Alibaba are cheaper since they are wholesale prices. Therefore, you should opt for Alibaba if you are a retailer or drop shipper looking to buy products online at the best prices.
Surprisingly, the higher the quantity of an item you want to buy on Alibaba, the less price you’ll have to pay.
Shipping
Alibaba ships internationally, even to Africa, India, the Philippines, and other countries.
Contrarily, Temu serves the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and some parts of Europe. It does not offer international shipping outside these countries.
Standard shipping on Temu is free of charge on most orders. However, Temu’s Express Shipping method is charged extra shipping fees, depending on your location.
Orders need up to three days for processing, after which you will receive an SMS when it’s shipped.
Customer support
Both e-commerce platforms offer good customer support, but Temu has more shortcomings.
Just recently, there were rampant complaints about the company’s unresponsive customer service.
What are the Pros and Cons of Alibaba vs Temu?
Issues and Delays on Order Delivery
Buying products online from Temu can often come with unpleasant surprises, like delivery of wrong orders, undelivered packages, etc. Alibaba has fewer reports about these.
Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) Restrictions
Temu allows you to shop without minimum orders. Most Alibaba vendors have a specified minimum order quantity.
So, Temu is great if you want to buy products online in any quantity, Alibaba is only suitable for retailers and drop shippers who would rather buy in large quantities.
Conclusion
Thеѕе twо e-commerce platforms are ideal for any product you want to order online, depending on your location and the number of items required.
If you’re looking for wholesale supplies, Alibaba has cheaper products, but Temu is better for retail purchases. Alibaba also ships to more countries than Temu.
Read Next: AliExpress vs DHgate – Which Supplier Is Better and Reliable?
Leave a Comment