Temu announces change to how name is pronounced just one year after launch following number of controversies
Online retailer Temu has confirmed the official pronunciation of its name.
The company launched the US under the name “Tee-mu” with an advertisement at the 2023 Super Bowl before entering the Australian market.
Now, the company has now confirmed to Daily Mail its name is officially pronounced “Teh-mu”.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.In a statement, the company said the change was needed as it expanded into new global markets.
“As Temu continues to expand into new markets globally, we want to ensure our brand name has a consistent and memorable presentation across different regions and languages,” a Temu spokesperson said.
“After careful consideration, we determined that the new pronunciation achieves this goal better.”
Meanwhile, in the new advertisement, the company flaunts its bargain-basement prices in a cartoon urging its customers to “shop like a billionaire” on the app and website.
Temu, which is owned by PDD Holdings, is headquartered in Boston and began operating in the US in 2022.
However, its rapidly expanding business has not been without controversy and in May, a major warning went out due to possible addiction to the shopping website.
Queensland University of Technology Business School senior lecturer Dr Shasha Wang joined Nat and Shirvo on Sunrise to speak about it.
“(The app) is mostly based on the mechanism of games — it’s a balance between challenge and reward,” Wang said.
The Temu app has a spinning wheel element, where shoppers can earn spins through purchases and participate in certain promotions.
Users can also get discounts and free products from the wheel.
“When people are spinning the wheel, it provides a challenge, they conquer a small challenge, but they get rewards in terms of incentives and coupons they can use that make it more enjoyable for consumers.
“In turn, they shop more and perhaps purchase more.”
Previously, concerns have also been raised over privacy concerns for customers.
Temu has strenuously denied any improper use of its data collection.
Originally published on 7NEWS
