Temu has captured the hearts—and wallets—of Gen Z. A recent Appfigures report revealed that Gen Z users downloaded the budget-friendly e-commerce app nearly 42 million times in the first 10 months of 2024, making it the most popular shopping app among 18- to 24-year-olds.
Why does Temu resonate with Gen Z, and how has it influenced their shopping habits?
Two favorite features for Gen Z shoppers are Temu’s affordability and gamified shopping experience. B2B marketing consultant Nicholas Gibson said Temu shoppers “get a dopamine hit, just like Instagram or TikTok.”
“Temu turns shopping into a treasure hunt,” said Wes Wakefield of Pro Coffee Gear.
Gen Z—a generation shaped by economic uncertainty and rising student debt—has always been frugal. “The answer is money,” said Robert Brill of Brill Media. “When a person can shop like a billionaire shopping on Temu, it’s easy to see the appeal.”
These features drive downloads and loyalty from thrifty, style-conscious young consumers.
Gen Z prioritizes expressing their identities uniquely, and Temu’s selection allows just that. “Their need to make it personal, in tiny, quirky ways, has been satisfied by Temu,” said Ardoz Digital’s Patrick Beltran.
“Temu is very popular among Gen Z because it offers a massive range of products that cater to their wide-ranging interests, all at prices that are highly competitive,” said Mushfiq Sarker of LaGrande Marketing. “It offers products that feel fresh, fun, and completely unexpected, which is exactly what Gen Z loves.”
Temu’s vast variety of unpredictable items attracts young shoppers looking to express themselves or purchase items they’re unlikely to find elsewhere.
Temu has leaned heavily on TikTok and Instagram for marketing ideas like creating viral challenges and incentivizing users to share their purchases. “This generation is all about sharing experiences, and Temu makes that easy with its viral deals and influencer-driven promotions,” said James Hacking of Socially Powerful.
“It’s turned into this shared experience,” said Jan Kawecki of F1 Blast. “Watching others score amazing finds gets you hyped to discover your own hidden gems.”
This strategy plays into Gen Z’s reliance on peer recommendations and visual content when making buying decisions.
Gen Z views e-commerce as entertainment thanks to Temu’s fusion of need-based purchasing and recreational browsing. Traditional retailers must find new ways to compete with Temu’s addictive model and unbeatable prices.
“This shift forced one of our fashion clients to completely revamp their pricing strategy and add interactive elements to their website,” said Harmanjit Singh of Origin Web Studios.
The writing is on the wall: Temu has raised the bar for engaging younger consumers.
Despite its meteoric rise, Temu must still compete with established giants like Amazon and Shein. Still, its ability to connect emotionally and practically with Gen Z suggests it’s more than a fad.
Temu’s rise demonstrates a shift in retail: affordability, entertainment, and social proof reign supreme. Its influence will continue to shape purchasing for Gen Z and beyond—so competitors best rethink their relevancy strategies.