I took a major risk & spent £350 on unclaimed Temu packages – I got a huge haul worth £1.3k including hair straighteners
TEMU is known for selling a wide variety of budget-friendly buys so you never know what you might find.
This was definitely the case for one woman who purchased £350 worth of unclaimed packages from the site.
In her viral video, YouTuber Hope Scope talked her followers through the random items from her haul, which added up to £1,280.
She revealed that she received a total of 35 packages from Temu, which meant they averaged around £10 each.
“We’re going to see how many of these items are trash and how many are treasure,” the US-based influencer told her audience.
Her haul included beauty buys such as a heatless curls set, hair clips, a sleep cap, press on nails, a brow maintenance kit, and makeup brushes.
There were also kitchenware items such as a garlic press, a vegetable chopper, a knife sharpener, scissors, a meat smasher, and an automatic whisk.
The packages also contained practical buys including windshield wipers, mini torches, adhesive tape, a first aid kit, a screwdriver set, plyers, storage bags, a car organiser, an air pump, and bath mats.
Hope was left baffled by some of the miscellaneous items such as a butterfly catcher, donut blanket, waterfall diffuser, and a digital clock automated soap dispenser.
She also managed to nab some clothing bits, including Croc dupes with widgets, belts, hats, gloves, shoes, bras, dresses, waist trainers, tracksuits bottoms, and hoodies.
There were other household buys such as duvet and pillowcase covers, purse hangers, a shelving unit, a coat rack, a memory foam neck pillow, and a cutting board that turns into a bowl.
Hope also discovered a Stanley cup dupe as well as accessories for her phone, including a case and a magnetic charger.
However, it was the electronic gadgets where she really turned a profit.
The haul included two gaming keyboards, Lenovo Live Pods, which she described as “an impressive Airpod dupe,” a handheld vacuum cleaner, a smart drawer switch, and a safe style piggy bank.
She also picked up a foldable washing machine, designed to be compact and transportable.
Hope also tried out a set of straighteners that she found in one of the packages.
While the item significantly increased the value of her haul, the YouTuber revealed that she was not a fan of the hair tool after trying it out.
Why is Temu so cheap?
TEMU exploded onto the scene in late 2022, with people all over social media raving about the low prices.
The company is a Chinese-owned digital marketplace – essentially an online shopping app where people are connected to the retailer directly while the app takes care of the shipping element.
The frenzy over the app is not completely unfounded either as it offers a wide variety of products, including fashion, make-up, electronics and furniture.
According to a report from the US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, Temu takes advantage of a trade loophole that allows the company to ship duty-free goods directly to the US.
The loophole is called the de minimis exception and it means they can ship goods valued up to $800 (£643) to the US without it being inspected or taxed by US customs.
Temu connects customers directly to manufacturers and only manages how the items are sent to customers.
It means Chinese vendors can essentially sell their products directly to customers and ship it without building a network of warehouses across the globe.
By doing this, they cut down on huge costs and ensure the product itself isn’t marked up extra.
While many of the products seen on the Temu app are from brands with extensive, original collections, many more are dupes of designer brands.
“I have to try this, it’s like a waffle iron for your hair,” she said when she first unpackaged the straighteners.
However, after trying them, she realised they left an unusual pattern on her locks.
“Oh my God, I hate it, why does it look like that? That is terrible, who thought this was a good idea?” Hope asked.
Her subscribers shared their thoughts on the haul in the comments section.
“The waffle hair tool is actually for adding volume!” pointed out one viewer.
“I love that you just quickly went through all the packages and didn’t talk for five minutes about every item. Love these random packages!” said another follower.
“Not receiving their package with the waffle iron hair straightener is the best thing that ever happened to that person and they don’t even know it,” joked a third person.