Overview
- Mary Jane, a 50-year-old mother of three in Columbus, Ohio, won a free giveaway on Temu for what she believed was a functional bookshelf but received a flat, 2D-printed metal sign instead.
- She only realized the listing specified '2D' after unboxing the item, a detail she overlooked while racing to beat the app’s countdown timer.
- Temu offered to send a replacement if she returned the tin sign, but Mary declined, calling the return process more trouble than it was worth and opting to keep the novelty item.
- The experience shattered her confidence in the platform’s transparency, and she has vowed never to order furniture from Temu again despite its ultra-low prices.
- Industry observers say this episode highlights how countdown promotions and stylized images on budget marketplaces can mislead consumers and harm retailer credibility.