Temu Return Policy: It’s Definitely Different…But We Figure It ALL Out
Have you ever bought something from Temu? For those unfamiliar with Temu, it’s basically buying stuff directly from China rather than going through a retailer like Amazon or Walmart. But since you’re buying directly from China, the return process can be a bit more complex. So I wanted to take the opportunity to do a deep dive on the Temu return policy in an attempt to answer all your potential questions. I hope this article helps.
How Many Return Days Does Temu Allow?
90 days.
Temu gives you a generous 90 days to make a return in the VAST majority of items.
You can return items for ANY reason, including if you just don’t like it.
IMPORTANT: They limit you to one free return per order.
What Does “1 Free Return Per Order” Actually Mean?
Let’s say you bought 5 items from Temu and they all show up on your doorstep in one box.
Then after opening the box, you decide you want to return 3 of the items, you’ll want to return the 3 items in the same packaging/box so you don’t have to pay ANY return shipping fees.
If you return 1 of the items, then decide later on you want to return something else, you’ll have to pay the shipping fees to return it.
See Also: Save at Temu: 15 Smart Hacks to Make It Happen
What Does It Cost After I Make My “1 Free” Return?
It depends.
This is where their return policy gets REALLY confusing.
Turns out the return shipping fee that you’ll be charged depends on the size and weight of the package you’re returning.
When I pressed a Temu rep on this question they could NOT give me anything more specific.
So if anyone knows how this works, let me know in the comments.
Do Any Items Come With Less Than 90-Day Return Window?
No.
Either the product has a 90-day return window -OR- it can’t be returned at all, there is no middle ground at Temu.
Okay…So What Items Are NOT Returnable?
Glad you asked as there definitely are some products that you CANNOT return under any circumstance.
They include the following:
– Clothing or Shoes that’s been Worn, Washed, Hygiene Sticker Removed, or Damaged.
– Anything MISSING the Tag or original Packaging. Note: Not sure how strict Temu is on this.
– Products marked or labelled as Non-Refundable.
– Stuff that Temu gave you for FREE, like “free gifts with purchase” items.
See Also: We Make Sense of a Complicated Walmart Return Policy
Can I Wear Clothing and Shoes?
Yes.
You can try stuff on at home and wear it around the house to see how it feels, but Temu draws the line when you wear shoes outside or hide tags on clothing and wear them to work, or on a date, thinking you might return them later.
Can the Tags Be Removed?
No.
Strictly speaking, they ask you to not remove the tags, but the MAJORITY of their items come in bags with no tags on the actual item.
Also, thanks to commenter Robin for dropping the knowledge that the majority of items come in bags and DON’T have tags on them.
The bags will have a barcode on them so it’s important to keep the item and the corresponding bag TOGETHER as it will be hard to match them up if they get mixed up with other items.
When trying on clothing, Robin makes the great suggestion of putting everything back in its baggie immediately after you take it off until you’re 100% sure you want to keep it.
Also, the sticker on the bag usually has some type of indicator of the item (size, color, dimensions) so you can often figure out which item came in which bag.
PRO TIP
If you lose your clear bag with the barcode on it, you should contact them to ask what your return options are. Have Temu help you find the barcode number and you can write it on a clear Ziploc bag and make your return that way.
How Do I Start My Return and Get a Shipping Label?
To get my return started, I just did the following fairly easy steps:
1. Go to your Temu Account and click on Your Orders
2. Next, find the order with the item(s) you want to return and tap Return/Refund
3. Then Select the item or items you want to return along with the Reason for Return and Upload Photos if requested.
4. Next, select your Return Method and Refund Method that you want to use then click SUBMIT.
5. Last, click on Print Return Label to print it out and officially start your return.
How Long Will It Take to Get My Money Back?
5 – 14 business days.
According to Temu, it could take 5-14 days after they’ve received your return and examined it, for you to get your money back.
This all depends on your financial institution, BUT in my experience it takes only a fraction of that.
I got my money back on one of my returns in 2 days (credit card purchase) and the other only took 4 business days (PayPal purchase).
I think they have to say 5-14 days to protect themselves from “one-offs” that might take a long time to get your refund back to you for whatever reason.
How Do I Get My Money Back as Quickly as Possible?
Choose Temu credits.
If you know you’ll be shopping with them in the future, select Temu credits as your return method.
You’ll get credited almost instantly after they receive your items and the credits DO NOT expire.
See Also: The Shein Return Policy is Very Confusing, But We Make Sense Of It
Do I Need the Original Orange Box or Bag?
No.
While it might make your return run smoother, it’s not a deal breaker if you DON’T have the original box and protective packaging.
Temu told me “to use any suitable packaging, such as bags or boxes, that can accommodate all the item(s) you wish to return.”
Can I Get Store Credit After 90 Days?
No.
I asked Temu this question specifically and was told that after 90 days you’re up Schitt’s Creek without a paddle.
You can either donate the item or try and sell it on eBay if you have no use for it.
Once My Return Is Initiated, How Much Time Do I Have?
14 days.
Your return has to be postmarked within 14 days after you initiate it.
I’m not sure how strict Temu is on this as I’ve talked to shoppers who’ve forgotten about their return and it took them 25 days to finally drop it off and they were still able to make the return without a glitch.
Does Temu Ever Let You Keep Items You Try to Return?
Surprisingly, yes.
Because your shipping stuff all the way back to China, Temu will often tell you to keep the item and still refund your money.
This happens most often on stuff priced under $8 as it’ll cost more to ship it back than the product is actually worth.
As I’ve written about before, Amazon will often do this as well on specific items.
Can You Abuse Their Policy and Get Banned?
Absolutely, yes.
If you constantly do things like claim you never received an item, or make an unusually high number of returns, you can guarantee your account will get flagged and eventually they’ll close it altogether.
Just because you’re buying stuff directly from China, doesn’t mean it’s okay to abuse their policy.
If/when their policy gets abused too much, Temu will be forced to create larger restriction and a shorter return window and it’ll hurt shoppers who need to make a legitimate return.
See Also: Amazon Return Policy: We Finally Break It ALL Down For You
Shop Smart…4 Tips to Potentially Avoid a Return
Perhaps the smartest way to avoid a return with Temu is to know what you’re buying before you buy it.
Big thanks to loyal reader Robin, who shops frequently with Temu, for these great tips…
1. Fabrics – The photos Temu uses for their clothing can be very deceiving. According to Robin, “A photo may look like linen, cotton, or jersey, but it mostly likely some type of polyester. So be sure to view all of the photos and look at photos on reviews if you can.”
2. Women’s Clothing Sizing – Keep in mind that the clothing sizes for women are two sizes smaller than U.S. sizes 99% of the time. But oddly, the sizing for men is correct 99% of the time.
3. Shoes – Shoes sizes at Temu “are all over the place” according to Robin and you should ALWAYS look at the size chart before you buy. She suggest knowing your European shoe size because in her experience that size is the most accurate. Also, they list foot length in the size chart and that serves as a great way to know what size you’re actually going to get.
4. Bulky and Heavy Items – These items aren’t always a great deal because of the higher shipping costs that Temu has to pay to get them to the United States. So when buying large electronics or home décor, always shop around because other online retailers (based in the U.S.) often have it cheaper and usually have a much friendlier return or exchange policy.
Hacks for Success When It Comes to Temu Returns
1. Separate Orders – When ordering multiple items, some of which you might want return, ALWAYS try to separate your order into individual orders.
By doing this, you can return all the products for free at different time periods.
In other words, you don’t have to return all the products at once, you can test them out at your leisure and return them when you see fit as long as you’re still within the 90 day return window.
2. “Sender Address” Caution – Do not send your return back to the “Sender Address” that comes on your original packaging or box.
If you do, your package package will end up at the wrong place and you’ll likely never see it again or your money.
3. You Cannot Print a Return Label Using the Tracking Number – There’s a Reddit thread floating around that shows a Temu shipping label that says you can print a return label by using the original tracking number.
This is VERY misleading by Temu, especially to elderly shoppers who are not tech savvy.
You must go through the Temu site or app to initiate a return, you CANNOT do it using the original tacking number.
Ask the Reader: What’s been your experience with the return policy at Temu? If you have any tidbits to offer, please drop a comment and I’ll get it added to the article.
By Kyle James
