Temu has apparently managed to pull its head out of the noose after all. A few weeks ago, it looked as if the Chinese online mail order company would have to go to court, but the situation has now fundamentally changed. The consumer advice center wants to abandon its planned lawsuit – at least if Temu complies with certain conditions.
Temu wants to do better
A few weeks ago, we reported that the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (VZBV) was planning a lawsuit against the online mail order company Temu. There were several reasons behind this. In addition to a questionable discount policy, it was also confusing reviews and manipulative incentives to buy that brought the consumer advocates to the fore.
The warning is now apparently having an effect. Temu has finally reacted and , according to the VZBV, issued a cease-and-desist declaration. This states that the Chinese company will refrain from the practices criticized by the consumer advocates in the future. For example, there will be no more so-called dark patterns.
This suggests to customers that there are only a few items left of a certain product and that other customers already have them in their shopping cart. Furthermore, there will also be more clarity when displaying discounts in future. Temu is committed to making it clear what the discount actually applies to. In particular, the indication of a recommended retail price (RRP) is common practice.
VZBV withdraws
In view of Temu’s obvious intentions to improve, the VZBV is also satisfied. At least for the time being. After all, the cease-and-desist declaration that has now been issued is an out-of-court success. This not only saves both parties a lot of money, but also ensures that the store’s questionable business practices are amended much more quickly.
A court case would certainly have taken a lot of time. But what guarantees does the VZBV actually have that Temu will not return to its tried and tested business practices sooner or later? In the cease-and-desist declaration, both parties agreed on a contractual penalty. This means that if Temu violates the provisions, it could face a hefty fine.
