Temu is the app that's undersold the world. Can it last?

A chicken-shaped lamp. An apron that catches beard hair during shaving. The list of unusual products goes on.

- Helen Davidson

Among the more everyday items are cleaning products, smartwatches, novelty T-shirts, knock-off sneakers and barbecue tools, but the common thread is that everything is incredibly, mindbogglingly cheap.

This is Temu, the latest Chinese shopping app to take the internet by storm and raise questions about provenance, competition and value.

Temu launched in the US in 2022 before expanding to Canada earlier this year, then to several European countries, Australia and New Zealand.

It has quickly become a market leader, topping app charts in multiple countries, according to online monitors, and has captured more than half the US market share of its closest rival, the fast fashion giant Shein.