WANDERFUL
I threw my three-year-old daughter a magical Harry Potter birthday for just £80 using Temu bargains
And scroll down to see just why Temu is so cheap
CHANCES are, you'll have come across – or even used – Temu for its budget range of fashion, cosmetics and small home decor items.
The Chinese-founded online marketplace made a big splash when it launched in the UK last year, grabbing the attention of budget-conscious shoppers with its tagline that promises you can "shop like a billionaire".
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And a savvy mum has revealed she managed to throw her little girl a Harry Potter-themed birthday party for just £80 using bargains from the app.
Emma Watts is a long-time fan of the magical series and knew it would be the perfect way to celebrate her daughter's third birthday.
The 34-year-old, from Leicestershire, said: "We're all Harry Potter fans.
"I thought I'd put a little spin on the party and surprise my daughter and friend.
"Fortunately for me, Temu had a lot of Harry Potter-themed things!"
After browsing Pinterest for inspiration, Emma turned to the online marketplace for affordable party supplies that didn't skimp on quality or style.
And she was stunned at how much she managed to bag for a bargain price.
Her cheap finds included a Platform 9 3/4 wall backdrop for £6.51 and £2 snitch decorations.
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"The quality was impressive, especially considering the low prices", she said.
"I did shop around before looking at Temu but Temu always came up at the best price.
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"From Hogwarts House-themed drapes to DIY 'Have You Seen This Wizard' posters, everything looked fantastic."
"If it wasn't for Temu I probably wouldn't have done the party as other party decor shops were too expensive."
Despite a small guest list — just two other adults and a toddler Emma's creativity made the event feel grand.
"It really looked like a professional event, but on a budget," she added.
One of the mum's favourite DIY touches was the "Have You Seen This Wizard" posters, which she printed herself at home using stained paper from Temu.
"My friend and daughter absolutely loved it! I don't think they could believe I did all that with little money plus in a couple of hours," she said.
"Temu helped me bring my vision to life in an affordable way. The variety of products made it easy to tailor the event exactly how I wanted."
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.
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
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