Temu, the cross-border e-commerce platform under Pinduoduo, has recently experienced a "boom" in the Korean market.
According to the latest report released by Korea's mobile data platform IGA Works, from January to November 2024, Temu became the app with the most new downloads among adult users in Korea. This achievement not only made Temu the focus of the Korean market but also further proved its rapid rise in the global e-commerce competition.
Temu becomes the most downloaded app among Korean adults. Image source: yna
Explosive Growth of Female Users Aged 20-40
From the data, Temu's growth among female users in Korea is particularly significant. The report points out that in the past 11 months, there were 1.92 million new female users aged 20-29, and 2.12 million new female users aged 30-39, far exceeding the increase in male users of the same age group. This trend reflects Temu's success in capturing the demand of young women for high cost-performance products, which is also one of the important reasons why Temu was able to quickly occupy the market in a short period of time.
Although Temu has not attracted a large number of underage users like Instagram and TikTok, it still firmly holds the top spot in the overall market. According to data, from January to November 2024, Temu's new downloads in Korea reached as high as 18.04 million, ranking first in the market, followed by TikTok and Instagram.
Ranking of app downloads by age group in Korea. Image source: IGA Work
Low-Price Strategy Becomes Market Breakthrough
Temu's rise is closely related to its highly competitive low-price strategy. Against the backdrop of a global economic downturn, consumers' demand for low-priced goods has become even stronger. By providing users with affordable and diverse products, Temu quickly attracted a large number of consumers. In the Korean market, Temu's products not only cover various fields from household goods to electronics, clothing accessories, etc., but most products have obvious price advantages compared to other platforms, making it the first choice for many Korean consumers.
This strategy has allowed Temu to quickly gain a foothold in the fiercely competitive Korean market and gradually accumulate a large user base. Especially in the context of rising prices and tight consumer budgets, Temu's low-price advantage has attracted widespread attention.
Temu becomes the No.1 most popular app in the first half of 2024. Image source: IGA Work
Relentless Pace of Global Expansion
Temu's success is not limited to Korea; its pace of global expansion is equally rapid. According to the latest data, Temu has covered more than 80 countries and regions and has performed well in many emerging markets. Take Brazil as an example: in November, Temu's visits exceeded 100 million, surpassing well-known e-commerce platforms such as OLX and Shein, ranking fifth in the market. Compared with the 6.82 million visits when it first entered the Brazilian market in June, Temu's growth rate is astonishing, with visits increasing tenfold.
It can be said that Temu has quickly won the favor of overseas markets with its low-priced, high cost-performance products, becoming a force to be reckoned with in the global e-commerce market.
Temu ranks fifth in the e-commerce platform market. Image source: Conversion
Amazon's Response: Launch of Low-Price Mall
Temu's rapid rise has undoubtedly alerted global e-commerce giants. Amazon has launched its own low-price mall on mobile—Amazon Haul. This platform specializes in offering low-priced products, sometimes even cheaper than Temu. For example, $0.99 rings, $3.99 underwear, $2.99 phone cases, and other products have attracted a large number of price-sensitive consumers.
Amazon's move is clearly a direct response to Temu. The competition between the two in the low-price e-commerce sector will further intensify the global e-commerce market rivalry. As more and more e-commerce platforms enter lower-tier markets, Temu's future competitive environment will become even more complex.
Image source: BGR
Continuous Expansion, a Future Full of Challenges
Although Temu's current performance is very strong, the competitive pressure it will face in the future should not be underestimated. As competition in the global e-commerce market becomes increasingly fierce, how to maintain price advantages, improve user experience, and optimize the supply chain will be key to whether Temu can continue to grow in the future.
In addition, as e-commerce platforms gradually enter a mature stage, Temu also needs to continuously innovate in product quality, logistics and delivery, and after-sales service in order to maintain its competitiveness in the market. If it can do better in these areas, Temu is likely to continue to occupy an important position in the global e-commerce landscape.
Short answer for decision makers
This TikTok business signal should be used as a planning prompt, not a standalone trend. The practical question is whether your brand has the market readiness, creator supply, Shop conversion path, paid-media structure, and reporting cadence to act on it now.
Key facts
- Market signal: TikTok Marketing Information and Solutions
- Published: December 30, 2024
- Source transparency: the original source linked in this article
Tuke recommendation
Choose one market, one product group, one creator cohort, and one KPI for the next operating cycle. Then align creative testing, TikTok Shop optimization, live commerce readiness, and weekly reporting around that single decision.
What should brands do with this TikTok signal?
Brands should translate the signal into a focused operating test across creative, creators, TikTok Shop readiness, paid media, and reporting before increasing budget.
How does Tuke Marketing evaluate this kind of news?
Tuke Marketing reviews platform news through market timing, category demand, creator supply, commerce readiness, and measurable growth actions.
When should a team contact Tuke about this topic?
A team should contact Tuke when it needs to turn a TikTok market signal into a practical launch, creator, advertising, live commerce, or reporting plan.
Source transparency: Tuke cites the original source linked in this article and adds its own operating analysis for brands evaluating TikTok growth decisions.