Photography: Karolina Komendera

Offering insanely low prices for an overwhelming number of products lumped together on a landing page that looks as if it was put together by someone high on crazy glue, Temu is one giant dopamine factory that will send you a hit in just a few, very cheap, clicks. When the brand entered the US market, it spent millions on Super Bowl ads that wooed people with the tempting allure of discovering what it would be like to “Shop like a billionaire”.

Temu has pursued a similarly aggressive marketing strategy in South Africa. It got to the point where Google searches were so dominated by Temu, it was impossible to find items at your preferred retailer. While Amazon.co.za plotted a careful course for its launch, Temu smashed into the market like Hulk, with a hefty advertising budget and a superbly gamified app.