A Festive Season Letdown: Why Temu Orders Are Vanishing in South Africa

The promise of ultra-cheap deals from global online marketplace Temu has turned into a delivery nightmare for dozens of South African customers over the festive season, with a flood of complaints pointing the finger at specific courier companies for failed or severely delayed orders.

Aggregate reviews on consumer platform Hellopeter tell a stark story: Temu holds a dismal 1.59 out of 5 rating over the past year. Dissatisfaction peaked in December 2025, when a staggering 90.3% of reviewers gave the store a 1-star rating. While some complaints cite product quality, the overwhelming fury is directed at post-purchase logisticsspecifically, poor tracking and what customers describe as misleading or non-existent delivery attempts.

GFS Express: The Main Culprit?

A significant number of complaints centre on GFS Express. Customers report a pattern of tracking updates showing “out for delivery” followed by “delivery failed,” despite no courier ever arriving, calling, or leaving a notification. “It’s been over a month, and I still have not received my package from GFS Express,” one user stated. Many complain that the courier’s phone lines go straight to voicemail, leaving them in the dark.

The frustration is compounded by claims that Temu is denying refunds based on the courier’s “attempted delivery” status, which customers insist is fabricated.

CN Express Also Under Fire

The problems aren’t isolated to one carrier. Another courier, CN Express, is also facing heat. Some customers who ordered from Temu’s “Local warehouse” categorypromising faster deliveryhave been left without updates for over 15 days. A MyBroadband reader who eventually secured a refund after the 15-day no-update policy said Temu provided no explanation for the disappearance of the shipment.

Similar stories are echoed on Facebook groups like Consumer Complaints South Africa and Reddit, where users who ordered as early as late November for Christmas have yet to receive their parcels in January.

Temu’s Response and the NCC’s Watch

When approached for comment, Temu acknowledged that “delivery times may fluctuate during peak shopping periods due to increased parcel volumes” and stated it is “working with our logistics partners to ensure they maintain high service standards.”

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has previously noted it is monitoring Temu’s operations, especially its “local warehouse” labelling, despite the company not owning domestic facilities.

For now, South African shoppers are left with a cautionary tale. While Temu’s prices are undeniably low, the current delivery ecosystem appears broken for a significant number of buyers. The experience serves as a reminder that the true cost of a bargain isn’t just the price tagit’s the reliability of actually receiving what you paid for. Until the logistics chain is fixed, ordering from Temu remains a gamble, with your parcel and your patience on the line.