Originally published on Substack at When Fun Turns Predatory: Inside Temu’s UX. Edited for DEV.to.
When “Fun” Turns Predatory: What Temu Teaches Us About UX Psychology
If you’ve ever clicked on a spin-the-wheel discount, shared a link to get \$1 off, or stared at confetti raining down after checkout—you’ve touched the same psychological machinery that powers Temu’s meteoric rise.
Except Temu didn’t stop at fun.
It made the entire experience a dopamine rigged game, built to trap vulnerable users inside a slot-machine masquerading as shopping.
As product builders, we need to understand the difference between delightful surprises, smart nudges, gamified rewards and dark patterns.
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