Chinese online retailer Pinduoduo has a 'hyper-aggressive' culture with hours surpassing a '996' schedule, analysts write

Temu's sister company Pinduoduo may have a "9127" culture, Bernstein analysts wrote. China-based PDD Holdings, which also owns online retailer Pinduoduo, launched Temu in the US in September 2022, emphasizing low prices and lightning deals. "But the combination of a very lean organizational structure and the fact PDD has staffed its A-team on Temu means we expect the company to be a force to be reckoned with globally in the coming years." "996" refers to a work culture that encourages tech employees to work from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m., six days a week. Temu emphasizes rock-bottom prices, often drawing comparisons to Shein. While Shein remains ahead of Temu in terms of buyer awareness, Temu sees high buyer-retention rates, the Bernstein analysts noted. "Compared with peers like Shein for example, Temu spends a greater proportion of its investment dollars creating mind share in everyday value, as opposed to on influencer marketing," they wrote.