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(Photo Illustration by Jaque Silva/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Temu app downloads have completely flatlined in the US

The number of US downloads declined slightly for the first time in February, according to Apptopia, coinciding with a pause in paid search ads.

Even before a lackluster earnings report wiped out $55 billion worth of Temu parent company PDD Holdingsmarket value on Monday, there were signs that US interest in Temu was waning.  

The number of Temu app downloads in the US dropped 2% in February and 15% in March, compared to the same months last year, according to Apptopia estimates. There were declines in April and June as well, though the growth rate ticked up slightly in July.

On the other hand, global downloads remained strong and kept growing sharply. Increasingly, US downloads have become a much smaller portion of worldwide downloads.

The reasons for the drop were unclear, but Apptopia’s Vice President of Research, Tom Grant, said it was a strategic shift. He pointed out a pause in paid search efforts by Temu during the second quarter corresponded with the decline in downloads. Both mobile ad impressions and paid ads by Temu in the App Store and Google Play Store were down, Apptopia's research showed.

“Maybe they stopped spending as much on advertising, which would normally make their growth slow down, but it could also help them to be profitable,” Grant said. PDD reported an operating profit of 32.56 billion yuan, a 156% surge from a year ago.

And as American officials started to question the data risks and trade loophole exploitations associated with Temu and other Chinese e-commerce companies, the company has also aimed to reduce its reliance on the US market, The Information reported earlier this year. Temu launched in the US in September 2022, and the US market accounted for 60% of its total sales in 2023.

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Starbucks issues apology after viral “Bearista” cup meltdown

Holiday cheer turned into chaos this week for Starbucks after the coffee giant’s new “Bearista” holiday cup sent fans into a frenzy. 

Dropped alongside its 2025 holiday menu, the $30 beanie-wearing glass bear tumbler sparked long lines, sellouts, and even in-store scuffles before Starbucks stepped in with an apology.

“The excitement for our merchandise exceeded even our biggest expectations,” the company said in a statement to People. “Despite shipping more Bearista cups to our coffeehouses than almost any other item this holiday season, the Bearista cup and some other items sold out fast.”

Within hours of launch, frustrated fans flooded Starbucks’ social media pages and even store hotlines. Some customers waited in line before dawn and others said their stores received only a handful of cups. In one Houston location, the craze even turned physical, with police reportedly called to break up a brawl. Meanwhile, the cup is already reselling on sites like eBay, with listings topping $600.

“We understand many customers were excited about the Bearista cup and apologize for the disappointment this may have caused,” Starbucks said. While in-store customers may be upset, investors seem happy about the viral hit, as the stock has risen over 3% on Friday.

If you’re still hoping for a Bearista at market price, that may not be on order: the chain didn’t disclose how many cups were made or whether a restock is planned.

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Target tells workers to smile, wave, and greet shoppers if they come within 10 feet of them

Target just rolled out a new rule for store employees: smile, make eye contact, and greet or wave when a shopper comes within 10 feet — and if they get closer, within four feet, ask whether they need help or how their day is going, according to a new Bloomberg report.

Dubbed the 10-4 program internally, the rule mirrors rival Walmarts own 10-foot policy, formalizing behavior Target had previously only encouraged.

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Monster surges on energy drink buzz, while Celsius sinks on distribution concerns

Shares of Monster Beverage climbed 5% after the bell on Thursday, and held most of those gains into early trading on Friday, following strong Q3 results.

The energy drink giant topped market expectations, with quarterly sales up 17% year over year to $2.2 billion and adjusted net profits growing 41% to $524.5 million — 11% ahead of Wall Street’s estimates. In the report, Monster highlighted its zero-sugar line and new product launches, with a stack of novel flavors already released this year, as bright spots.

During a call with analysts, Chief Executive Hilton Schlosberg said that the global energy drink category “remains healthy with robust growth,” The Wall Street Journal reported, adding that demand for more affordable caffeinated drinks is rising as coffee has become “really expensive.”

Meanwhile, rival beverage business Celsius saw shares fall as much as 23% on its Q3 results yesterday — despite beating expectations, with revenue jumping 173% — largely due to concerns about a change in the company’s distribution channel, as its newly acquired Alani Nu brand joins the PepsiCo distribution network.

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