President Trump’s tariffs have prompted American internet buyers to ditch fast-fashion upstarts Temu and Shein in favor of two different Chinese language e-commerce platforms — DHgate and Taobao — each of which have climbed into the highest 5 most downloaded packages on Apple’s App Retailer.
Viral movies on TikTok characteristic Chinese language producers urging American customers to make use of DHgate and Taobao to buy knockoffs of high-end luxurious manufacturers at a fraction of the fee.
As of Friday, DHgate ranked because the No 2 free iPhone app within the US, with Taobao swiftly getting into the Prime 5 for the primary time.
The current surge in downloads of DHgate and Taobao reveals an sudden shift in American shopper habits — spurred largely by elevated tariffs imposed by Trump on US imports from China.
Temu and Shein, two main Chinese language-founded e-commerce platforms which have change into more and more standard amongst American customers in recent times, just lately introduced value will increase beginning subsequent week.
The transfer stems from the Trump administration’s determination to remove the “de minimis” exemption, which beforehand allowed imports valued below $800 to enter the nation duty-free.
This exemption has been closely utilized by corporations like Shein and Temu to ship low-cost items on to American customers with out incurring tariffs.
Efficient Could 2, these shipments shall be topic to tariffs, beginning at 120% or a flat charge of $100 per bundle, growing to $200 by June 1.
These showing within the viral TikTok movies declare that trend merchandise comparable to clothes, sneakers, purses and equipment are initially manufactured in China.
They’re subsequently shipped overseas, primarily to Europe, the place luxurious labels are added and merchandise repackaged earlier than being bought at considerably marked-up costs.
TikTok influencers and creators urged American customers towards apps like DHgate and Taobao, the place objects may be bought instantly from Chinese language producers.
By bypassing conventional branding channels, buyers anticipate financial savings regardless of ongoing tariff impacts, aiming for substantial reductions in comparison with luxurious retail costs.
Rising shopper dissatisfaction with established Chinese language procuring apps like Shein and Temu, which have needed to improve costs, has additional fueled this shift. Consequently, customers quickly adopted alternate options comparable to DHgate and Taobao in the hunt for higher offers.
New information from app analytics supplier Appfigures illustrates this dramatic surge.
In April, Taobao skilled roughly 185,000 downloads — a staggering 514% rise in comparison with the 30,000 recorded the earlier month.
Probably the most pronounced development occurred over the previous weekend, with Taobao downloads growing by practically sixfold between Friday and Saturday alone.
Taobao swiftly climbed the rankings inside the iOS App Retailer.
Initially getting into the general app rankings at No 461 on Saturday, it jumped to No 188 by Sunday, and reached the Prime 5 by Thursday.
Inside the procuring class particularly, Taobao surged dramatically from No 49 on Saturday to No 2 by Thursday — surpassing main retailers comparable to Walmart, Amazon, Shein and Temu.
Moreover, one other Chinese language e-commerce platform, Alibaba.com, additionally noticed vital positive aspects, reaching No 6 amongst procuring apps within the US.
Notably, Appfigures confirmed that this marks Taobao’s debut within the US App Retailer’s Prime General charts, primarily based on their data relationship again to January 2017.
This underscores the exceptional shift in shopper attitudes and behaviors over a comparatively brief interval.
Regardless of these apps’ present recognition, consultants advise warning to customers. Buying on platforms comparable to DHgate and Taobao entails inherent dangers, with product high quality usually variable.
Customers are strongly inspired to totally learn vendor critiques and examine pictures offered by earlier patrons previous to finishing any transactions.
