The pushback of the TikTok ban may have given many Americans more time to use their beloved app, but the move may be backfiring for the administration right now. New viral Chinese TikToks are marketing Chinese luxury goods in the US, encouraging users to buy products straight from the source. 

In light of the trade wars that the US has started against the world—particularly against China—Chinese luxury manufacturers are now claiming that everyone’s favorite top branded products are actually produced in Chinese markets. Those who want to get their hands on the latest Hermès Birkin bags or branded Lululemon leggings can now buy the products directly from China at a fraction of the price. 

The credibility of these claims still need to be validated, but the steady rise of top Chinese marketplace apps in the US app stores show that more consumers are giving these manufacturers a shot.

TikTok China tariffs

Image: The Chinese TikTok claims of luxury good production at their factories is not a new one. Brands have been accused of finding cheap labor and materials outside the country and marking up the prices for decades. (Image: Pexels)

A String of Viral Chinese TikToks Ask US Consumers to Buy Directly from the Source

The unbeatable rise of brands like Shein and marketplaces like Temu and Alibaba have proven one thing—the Chinese know how to do everything at more affordable prices. Despite the many attempts to boycott Shein and its flimsy, fast-fashion offerings, the brand has remained a top choice for US consumers who want budget fashion for the illusion of a full-closet. 

China has always been at the center of every industry, whether you look at the popularity of their EV vehicles or the latest innovations in AI with DeepSeek. The country always finds a way to do it for a better price, and that’s a large part of why they have been hit with tariffs of an incomprehensive scale. 

In light of the latest avalanche of tariffs, China is trolling American markets with an offer they can’t refuse—just skip the middle-man and buy directly from the source.

Chinese Luxury Manufacturers Flood TikTok

Viral Chinese TikToks making the rounds claim that a large number of branded goods from the US and Europe are actually made in China. These videos suggest that brands manufacture products for cheap and then import them just to slap on a label of their brand so they can significantly mark up the prices. This is not the first time such claims have been made and many brands have been accused of similar practices, but the scale of the current conversation is unprecedented.

For the most part, the top brands stick to their guns about their products being manufactured start to end in their own countries. Most of these goods showcased are likely counterfeit, however, China’s trade war on shopping has grown to such a degree that many consumers are seeing the appeal of buying cheap instead of buying locally. 

The TikToks and Reels from Chinese manufacturers are all in English, clearly designed to appeal to US shoppers. It is also interesting that not all of them focus on showcasing prominent luxury brands. Some feature employees talking about their own designer products and the similarities they share with branded goods, and the hook is that you can buy them for cheap by using their own websites and apps to make the purchase.

Top Chinese Marketplace App DHgate Climbs up US App Stores

Chinese e-commerce marketplace app DHgate has become the No.2 free iPhone app in the US and Taobao is also entering the Top 5 as we speak. Seeing the viral Chinese TikToks on buying directly from the source, many shoppers in the US are giving these stores a shot to see if this switch serves their wallets better.

The rise of these apps hasn’t been slow and steady either. Taobao’s estimated downloads in April scaled from 30,000 to 185,000 marking a 514% rise. This shows the success of the viral Chinese TikTok campaign and just how well it has been able to attract users. 

Whether the DHgate US app or other market stores will be able to sustain this popularity remains to be seen, and it is also very likely that the US government will retaliate and shut them down soon enough. Still the TikTok lures of cheap luxury have sunk their hooks in nice and deep. 

China trade war shopping

Image: Chinese luxury manufacturers may have broken through to US consumers but how effective their hold is remains to be seen. (Image: Pexels)

Bottom Line on the TikTok China Factory Deals

The administration’s decision to keep TikTok alive in the US is coming back to haunt them, but it’s unclear whether these viral Chinese TikToks are actually seen as a threat. Despite the appeal of switching to Chinese luxury goods in the US, a number of shoppers are suspicious of their claims and many doubt that their products are really built to last.

The top Chinese marketplace apps may make it easier to source these products, but it is also true that customers face challenges like Chinese websites and the lack of any real customer service reps they can talk to about their orders. Some of the Chinese luxury manufacturers require bulk purchases which doesn’t make sense for consumers and neither will purchasing a handful of items with delayed deliveries. 

China’s trade war on shopping goods from the source has had a good start, but we’re going to need more time to study its real world impact. As of now, US buyers appear more amused by the use of TikTok to challenge the China tariffs but we haven’t seen evidence of a switch up in their shopping habits other than the rise of the DHgate app in the US and others like it.

TikTok Is Not the Only Battleground for the China Tariffs

TikTok’s promise of cheap luxury isn’t the only way China is retaliating of course. The country just sent back a second shipment of a Boeing jet after tariffs were expected to make its $55 million price balloon by 125%. Considering that the country only pays for the jet after delivery, China is now refusing to accept the jet and Boeing, with its already overwhelmed production and budgets, will have to suffer the loss or find another buyer.

Apart from reciprocal tariffs, China is also curbing its export of rare earth minerals and magnets to the US, which could significantly hurt the country’s production and reserves in the long run. The International Energy Agency (IEA) believes that China holds 61% of the production and 92% of the processing of these rare earth materials. 

As China trolls American markets, there are other, more serious issues to be considered as well. For now, you can continue to be entertained by the viral Chinese TikToks, but make your purchases carefully after looking into all the conditions surrounding the buy.

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tagged in China trade war shopping, China trolls american market, Chinese luxury goods US, Chinese luxury manufacturers, dhgate us app, TikTok cheap luxury, TikTok China factory deals, TikTok China tariffs, top Chinese marketplace app, viral Chinese TikToks
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