PresidentTrump’s tariffs have prompted American online shoppers to ditch fast-fashion upstarts Temu and Shein in favor of two other Chinese e-commerce platforms— DHgate and Taobao — both of which have climbed into the top 5 most downloaded programs on Apple’s App Store.
Viral videos on TikTok feature Chinese manufacturers urging American consumers to use DHgate and Taobao to purchase knockoffs of high-end luxury brands at a fraction of the cost.
Taobao is a Chinese e-commerce platform that is among the most downloaded among American users of Apple smartphones and laptops.Timon – stock.adobe.com
The recent surge in downloads of DHgate and Taobao reveals an unexpected shift in American consumer behavior — spurred largely by increased tariffs imposed by Trump on US imports from China.
This exemption has been heavily utilized by companies like Shein and Temu to ship low-cost goods directly to American consumers without incurring tariffs.
Effective May 2, these shipments will be subject to tariffs, starting at 120% or a flat fee of $100 per package, increasing to $200 by June 1.
DHgate and Taobao cracked the top 5 of the most popular apps on the Apple App Store.
Those appearing in the viral TikTok videos claim that fashion products such as clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories are initially manufactured in China.
They are subsequently shipped abroad, primarily to Europe, where luxury labels are added and products repackaged before being sold at significantly marked-up prices.
TikTok influencers and creators urged American consumers toward apps like DHgate and Taobao, where items can be purchased directly from Chinese manufacturers.
By bypassing traditional branding channels, shoppers anticipate savings despite ongoing tariff impacts, aiming for substantial discounts compared to luxury retail prices.
Fast-fashion e-retailer Shein and Temu are raising prices in response to President Trump’s tariffs.REUTERS
Growing consumer dissatisfaction with established Chinese shopping apps like Shein and Temu, which have had to increase prices, has further fueled this shift. Consequently, consumers rapidly adopted alternatives such as DHgate and Taobao in search of better deals.
New data from app analytics provider Appfigures illustrates this dramatic surge.
In April, Taobao experienced approximately 185,000 downloads — a staggering 514% rise compared to the 30,000 recorded the previous month.
The most pronounced growth occurred over the past weekend, with Taobao downloads increasing by nearly sixfold between Friday and Saturday alone.
Taobao swiftly climbed the rankings within the iOS App Store.
Initially entering the overall app rankings at No 461 on Saturday, it jumped to No 188 by Sunday, and reached the Top 5 by Thursday.
An employee packages garments for the online Chinese e-commerce company Temu at a clothing factory in the southern Chinese city o Guangzhou on April 16, 2025.AFP via Getty Images
Within the shopping category specifically, Taobao surged dramatically from No 49 on Saturday to No 2 by Thursday — surpassing major retailers such as Walmart, Amazon, Shein and Temu.
Additionally, another Chinese e-commerce platform, Alibaba.com, also saw significant gains, reaching No 6 among shopping apps in the US.
Notably, Appfigures confirmed that this marks Taobao’s debut in the US App Store’s Top Overall charts, based on their records dating back to January 2017.
This underscores the remarkable shift in consumer attitudes and behaviors over a relatively short period.
Despite these apps’ current popularity, experts advise caution to consumers. Shopping on platforms such as DHgate and Taobao entails inherent risks, with product quality often variable.
Users are strongly encouraged to thoroughly read seller reviews and inspect photographs provided by previous buyers prior to completing any transactions.
The father of the last, living Israeli-American hostagehas called on the US to negotiate directly with Hamas after the terror group said it “lost contact” with his son following an airstrike in Gaza.
Adi Alexander — whose son Edan, 21, remains missing after Hamas claimed an airstrike hit his direct position last week — is urging the Trump administration to resume talks with Hamas to free his son and the 58 other hostages.
“I think we should engage back with them directly and see what can be done in regards to my son, four American dead hostages, and everybody else,” Alexander told reporters on Saturday.
Adi Alexander, the father of American hostage Edan Alexander, is calling on the US to return to direct negotiations with Hamas to secure the freedom of the captives.REUTERS
Edan’s fate remains unclear after Hamas claimed it lost contact with him following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.
“It seems like the negotiations are stalled, everything is stuck, and we are kind of back to a year ago,” he added. “It’s really concerning.”
Hamas’ military wing reiterated on Sunday that it does not know what happened to Edan following an Israeli airstrike that killed the guard holding him. The terror group’s claim could not be independently verified.
The Israel Defense Forces has said it does not carry out strikes in areas where it suspects Hamas is holding hostages, but free captives have previously said airstrikes hit near their locations when they were being held in Gaza.
Prior to his disappearance, Edan was featured in an undated propaganda film pleading for President Trump to help secure his freedom after the latest cease-fire deal fell through.
The Israeli-American was featured in a Hamas video pleading for President Trump to help secure the hostages’ freedom following the end of the cease-fire.Hamas Military Wing/Handout
Alexander said he was heartbroken by the “horrible, horrible video,” wishing he could tell his son that everyone is fighting for him.
“Just believe. You know, nobody forgot about you,” Alexander said, pretending to talk to his son.
“Definitely not your parents, and everybody is fighting for your release on the highest level in the States and I believe also in Israel.”
Alexander’s plea comes after the latest breakdown in the cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas, with the terror group refusing to release anymore hostages unless the Jewish state agrees to a permanent end to the war.
Grandma Varda Ben Baruch holds a photo of Edan during a protest on Sunday.Getty Images
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the condition and vowed that the war will not end until all the hostages are freed and Hamas is completely eradicated.
During the heated negotiations, it was revealed last month that US hostage envoy Adam Boehler engaged in secret talks with Hamas about the American captives.
While Boehler insisted that the talks were “coordinated with Israel,” officials in Jerusalem said they only found out about it from news reports, with the leaders criticizing Boehler’s handling of the situation.
Despite the backlash from Jerusalem, Boehler claimed last week that “it is possible” for his direct talks with Hamas to resume.
Israeli officials estimate that 59 hostages remain in Gaza, with only 24 of the captives believed to still be alive.
