The US President Trump has wielded the big stick of huge tariffs against China, but it seems that it hasn't knocked down "Made in China". On the contrary, it has boosted multiple Chinese e-commerce apps and the "reverse purchasing" trend. Some netizens jokingly said "the reversal of history". The download volume of the Chinese cross-border e-commerce app Dharma Gate increased by 800% in April in the United States. Taobao has topped the App download list in 16 countries, and foreign tourists, especially American tourists, have flocked to China to "buy buy buy", purchasing Chinese manufactured goods because "even including airfare, it is still cheaper than buying in the U.S.". Therefore, the use of Alipay by American tourists has surged by 2 times.

On April 16th, the U.S. announced a tariff increase to 245%. According to a report by the official Chinese media Xinhua Daily, this did not scare off the Chinese side but instead sent Chinese e-commerce apps to the top of the U.S. regional rankings. As of April 16th, among the top five e-commerce apps in the U.S. iOS application store, three are from China. Dhgate (Dharma Gate) ranks first, Taobao second, and Shein (SHEIN) fourth, forming an unprecedented phenomenon where "Chinese trio" dominates the rankings.

Among them, the month-on-month download volume of Dharma Gate surged by 800% in April, with more than 3,000 U.S. wholesalers placing orders online on the platform every day. The Taobao App has topped the App download charts in 16 countries. As of April 16th, its download volume in the U.S. surged more than 300%, with a 1000% increase in visits to clothing and 3C digital shops. This is mainly because American consumers found that even after paying tariffs and shipping fees to purchase products online, the prices were still much lower than those in the U.S.

Chen Qiaozhi, founder of the Taobao women's clothing store "Shenlang Big Size," said that starting from April 12th, the overseas traffic for orders on the store surged. Some stores even directly posted bilingual announcements - "Welcome everyone around the world to visit our little shop."

In addition, a "reverse purchasing" trend has emerged due to Chinese manufacturing. According to data released yesterday, the amount of consumption using Alipay by inbound tourists in the first half of April increased by 1.5 times year-over-year, with American users' spending increasing by 200%. This is due to Americans flying to China to purchase Chinese-made goods, as they reason that "even including airfare, it is still cheaper than buying in the U.S." Combined with policies such as the 240-hour visa-free transit policy and "immediate tax refund" departure tax rebate services, "foreigners coming to China to buy buy buy" has become a new trend in cross-border tourism.

Clothes, shoes, mobile phones, and robotic vacuum cleaners have all become popular categories for Americans to抢purchase in China; Yiwu Small Commodity Market, Shenzhen Huaqiangbei, Hangzhou Qixingqing Clothing Market, and other places are also popular shopping destinations for foreigners. American social media influencer "lulu露露" stated that she brings empty suitcases to China specifically for "reverse purchasing."

According to a report by Wen Hui Bao, Miss Ceng, who deals in clothing exports, said, "The model of American consumers purchasing directly from Chinese manufacturers is very cost-effective. A pair of leggings with a factory price of $5 sells for $100 at American counters. Even if you add $10 for shipping costs and a 245% tax, it still only costs $27 for American consumers." Luxury goods are even more profitable. Once American consumers know the truth, they will find ways to bypass intermediaries and purchase source goods directly from Chinese factories.

TikTok influencers teach people how to buy Chinese products. (Video screenshot)

American fashion bloggers share their spoils purchased from Taobao. (Video screenshot)

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7494484455311409699/

Disclaimer: The article only represents the views of the author. Please express your attitude by clicking the "Like/Dislike" button below.