Chinese shopping app Taobao joins DHgate in Top 5 on US App Store

The Chinese e-commerce marketplace app DHgate, which is now the No. 2 free iPhone app in the U.S., isn’t the only one that’s oddly benefiting from President Trump’s tariffs on U.S. imports from China. Another Chinese shopping app, Taobao, has now also entered the Top 5 as of Thursday.

U.S. consumers began flocking to these apps over the past several days in the wake of numerous TikTok videos from Chinese manufacturers explaining how much of the luxury goods market operates out of China. The videos claim that many products from top luxury brands — like clothing, handbags, shoes, and accessories — are actually originally made in China. The items are then shipped over to the brand’s home country, like Italy or France, where they’re repackaged after the brand’s label is applied, according to these videos.

Other U.S. and Chinese TikTok creators then pointed to e-commerce apps like DHGate and Taobao as a way to buy directly from the Chinese manufacturers, forgoing the huge markup the luxury brands charge.

Already wary of the increasing prices on popular apps like Shein and Temu, U.S. consumers quickly began downloading these alternatives.

In April, Taobao’s estimated downloads totaled approximately 185,000 — a 514% increase from the 30,000 it saw during the same period last month, according to new data from app intelligence provider Appfigures. As with DHgate, Taobao’s downloads surged over this past weekend, with installs increasing 5.7x between last Friday and Saturday, the firm said.

Image Credits:Appfigures

On Saturday, Taobao entered the Top Overall ranks on the iOS App Store (excluding games) at No. 461. By Sunday, it was No. 188. And by Thursday, it reached No. 5.

The change in rank represents the growth in app installs as well as their velocity and other factors.

Taobao also grew from the No. 49 Shopping app on Saturday to become the No. 2 app, topping Walmart, Amazon, Shein, and Temu. (Chinese app Alibaba.com is also climbing the charts here, now the No. 6 shopping app on the U.S. App Store.)

Notably, Appfigures says that Taobao has never been in the Top Overall charts on the U.S. App Store according to its data, which goes back to January 1, 2017.

While switching shopping apps won’t actually save U.S. consumers from tariffs on Chinese imports, shoppers likely think buying direct from manufacturers could potentially lower the overall cost of their purchases. For other consumers, it’s simply a way to seek out luxury-style goods or dupes at a better price.

Of course, it’s still a case of “buyer beware” on any of these marketplaces, where quality can be hit or miss. Users are encouraged to read the individual sellers’ reviews and view other buyers’ photos of the items before making purchases.

Source link

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

Should You Buy a New iPhone This Weekend Before They Get More Expensive?

New tariffs on imports could mean you’ll soon have to pay more for electronics. James Martin/CNET Time may be running out on the temporary reprieve from tariff-induced price hikes for the iPhone and other electronics. Early this month, President Donald Trump hiked tariffs to 145% on goods from China, where Apple produces most of its

Motorola Razr 60 Flip Phone Launch Date is Official

We could be set to see the best flip phone of 2025 launch next week, if a recent post from Motorola pans out. The company’s US X account recently posted a teaser for a launch event taking place on 24 April. That’s next Thursday. Alongside a brief animation of a compact foldable device opening and

A Strong Player in the EV Market with Growth Po

Key Takeaways: Albemarle Corporation (ALB, Financial) is a major lithium producer with plans to significantly increase production by 2030. The stock offers a dividend yield of 2.18% and presents potential due to rising lithium prices. Wall Street analysts forecast a potential upside of 70.81% from its current price. Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) distinguishes itself as

FSU tragedy highlights importance of emergency response apps like SaferWatch

OFFICERS AND TAKEN INTO CUSTODY. HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA. A MOBILE APP IS BEING USED TO KEEP STUDENTS SAFE IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, LIKE WHAT HAPPENED AT FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY. IT’S CALLED SAFER WATCH AND IT’S ALREADY BEING USED IN OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS. OUR YASMINE JULMISSE EXPLAINS HOW QUICKLY FIRST RESPONDERS CAN GET

The Best Speech-to-Text Software and Apps (2025)

In 2025, speech-to-text technology is no longer a novelty—it’s a necessity. Whether you’re a journalist recording interviews, a student transcribing lectures, or someone who simply thinks better out loud, the best speech-to-text apps can save you time, boost your productivity, and make tech more accessible. Today’s dictation tools go far beyond turning voice into text.

Google Pixel 9a: What early reviewers are saying (April 2025)

We’ve been waiting for this one: The new Google Pixel 9a smartphone has officially landed, and early reviewers are (mostly) praising this affordable smartphone. Mashable’s own review will be going online early next week (we’re still evaluating the phone’s feature set and cameras), but we wanted to round up the early reviews for early adopters

Play to Xcode lets you turn mockups into real apps

Prototyping is an important stage in the development of a new app. And to make life even easier for developers, prototyping platform Play recently introduced Play to Xcode, which essentially turns mockups into real app projects. Prototype your apps with Play Play is a really cool platform for prototyping new app ideas. You can easily

Global EV Battery Swapping Market to Surge at 25.5% CAGR from 2024 to 2029

BCC Research LLC A new BCC Research report unveils key developments, technological advancements, and strategic insights for navigating the evolving EV battery swapping market. Boston, April 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BCC Research reveals in its new report, the Global EV Battery Swapping Market, is projected to grow from $894.2 million in 2024 to $2.8

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x