Overview

• Chinese manufacturers and influencers are using TikTok to promote factory-direct sales, claiming to undercut President Trump’s 145% tariffs on imports from China.
• Luxury brands like Lululemon have refuted claims that their goods are available directly from Chinese factories, warning of counterfeit products and misinformation.
• The Chinese wholesale app DHgate has risen to the second spot in the U.S. App Store as American consumers explore alternatives to avoid tariff-driven price increases.
• Experts caution that viral claims of buying authentic luxury goods directly from factories are misleading, with many videos linked to counterfeit operations.
• Some consumers are experimenting with tariff-avoidance strategies, such as declaring imports as personal items, as the May 2 end of the de minimis exemption approaches.