Overview

• Chinese influencers are promoting direct purchases from factories, claiming to bypass Trump-era tariffs and offer significantly lower prices on luxury goods.
• Viral TikTok videos highlight products like Lululemon leggings and Birkin bags, with claims of high quality at drastically reduced costs compared to US retail prices.
• Major brands like Lululemon and Louis Vuitton deny their products are finished in China, suggesting many of the promoted items may be counterfeit or unauthorized duplicates.
• The campaign reflects a shift in global trade dynamics, as Chinese manufacturers use social media to connect directly with US consumers, bypassing traditional middlemen.
• These developments underscore the broader US-China trade conflict, with tariffs fueling economic tensions and reshaping consumer behavior in both countries.