Alibaba.com Boosts U.S. Push as Orders Jump; Shein Cuts US Prices After Tariff Drop
Latest news and analysis on China’s global e-sellers
Here’s our pick for last week’s news:
Shein Cuts US Prices After Tariff Drop
TikTok Shop US Sales Stall Amid Tariff Woes
77% of Temu Users in Mexico Plan to Spend More in 2025
Taobao Launches Russian Version to Tap Central Asia
Anker's Robotic Mower Scores $10K in a Week on AliExpress
Alibaba.com Boosts U.S. Push as Orders Jump
TikTok Shop Launches in Japan
Walmart China's E-Commerce Sales Surge 34% in Q1
Walmart Warns of Price Hikes Despite Q1 Growth
TikTok Shop Bets Big on EU Resale
E-Bike Brand Tezeus Raises 50M RMB for Global Expansion
Meituan and Mixue Double Down on Brazil
China–LatAm Trade Hits Record $518B
Shein Cuts US Prices After Tariff Drop
Shein cut US prices after tariffs on Chinese goods were temporarily reduced, dropping average product prices 13%. The move aims to win back customers lost after earlier hikes. Unlike rival Temu, Shein won't charge extra fees at checkout. The tariff cut and lower small parcel taxes ease costs for direct China shipments. After price hikes, Shein and Temu saw sales and traffic fall, while Amazon and Walmart gained. The tariff relief lasts 90 days, keeping future uncertain. (Bloomberg)
TikTok Shop US Sales Stall Amid Tariff Woes
TikTok Shop's US growth stalled in early 2025, with daily sales from foreign sellers—mostly in China—dropping 20-25% in early May due to high tariffs exceeding 145%. Although sales rose year-over-year and climbed in March, tariffs and challenges onboarding new sellers hurt momentum. TikTok Shop, a key focus alongside ads and payments, has faced setbacks including a brief US app ban. After missing 2024 targets, ByteDance recently restructured leadership, bringing in managers with Douyin experience to boost performance. (Business Insider)
77% of Temu Users in Mexico Plan to Spend More in 2025
As Temu marks its second year in Mexico, 77% of users plan to maintain or increase their spending in 2025, driven by the platform's affordability. A recent Ipsos survey shows 95% of Mexican online shoppers compare prices before buying, with Temu users reporting 25% average savings last year. Affordable prices, free shipping, and product discovery are key draws, while 62% say Temu helped improve daily life—from home decor to hobbies and even small businesses. Temu, Mexico's top shopping app in 2024, recently launched a Local Seller Program to support local entrepreneurs and speed up deliveries. (estamos en linea)
Taobao Launches Russian Version to Tap Central Asia
Alibaba's Taobao has launched a Russian-language version of its platform in Kazakhstan, marking its first multilingual rollout for a non-English-speaking country. Local users can now browse, pay, and track orders in Russian using local currency, with product selections gradually expanding. The move targets the fast-growing Central Asian e-commerce market, with Kazakhstan seen as a key entry point. Within one week after launch, 70%+ of new users placed their first orders in Russian, with a 47% increase in conversion rates. (cyzone.cn)
Anker's Robotic Mower Scores $10K in a Week on AliExpress
Anker has joined AliExpress, following Unitree, with its smart home brand Eufy launching as part of the platform's Big Save subsidy program. Eufy's new robotic lawn mower quickly gained traction, generating over $10,000 in sales in Germany within a week. AliExpress aims to help 1,000 more Chinese brands reach $1 million in annual sales this year, tapping growing demand in Europe and the U.S. Sales of garden tools on the platform are up over 50% year-on-year, with robotic lawn mower sales jumping 153%. (cyzone.cn)
Alibaba.com Boosts U.S. Push as Orders Jump
Alibaba's B2B marketplace Alibaba.com has surged to the top of the U.S. App Store's shopping charts as U.S. small and medium-sized businesses rush to restock amid recent tariff cuts. With many U.S. retailers holding just 1–2 months of inventory, Alibaba is expanding local warehousing and launching U.S.-focused promotions to help Chinese suppliers capture demand during the 90-day shipping window. (Alibaba)
TikTok Shop Launches in Japan
TikTok Shop has launched in Japan, offering direct shipping from China or local fulfillment via Japanese warehouses, with delivery in 3–7 days through Japan Post and Sagawa Express. Sellers can join with a business license from mainland China or Hong Kong, with no need for a Japanese entity. Key categories include beauty, fashion, home goods, and small appliances. Full registration opens June 3, with sales expected to begin later that month. (ebrun)
Walmart China's E-Commerce Sales Surge 34% in Q1
Walmart China reported $6.7 billion in net sales for Q1 FY2026, up 22.5% year-over-year, with same-store sales rising 16.8% and e-commerce growing 34%. The company operated 334 stores as of April 30, including 54 Sam's Club locations, after closing three hypermarkets. Membership fee income from Sam's Club China jumped over 40%, driven by strong member growth. (36Kr)
Walmart Warns of Price Hikes Despite Q1 Growth
From February to April, Walmart reported a 4% YoY revenue increase and a 3% rise in operating profit, excluding currency impacts. U.S. sales grew 4.5% on higher prices and volumes, while China revenue jumped 22.5%, driven by strong performance in Sam's Club and e-commerce. On the earnings call, executives warned that despite recent tariff cuts, Walmart's thin margins mean it can't fully absorb cost pressures, and consumers should expect price increases starting late May. (LatePost)
TikTok Shop Bets Big on EU Resale
Following its expansion into the U.S. and U.K., TikTok Shop is turning its attention to Europe's booming secondhand market. The social commerce giant is actively recruiting a project manager to spearhead strategy and operations for its resale category across the EU, signaling a strong push into the fast-growing circular economy sector. (ebrun)
E-Bike Brand Tezeus Raises 50M RMB for Global Expansion
Tezeus, founded in 2022, secured 50 million RMB (roughly $7 million) in Pre-A funding to boost product development, production, and market growth. The e-bike maker entered Europe last October, shipping thousands of units mainly through its DTC site and expanding offline with 35 stores across Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Italy, and Hungary. Germany and the Netherlands drive over half of sales, and the company aims to grow its offline presence to 100 stores this year. (cyzone.cn)
Meituan and Mixue Double Down on Brazil
At the China–Brazil Business Seminar on May 12, Brazilian President Lula met with Meituan CEO Wang Xing as the company signed a $1 billion investment deal to launch its food delivery platform Keeta in Brazil within the year. The investment, equal to 20% of Meituan's projected 2024 net profit, marks a major step in its global push following launches in Hong Kong and Saudi Arabia. On the same day, Chinese beverage chain Mixue announced plans to invest at least 4 billion RMB (roughly $555 million) in Brazil over the next 3–5 years, including opening its first store and building a local supply chain using Brazilian agricultural products. (cyzone.cn)
China–LatAm Trade Hits Record $518B
China's economic ties with Latin America and the Caribbean continued to strengthen, with bilateral trade reaching a record $518.47 billion in 2024, up 6% year-on-year. In Q1 2025, trade totaled $118.3 billion, including $65.73 billion in exports and $52.58 billion in imports. China's direct investment in the region hit $14.71 billion last year, with another $270 million in early 2025. As of March, over 37,000 Latin American companies had established operations in China. (CCTV)