DHgate Sees Sales Double in 97 Countries; TikTok Shop Faces Dip in U.S. Sales
Latest news and analysis on China’s global e-sellers
Here’s our pick for last week’s news:
Trump Delays TikTok Deal Until China's Stance is Clear
Temu and Shein to Raise Prices Amid U.S. Tariffs
TikTok Shop Faces Dip in U.S. Sales
TikTok Shop Unveils PEAKS to Fuel Global Growth
Chinese Apps Gain Global Traction: Temu Up 18%, AliExpress 57%
Alibaba.com Cracks U.S. Top 5
DHgate Sees Sales Double in 97 Countries
Amazon Pitches Europe to Sellers
Wildberries Expands in China with Seller Support Program
Midea to Grow Global Sales Branches to 40+ by 2025
NARWAL Secures $100M Ahead of IPO Push
X-ORIGIN-AI Raises 100M RMB to Fuel Global Push
CHAGEE Makes Wall Street Debut with $411M IPO
Pop Mart Unveils Major Global Overhaul
Trump Eyes Tariff Cuts on China
Trump Delays TikTok Deal Until China's Stance is Clear
On April 17, President Trump confirmed that the TikTok deal is moving forward but has been delayed until a resolution with China is reached. Trump emphasized that the deal, which includes benefits for China, is on hold for now, citing China's stance as a key factor. Earlier, Trump extended TikTok's reprieve by another 75 days, pushing the deadline to June 20, marking his second extension since the Biden administration passed the bill. However, Senator Mark Warner criticized the delay, claiming it violates the law. (Reuters)
Temu and Shein to Raise Prices Amid U.S. Tariffs
Temu and Shein have announced price increases for U.S. shoppers starting April 25, 2025, due to higher operating costs from U.S. tariffs, stressing the need to maintain product quality. Prices will remain unchanged until then. Both platforms experienced their slowest sales growth in February, but U.S. panic buying led to a strong rebound in March. Shein saw a 29% year-over-year revenue increase in March, which rose to 38% in early April, while Temu's growth was even stronger at 46% and 60%, respectively. (36Kr)
TikTok Shop Faces Dip in U.S. Sales
TikTok Shop's U.S. sales recently dipped, with weekly GMV dropping to $197 million from $251 million the previous week and far below late March's $291 million. TikTok Shop's U.S. GMV exceeded $9 billion in 2024, aiming for a nearly 200% growth target this year. Q1 2025 U.S. GMV reached $3 billion. To mitigate risks from policy changes and market instability, TikTok Shop is implementing a Plan B strategy, focusing on Southeast Asia infrastructure, supporting local SMEs, and expanding into Latin America and Europe. New operations have launched in Spain, Germany, Italy, and France, with Brazil and Japan coming soon. (cyzone.cn)
TikTok Shop Unveils PEAKS to Fuel Global Growth
TikTok Shop has launched the PEAKS Program to help merchants drive both brand and performance growth. Backed by billions in funding and traffic, the program enhances features like direct and hybrid shipping (direct + overseas) launching in May, AI auto-posting, 5A audience analysis and custom ad targeting. It also includes a smart KOL collaboration tool and a new TikTok Shipping plan expected to cut costs by 10-20%. Additionally, the program supports global sales through a single store and cross-market content sharing. (36Kr)
Chinese Apps Gain Global Traction: Temu Up 18%, AliExpress 57%
According to Sensor Tower's recent report, Chinese non-gaming apps continued strong global growth in March 2025, led by short dramas, cross-border e-commerce, and tools. Temu surged with an 18% rise in downloads thanks to its low-price strategy and viral social marketing. Shein grew active users by 6%, reinforcing its leadership in fast fashion through supply chain upgrades and stronger user engagement. AliExpress downloads jumped 57%, fueled by deeper expansion in Southeast Asia. (iNEWS)
Alibaba.com Cracks U.S. Top 5
Following Taobao's momentum, Alibaba.com has jumped to No. 5 on the U.S. App Store's shopping chart and entered the top 10 in over 120 countries. To boost small and mid-sized exporters, the platform has dispatched teams globally to support local sellers and launched dedicated traffic channels to help merchants reach new international markets. (36Kr)
DHgate Sees Sales Double in 97 Countries
Chinese B2B platform DHgate is accelerating globally, with sales more than doubling in 97 countries and the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, and Australia topping the list. Since April 15, daily new buyer signups have surged nearly 20x week-over-week. The platform is also seeing explosive GMV growth across key categories, including home appliances (+962%), wigs (+671%), security equipment (+601%), health & beauty (+318%), outdoor gear (+195%), and pet supplies (+130%). (36Kr)
Amazon Pitches Europe to Sellers
Amazon is reaching out to sellers to assess how Trump's proposed tariffs might impact sourcing, pricing, and logistics. To hedge against rising U.S. import costs, Amazon is encouraging merchants to expand into its European marketplaces, which see 180 million monthly users and offer launch incentives. With Europe's e-commerce expected to hit $900 billion by 2028, Amazon is positioning early movers to gain an edge. Industry experts warn of major market shifts ahead, urging sellers to act fast—even at short-term costs. Chinese sellers now account for half of Amazon's global seller base. (Modern Retail)
Wildberries Expands in China with Seller Support Program
Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries is ramping up its China strategy to strengthen cross-border trade. Its new Star Program offers reduced commissions, traffic support, and direct partnership assistance to help young Chinese entrepreneurs grow. Sellers can choose between direct shipping to Russia or the FBS model, sending inventory to Wildberries' partner warehouses. To localize operations, the platform has opened four merchant hubs in Ningbo, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and Tianjin. (Yicai Global)
Midea to Grow Global Sales Branches to 40+ by 2025
Midea Group's 2024 annual report shows that over 40% of its revenue now comes from overseas markets. Recognized by Euromonitor as the world's top-selling smart home appliance brand, Midea leads in refrigerator sales in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Chile, and dominates the air conditioner market in Brazil and Egypt. The company operates 400+ subsidiaries, 38 R&D centers, and 44 major manufacturing bases globally, with more than 30,000 overseas employees. Midea plans to grow its international sales branches from 30+ to over 40 by 2025, targeting emerging markets like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Turkey, Poland, and Morocco. (36Kr)
NARWAL Secures $100M Ahead of IPO Push
NARWAL, a leader in embodied AI, has raised $100 million in new funding to accelerate product innovation, global expansion, and multi-category growth. Now in its Pre-IPO stage, the company is ramping up for a public listing. NARWAL has entered over 50 countries and plans to grow overseas revenue by 3–4x in 2025, with a 300% year-over-year increase in new product launches abroad. It will expand into 70+ new markets—targeting Germany, France, Japan, and more—while building local teams for tailored operations. (36Kr)
X-ORIGIN-AI Raises 100M RMB to Fuel Global Push
X-ORIGIN-AI, a startup in AI companion robots, has raised nearly 100 million RMB ($13.70 million) in Pre-A funding to enhance its AI models and accelerate global growth. Founded in 2021, the company plans to launch a range of smart products—including AI robots and plush toys—by 2025, while expanding into Europe and the U.S. through Kickstarter and cross-border e-commerce, supported by localized service systems. (cyzone.cn)
CHAGEE Makes Wall Street Debut with $411M IPO
On April 17, Chinese tea brand CHAGEE debuted on the U.S. stock market under the ticker CHA, becoming the first of its kind to go public in the U.S. Priced at $28 per share, the IPO raised $411 million, giving the company a valuation of $5.14 billion. Its valuation hit $6.2 billion after shares opened up 21% and closed nearly 16% higher. Backed by Citi, Morgan Stanley, CICC, and Deutsche Bank, the company plans to expand overseas to 156 stores by the end of 2024—mainly in Malaysia—with further growth targeted in Southeast Asia and a U.S. entry starting with Los Angeles. (DealStreetAsia)
Pop Mart Unveils Major Global Overhaul
On April 14, Pop Mart announced its largest organizational shakeup in five years, shifting to a regional strategy with new headquarters in Greater China, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe. The move comes as Pop Mart posted strong 2024 results: revenue soared 106.9% to 13.04 billion RMB ($1.79 billion), and adjusted net profit jumped 185.9% to 3.4 billion RMB ($465.75 million). Overseas and regional markets contributed 5.07 billion RMB ($245.21 million) —38.9% of total revenue—up 375.2% YoY. (36Kr)
Trump Eyes Tariff Cuts on China
On April 17, President Donald Trump suggested that a trade deal with China could be reached within three to four weeks and expressed reluctance to raise tariffs further, warning that it could hurt consumer demand. He indicated that tariffs might even be reduced, as excessive tariffs lead to lower purchasing. Meanwhile, tariffs on Chinese goods had hit 245%, with Amazon's CEO Andy Jassy noting that the costs would be passed onto U.S. consumers. Luxury brand Hermès also announced plans to increase U.S. prices to offset tariff impacts. (Bloomberg & CNBC)