SHEIN Fined €40 Million in France; TikTok to Launch New App
Here’s our pick for last week’s news:
TikTok to Launch U.S.-Only App on Sept. 5
AliExpress Korea Crosses 9M Users — While Rivals Slide
SHEIN Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
TikTok Shop Mexico to Open for Chinese Sellers
TEMU Expands to Turkey With Local Delivery and Payments
Alibaba Adds BNPL for U.S. Business Buyers
99 Ranch Market Joins TEMU to Accelerate E-Commerce Growth
Yiwu Launches First East Asia Market in Osaka
Romoss Suspends Operations After Major Recall
Laimu Raises New Capital to Scale Lawn Robot Business
TikTok to Launch U.S.-Only App on Sept. 5
TikTok will roll out a new U.S.-only version of its app on September 5, as it moves to comply with a divestment law passed by Congress. The new app—codenamed “M2”—will replace the current version, which will be removed from U.S. app stores the same day. The legacy app is expected to shut down entirely by March 2026.The move comes ahead of a September 17 deadline for ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations. A sale has yet to be finalized, but the new app is seen as part of TikTok’s broader effort to ease data security concerns and maintain its U.S. presence under regulatory pressure. (The Information)
AliExpress Korea Crosses 9M Users — While Rivals Slide
AliExpress saw its active user base in South Korea rise to 9.05 million in June. The increase follows the launch of “AliExpress Travel,” a new channel offering flight, hotel, and attraction bookings with full Korean-language support. Meanwhile, six of South Korea’s top eight e-commerce platforms saw user declines in June. That includes local giant Coupang and Chinese cross-border player Temu. The steepest drop came from Naver Plus Store, which fell to 3.71 million users. AliExpress, however, stood out. Boosted by new strategic initiatives, it gained users—rising to 9.05 million. (Jing Daily)
SHEIN Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Fast-fashion giant SHEIN has been hit with a €40 million (approximately $47.17 million) fine by French antitrust authorities for alleged deceptive commercial practices, specifically misleading discounts. An investigation revealed that 57% of "discounted items" on SHEIN's website had not actually been reduced in price, nearly one-fifth had smaller discounts than advertised, and 11% even saw price increases during promotional periods. SHEIN has accepted the French ruling and stated that upon learning of the investigation in March of last year, it promptly implemented necessary corrective measures within two months. The company has committed to taking its legal and regulatory obligations in France seriously. （Retail News）
TikTok Shop Mexico to Open for Chinese Sellers
TikTok Shop Mexico POP mode will be open to Chinese merchants in mid-August, allowing registration with Chinese company business licenses. The platform will support sellers with localized playbooks, product guidance, commission discounts, and a subsidized its shipping program. The move opens Mexico’s fast-growing e-commerce market to more Chinese sellers—making Latin America the next major focus for TikTok’s global expansion. (NetEase News)
TEMU Expands to Turkey With Local Delivery and Payments
TEMU has officially launched in Turkey, offering next-day delivery and a welcome campaign called “We’re now in Turkey.” New users get free shipping and first-order discounts. To localize operations, TEMU has moved its payment systems from Dublin to Turkey and plans to open a logistics hub in Istanbul. The goal: faster shipping, lower import costs, and a better customer experience. The move marks another major step in Temu’s global expansion.（Sina）
Alibaba Adds BNPL for U.S. Business Buyers
Alibaba has launched a new Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) option for U.S. small and mid-sized businesses. The service, built with fintech firm Balance, gives qualified buyers instant credit at checkout. The goal is to help SMBs better manage inventory spending and cash flow. In a tough operating environment, flexible payments are becoming critical. The BNPL option is now live on the U.S. site and adds to Alibaba’s growing support for American B2B customers. （THE FINTECH TIMES)
99 Ranch Market Joins TEMU to Accelerate E-Commerce Growth
Asian supermarket chain 99 Ranch Market has officially launched on TEMU, aiming to accelerate its e-commerce expansion and overcome geographic limitations. The partnership enables 99 Ranch to ship products directly from its central warehouse in California to customers across the United States, significantly broadening its market reach. By joining TEMU’s platform, 99 Ranch is now able to reach consumers beyond the footprint of its brick-and-mortar stores. The move marks a strategic step forward in the company’s digital transformation and national expansion efforts, further strengthening its position in the Asian grocery retail sector. (Retail Touch Points)
Yiwu Launches First East Asia Market in Osaka
Yiwu’s global push continues. After Dubai, its first East Asia hub just opened in Osaka. The new 5,000-sqm center, located in Osaka’s Shinsaibashi district, is a joint venture with Japan’s Okufan Group. Over 90 vendors have joined the invite-only wholesale space, offering daily goods, apparel, health, and home products tailored to Japanese demand. Yiwu is blending digital trade, brand support, and direct supply chains to bring “Made in China” to the world. （ebrun）
Romoss Suspends Operations After Major Recall
Romoss has shut down operations for six months, starting July 7. The move follows a recall of nearly 492,000 power banks due to battery defects that pose fire risks. Chinese regulators have suspended certifications for several models, and aviation authorities banned Romoss units from flights. The company has removed all power banks from online stores, leaving only accessories. The news comes days after Romoss denied bankruptcy rumors. But with staff locked out of internal systems, concerns over the company’s future are growing. （Sina）
Laimu Raises New Capital to Scale Lawn Robot Business
Smart yard startup Laimu Technology has raised tens of millions of RMB in two quick funding rounds to expand its lawn-mowing robot line. The Pre-A round in April was led by Jiukun VC. A second round, completed in early July, saw backing from Changsheng Investment and a public electronics company with global reach. Laimu’s Lymow One—a wire-free, smart robot mower—previously raised $5.6M on Kickstarter. Funds will go toward scaling production, building inventory, and launching new products. （PEdaily）