Shein Hits 1.23 Billion AUD in Annual Sales in Australia; Temu Unveils Direct Shipping from China for U.S. Market
Latest news and analysis on China’s global e-sellers
Here’s our pick for last week’s news:
Temu Unveils Direct Shipping from China for U.S. Market
Shein Hits 1.23 Billion AUD in Annual Sales in Australia
Shein to Launch Semi-Managed Service in the Middle East
TikTok Shop Set to Launch in Japan
TikTok Reshuffles U.S. E-Commerce Leadership Amid Struggles
Shopee and TikTok Shop Crush Rivals in Vietnam
Taobao Boosts Local Services in Malaysia with New Upgrades
AliExpress Taps China's Industrial Hubs for Global Growth
Yiwugo Sees 200% App Surge Amid Tariff Shakeup
Huakai Yibai Cuts Amazon Share to 49% in Q4
Anker Innovations Opens First Store in Europe
Pop Mart's International Revenue Soars Nearly 500% in Q1 2025
DJI Agriculture's Overseas Sales Surge 45% in Q1
Africa Drives a Third of Transsion's 2024 Revenue
Walmart Helps China Exporters Sell at Home
CHAGEE Opens First U.S. Store in L.A.
Temu Unveils Direct Shipping from China for U.S. Market
Temu has introduced a new Direct Shipping from China model on April 27, allowing semi-managed sellers to ship orders directly from China without the need for overseas warehousing. This model is exclusive to the U.S. market, and sellers must create a separate store for it, as it can't be combined with existing semi-managed stores. Sellers are also required to manage their own logistics and customs processes. (ebrun)
Shein Hits 1.23 Billion AUD in Annual Sales in Australia
Shein has achieved over 1 billion AUD ($638.56 million) in annual sales in Australia for the first time, reaching 1.23 billion AUD ($785.43 million) in 2023, up from 979 million AUD ($625.16 million) the previous year. Profits also increased from 10.6 million AUD($6.77 million) to $15.2 million AUD ($9.71 million). Since launching in Australia in 2022, Shein's growth has been fueled by influencer marketing on TikTok and YouTube, helping it become one of the country's largest fashion retailers and one of the most visited fashion websites. (The Australian Financial Review)
Shein to Launch Semi-Managed Service in the Middle East
Shein is set to launch its semi-managed service in Middle East on April 30, providing cross-border sellers an easy entry into a high-value market of over 300 million people. With young, affluent consumers and 98% internet penetration in Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the Middle East's e-commerce market remains underdeveloped, accounting for just 2% of total retail sales. Analysts predict significant growth in the region's e-commerce sector, with annual growth rates of 25% to 30%. (ebrun)
TikTok Shop Set to Launch in Japan
TikTok Shop is gearing up for its long-anticipated entry into the Japanese market, with plans to recruit local sellers as part of its strategy to expand amid challenges in the U.S. market, where TikTok Shop's sales have recently taken a hit. After launching in France and Germany in March, TikTok will now debut in Italy this month. The company is also eyeing expansion into Latin America, with its Brazilian site set to go live on May 8. TikTok has already begun inviting local sellers, with qualifications mirroring those in Mexico, though the full-managed service will not be available in Brazil due to tariff concerns. (cyzone.cn)
TikTok Reshuffles U.S. E-Commerce Leadership Amid Struggles
TikTok is further consolidating its U.S. e-commerce operations under Chinese and global leadership. Nico Le Bourgeois, head of TikTok Shop U.S., will now report to Mu Qing, a former Douyin e-commerce VP who recently took control of U.S. operations. This restructuring follows a series of leadership changes, as executives with Chinese e-commerce experience, including Mu Qing and Xu Luran, take charge of U.S. teams. The move comes amid dissatisfaction with TikTok Shop's U.S. performance, highlighted by recent layoffs and restructuring. (Business Insider)
Shopee and TikTok Shop Crush Rivals in Vietnam
Shopee and TikTok Shop dominated Vietnam's online retail market in Q1, capturing a combined 97% share, according to data from Metric. Shopee held the top spot with 62%, down from 68%, while TikTok Shop surged from 23% to 35%. Lazada's share fell to 3%, and Tiki's was too small to register. The four platforms generated a combined GMV of 101.4 trillion VND ($3.92 billion) for the quarter, up 42% YoY. The rise of content-driven shopping, especially short-video platforms like TikTok Shop, is reshaping consumer behavior and squeezing traditional players. Metric expects Q2 GMV to grow another 15% to 116.6 trillion VND ($4.5 billion). (VnExpress)
Taobao Boosts Local Services in Malaysia with New Upgrades
Taobao has upgraded its localized services in Malaysia by launching a Malay language option, aiming to deliver a smoother and more seamless shopping experience for local users. The platform also added multiple payment options, including debit and credit cards, and introduced real-time order tracking for greater transparency. (ebrun)
AliExpress Taps China's Industrial Hubs for Global Growth
AliExpress is stepping up its global ambitions with the launch of its "50 Cities Industrial Belt" initiative, aimed at helping manufacturers from China's key regions—Zhejiang, Guangdong, Fujian, and Hubei—tap into overseas markets. The program allows new sellers to plug their products into platforms like Alibaba.com and Lazada, offering both self-operated and fully/semi-managed options to suit different business needs. Once known for competing with Amazon on prices, AliExpress is now shifting toward a curated marketplace of premium, high-value goods, betting that quality will drive its next wave of growth. (cyzone.cn)
Yiwugo Sees 200% App Surge Amid Tariff Shakeup
Yiwugo.com, the official platform of the Yiwu Commodity Market, has seen a 200% surge in app downloads since April 14, 2025, following international tariff policy changes. The app now ranks among the top shopping apps in the U.S., France, and Malaysia, boosting direct inquiries from global buyers. Outdoor and leisure goods, a fast-growing sector in Yiwu with sales topping 2 billion RMB ($274.44 million) in 2024, are driving much of the momentum. Transaction volumes for hiking poles alone doubled year-on-year, fueled by booming interest in outdoor activities worldwide and rising demand for fitness gear in China. (PR Newswire)
Huakai Yibai Cuts Amazon Share to 49% in Q4
Shenzhen's Huakai Yibai reported 9 billion RMB ($1.23 billion) in revenue for 2024, up 38% year-on-year, but profits plummeted 48% to 170 million RMB ($23.3 million). The company, which splits its focus between mass-market and premium goods, is shifting away from heavy reliance on Amazon. Now selling on platforms like Temu, TikTok, AliExpress, Walmart, Shopify, and Wayfair, Huakai Yibai saw Amazon's share of its premium sales drop to 49% in Q4, down from 60%, reflecting its broader platform strategy for more balanced growth. (Huakai Yibai)
Anker Innovations Opens First Store in Europe
Anker Innovations opened its first official store in Serbia on April 26, located in the renowned Galerija Beograd shopping center. The launch marks Anker's entry into Central and Eastern Europe, with Belgrade selected due to the brand's growing popularity among Serbian consumers. The store features a wide range of Anker's products, including next-gen chargers, portable batteries, premium audio devices from Soundcore, smart home solutions from Eufy, and portable projectors from Nebula. (Serbia Business)
Pop Mart's International Revenue Soars Nearly 500% in Q1 2025
Pop Mart announced a 165% to 170% year-over-year revenue (unaudited) increase for Q1 2025, with China contributing a 95% to 100% rise and overseas revenue soaring by 475% to 480%. Offline sales in China grew 85% to 90%, while online sales spiked 140% to 145%. Internationally, growth was robust across all regions: Asia-Pacific up 345%, the Americas up 895%, and Europe up 600%. (36Kr)
DJI Agriculture's Overseas Sales Surge 45% in Q1
Since its overseas launch in 2017, DJI Agriculture has reached 100 countries, focusing on key markets in the Americas, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Last year, overseas drone shipments surged 32 times from 2017 levels, now accounting for 30% of total global volume. In the first quarter of 2025, DJI Agriculture's international shipments grew 45% year-on-year, with Latin America seeing a 200% spike and Africa up more than 100%, driven by strong performances in Brazil and Mexico. (36Kr)
Africa Drives a Third of Transsion's 2024 Revenue
Transsion Holdings posted 68.72 billion RMB ($9.42 billion) in revenue for 2024, up 10.3% YoY, with Africa accounting for a third of sales. Net profit edged up just 0.2% to 5.55 billion RMB ($760.80 million), as the company ramped up spending on marketing, product upgrades, and expansion efforts amid rising competition and supply chain costs. Operating expenses rose across the board, with double-digit increases in marketing, admin, and R&D. (LatePost)
Walmart Helps China Exporters Sell at Home
Walmart Inc. has launched a new program to help Chinese exporters tap into domestic demand, offering shelf space in its China stores as trade tensions with the U.S. escalate. The move, announced by Walmart China on WeChat, comes in response to Beijing's push for a closer integration of domestic and foreign trade to cushion the blow from rising tariffs. (Walmart)
CHAGEE Opens First U.S. Store in L.A.
CHAGEE, a Chinese tea chain with over 6,400 stores, opened its first U.S. location on April 26 at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles, with a grand opening to come on May 9. Founded in 2017 and now listed on Nasdaq under "CHA," CHAGEE is known for its upscale milk teas, AI-powered brewing, and sleek, minimalist shops. The L.A. store will offer signature drinks like peach oolong lattes, roasted oolong tea, a jasmine green tea latte, and a blended caramel tea frappe. (Eater LA)