Taobao Rises in US App Store: Top 5 Ranking

Rise of Chinese Shopping Apps in the U.S.

The DHgate e-commerce application, currently ranked as the second most popular free iPhone app in the United States, is experiencing unexpected benefits stemming from President Trump’s tariffs on imports from China. A parallel surge in popularity is now being observed with another Chinese shopping platform, Taobao, which has also broken into the Top 5 apps as of Thursday.

TikTok's Influence on Consumer Behavior

Over the past few days, a noticeable shift in U.S. consumer behavior has occurred. This change is directly linked to viral videos on TikTok, originating from Chinese manufacturers. These videos detail the operational structure of the luxury goods market and its strong ties to China.

The central claim within these videos is that a significant portion of products from prominent luxury brands – encompassing items like apparel, handbags, footwear, and accessories – are initially manufactured in China.

The Supply Chain Explained

According to the videos, these goods are subsequently transported to the brand’s country of origin, such as Italy or France. There, they undergo repackaging after the application of the brand’s label.

Following this revelation, both U.S. and Chinese TikTok creators began promoting apps like DHgate and Taobao as avenues for direct purchase from Chinese manufacturers. This bypasses the substantial markups typically imposed by luxury brands.

Growing Consumer Interest

U.S. consumers, already sensitive to rising prices on platforms like Shein and Temu, have rapidly begun downloading these alternative shopping applications.

Data from app intelligence firm Appfigures indicates that Taobao’s estimated downloads in April reached approximately 185,000. This represents a substantial 514% increase compared to the 30,000 downloads recorded during the same period last month.

Rapid App Store Ranking Increase

Similar to DHgate, Taobao experienced a surge in downloads over the recent weekend. Installs increased by a factor of 5.7x between last Friday and Saturday, as reported by the firm.

On Saturday, Taobao initially entered the Top Overall rankings on the iOS App Store (excluding games) at position No. 461. By Sunday, it had climbed to No. 188.

By Thursday, the app had reached the No. 5 position.

Shopping App Rankings

This ranking shift reflects not only the growth in app installations but also their speed and other contributing factors.

Taobao also progressed from being the No. 49 Shopping app on Saturday to securing the No. 2 spot. It now surpasses established retailers like Walmart, Amazon, Shein, and Temu. Alibaba.com, another Chinese application, is also gaining traction, currently ranking as the No. 6 shopping app on the U.S. App Store.

Appfigures data, extending back to January 1, 2017, confirms that Taobao has never previously appeared in the Top Overall charts on the U.S. App Store.

Potential Savings and Risks

While switching to these shopping apps won’t eliminate tariffs on Chinese imports for U.S. consumers, shoppers believe that direct purchasing from manufacturers may potentially reduce the overall cost of their purchases.

For some, it represents a means of finding luxury-inspired goods or alternatives at more affordable prices.

However, a “buyer beware” approach remains crucial when using these marketplaces, as product quality can vary. Users are advised to carefully review individual seller ratings and examine photos submitted by other buyers before completing a purchase.