• The US-China trade war has pushed one Chinese e-commerce site to the top of the US app store.

• The app is DHgate, popular for selling dupes of brands like Birkenstock and YSL.

• At press time, DHgate was number two on the list of top free apps on the US App Store.

The US-China trade war has minted an unlikely victor — Chinese wholesaler DHgate.

DHgate, an online marketplace known for selling dupes for retail giants — think Lululemon, Birkenstock, Dyson, and even Saint Laurent — is one of the most popular apps in the US now.

At press time, DHgate was number two on the list of top free apps on the US App Store, edged out only by ChatGPT.

DHgate

DHgate, a cross-border e-commerce company based in Beijing, was founded in 2004, per its LinkedIn. Its CEO, Diane Wang, held senior management positions in Microsoft and Cisco before founding the company.

The company said on its LinkedIn page that as of 2022, DHgate had over 2.54 million sellers in China and other countries.

Its website bears a passing resemblance to Amazon's, but it has colorful discount and coupon banners similar to those on other popular Chinese retail sites like Shein and Temu.

Upon opening DHgate's website, users are hit with promotions like "New user, UP TO 90% Off" and offers for $1.90 handbags.

DHgate sells a wide variety of items, from pet supplies to portable electric scooters.

When BI tried to order a $9.98 pair of sunglasses to an address in New York, the site applied a $2 discount coupon and said shipping would be free for the product.

Of its thousands of offerings, DHgate also sells dupes and replicas of popular retail items, like Lululemon's bestselling Men's ABC Pants, Adidas Ultraboost Shoes, Rhode's Peptide Lip Treatment, and Dyson Airwrap.

Sellers on the platform list dupes for a fraction of the original product's price. For instance, the Men's ABC Pants, which cost $128 on Lululemon's website, cost just $32 on DHgate. The price goes even lower if the buyer purchases in bulk.

TikTok and the trade war may be giving DHgate a boost

DHgate's recent rise in popularity comes amid rising consciousness of the ongoing US-China trade war on TikTok.

Chinese manufacturers have posted viral TikTok videos proudly touting locally made goods on the app. Meanwhile, US business owners have also posted widely shared videos about how President Donald Trump's new tariffs will hurt their companies.

TikTok users from both China and the US have made videos calling DHgate a good source for buying dupes of expensive products from Western brands.

As DHgate gains prominence in the US, it has to contend with local players like Amazon and its budget arm, Amazon Haul. Outside the US, DHgate's competitors include other Chinese e-commerce giants like Alibaba, Pinduoduo, and JD.com.

Escalating trade tensions between the US and China

The spike in DHgate's popularity came shortly after Trump announced tariffs on more than 180 countries on April 2, which he dubbed "Liberation Day."

He imposed a baseline 10% tariffs on goods from all countries, which went into effect on April 5. However, he announced a 90-day pause on the additional reciprocal tariffs, except for those on China.

The US now has a 145% tariff on goods from China. Beijing has responded with 125% tariff on US-made products.

Trump has also cracked down on the de minimis loophole, which allowed small packages under $800, like those from Chinese retailers Shein and Temu, to be brought into the country tax-free.

US Customs and Border Protection said that tech products like smartphones and computers are excluded from the recently announced tariffs.

Representatives for DHgate did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.