President Donald Trump implemented 145% tariffs on Chinese imports which spanned electronics to clothing products thus creating disruption for cheap e-commerce platforms Shein Temu and AliExpress. The sites have increased their prices because of tariffs while showing major signs of market disruption.
Shein together with Temu implemented their price increases starting from April 25. The price adjustments at Shein revealed that kids’ fleece pants now cost $10.19 instead of $8.29 while the price of a plus-size dress increased from $22.39 to $27.51 and pants now cost $17.09 instead of $13.99. Multiple Reddit users documented price doubling occurrences while their shopping carts and wish lists became more expensive. Shein’s price increases from February to March 2024 were relatively minor according to Bright Data data but consumer complaints about extra charges are increasing. The Shein website displays prices with tariff costs to prevent delivery surprises yet it remains unclear if the price increases will cover upcoming taxes that start on May 2. A $100 flat rate or 120% tax will apply to packages weighing under $800 that were previously tax-exempt.
Temu customers have noticed higher prices at their shopping site though the company does not release historical pricing data. The AliExpress website shows import costs clearly in its listings. The $160 sneakers would require an additional $260.80 in import fees while a $172.45 order would generate $282.69 in tariffs for global shipments. Packages sent from domestic warehouses tend to avoid these costs. The AliExpress subreddit contains numerous complaints about high taxes along with reports from small businesses about critical supplies becoming scarce.
The implementation of Trump’s tariffs receives strong opposition from small businesses which depend on affordable imports. On Thursday tabletop game companies filed a lawsuit which described the tariffs as “unlawful and unconstitutional” against the administration. Economists together with businesses dispute Trump’s argument about exporting nations paying tariffs because the actual burden falls on consumers. A Reddit user expressed their dissatisfaction by saying “Bye Shein, time to buy somewhere else” as prices continue to rise.
