On TikTok, Chinese factories are trolling anxious American shoppers
- Chinese factories are creating viral TikTok videos showcasing their products at significantly lower prices than American consumers pay.
- The videos, which claim to show Chinese manufacturers producing popular brands like Hermès handbags and Lululemon activewear, have garnered millions of views on TikTok.
- The prices shown in the videos are often a fraction of the original retail price, with some items costing as little as $10 instead of $165 or more.
- The videos are designed to elicit emotions from American viewers who are anxious about tariffs and political upheaval, and are perfectly crafted to appeal to their desire for affordable luxury goods.
- Some users on TikTok are even suggesting that Americans should skip retail stores and buy directly from the Chinese manufacturers, citing the potential cost savings as a major advantage.
Herm̬s handbags, Birkenstocks, Tide Pods, Lululemon activewear, and mountains of luxury furniture Рwhat if I told you you could cut out the middleman and buy it straight from the source for a fraction of the cost?
So goes a genre of viral videos cropping up on social media that claim to show Chinese manufacturers producing the products beloved by American consumers. The videos have cheery background music, some light editing, and are delivered in English, clearly targeting American shoppers. In one clip on TikTok, a man holds up an array of shoes that look like Birkenstock’s Boston model. Instead of the $165 full price, @china.yiwu.factor’s version is only $10 a pair. The video garnered six million views before being deleted.
“Chinese manufacturers outing luxury brands is my new favourite TikTok,” one comment reads. “Let’s start skipping these retail stores and buy right from the source,” says another user. The videos are perfectly crafted to elicit maximum emotions from American viewers overwhelmed by tariff anxiety and political upheaval.
Read the full story at The Verge.