Chinese factories have flooded TikTok with ‘luxury’ goods. Should you buy them?

Chinese suppliers are taking over U.S. social media with videos promoting direct sales of alleged luxury products as a strategy to circumvent President Donald Trump’s steep 145% tariffs on Chinese imports.

Videos featuring Chinese manufacturers claiming to produce goods for luxury brands have gone viral on TikTok. For one, an account called @lunasourcingchina claimed consumers could purchase Lululemon-quality leggings for just $5 directly from factories in Yiwu, China, asserting they “come from the same production line” as the $100 retail versions. A now-defunct account called @senbags2 also stood before what appeared to be Hermes bags, claiming to be an original equipment manufacturer for luxury brands while urging Americans to “buy from us” at drastically reduced prices.

The viral content has sparked significant consumer interest, with Chinese wholesale platform DHgate shooting to No. 2 and Taobao reaching No. 7 in the U.S. Apple App Store. The surge also comes as the U.S. plans to eliminate the “de minimis” exemption that currently allows packages valued under $800 to enter without taxes.

Brands mentioned in the videos have firmly refuted such claims. For one, Lululemon said it “does not work with the manufacturers identified in the online videos” and warned consumers about counterfeit products. Birkenstock confirmed all their footwear is manufactured in the European Union, primarily Germany, and called the factory shown in videos “clearly NOT ours.”

Meanwhile, Hermes, whose coveted Birkin bags were prominently featured in several videos, is facing separate challenges with slowing Chinese demand and has announced price increases in the U.S. starting May 1 to offset Trump’s tariffs.

The viral phenomenon highlights U.S. consumers’ dependence on Chinese manufacturing amid growing concerns about price increases. However, experts caution consumers against rushing to buy these alleged luxury goods. For starters, such direct purchases offer no warranties, returns or quality assurance. Additionally, consumers cannot be certain they will even avoid Trump’s tariffs as the de minimis loophole closes.

Industry experts note that legitimate luxury manufacturers are bound by strict contractual agreements that prevent them from selling directly to consumers, making the claims in these viral videos highly questionable.

Meanwhile, TikTok itself faces an uncertain future as its Beijing-based parent company, Bytedance, approaches a June 15 deadline to divest ownership or face a U.S. ban.