Chinese business owners are adapting to Donald Trump’s trade war by promoting direct sales to U.S. consumers through social media platforms like TikTok, bypassing traditional retail markups. This shift could disadvantage U.S. retailers and impact livelihoods tied to their businesses, as manufacturers offer competitive pricing for products like handbags typically branded by luxury companies. However, recent changes to U.S. tariff rules, eliminating the ‘de minimis’ exemption for low-value imports, may complicate these transactions for individual consumers.
