DENVER — Videos have been flooding TikTok over the last week from Chinese manufacturers claiming to be the real source of luxury brands, offering products directly to consumers at drastically reduced prices.
Denver7 reached out to Lululemon about these viral videos. One video claims consumers can buy the popular leggings that are priced around $100 for just $5 from a Chinese factory.
Lululemon said these are not authentic products and that the company “does not work with the manufacturers identified in the online videos, and we urge consumers to be aware of potentially counterfeit products and misinformation."
Lululemon shared its supplier list. While many of its suppliers are in China, as well as many other countries around the world, the companies in the TikTok video are not listed.
The timing of these videos coincides with ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China.
Jack Buffington, director of the supply chain program at the University of Denver, explains that Chinese manufacturers are trying to take advantage of the $800 de minimis exemption before tariffs take effect next month.
"These companies are trying to leverage that period of time to try to get more consumers to follow this path. Some of them may be legitimate, some of them may be scams," Buffington said.
He added that while these videos may contain partial truths, they're not entirely honest.
"Their intention is not to educate the American consumer on the global supply chain. Their goal is to make money,” Buffington said.
Buffington warns that these companies are likely not working directly with the brands they claim to represent.
Many of the viral videos have since been removed by TikTok.
Consumers should exercise caution when considering purchases from these manufacturers, as there is typically no quality control or return policy in place.
“I think it's okay if Chinese companies created their own brands and they didn't try to dupe people,” Buffington said. “I think that's just unfair trade.”
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