The Little Yellow App, officially DHGate, is an online marketplace that has become infamous as the place to buy high-quality designer knockoffs.
Little Yellow App or DHGate were founded in 2004 as a business-to-business marketplace that connected small and medium-sized businesses to Chinese wholesalers, however, their popularity has surged as the place for individuals to buy designer knockoff bags from Louis Vuitton to Prada and everything in between.
DHGate and Little Yellow App have been around for years, but the implementation of Tariffs by Trump and many TikTok videos suggesting major brands have been making products in China before shipping them to the West and putting the final pieces together there to claim it was made in the West has supercharged DHGate’s popularity.
The Little Yellow App along with several other Chinese e-commerce apps have shot up to top 10 in US and UK app stores.
What is the Little Yellow App?
The Little Yellow App is the nickname given to the app of DHGate. It is a marketplace where you’re buying from people who have set up accounts on DHGate to sell products. You’re not buying from DHGate itself. This makes it more like eBay than Amazon.
While you’re normally not buying directly from the factories on DHGate, so the seller is still a middleman, buying from DHGate still cuts out a lot of the stages saving money. It also gets rid of the significant markup put on products by brands. This is why Little Yellow App is so cheap.
It was founded in 2004 by Diane Wang. The company state they have 77 million registered buyers, covering 225 countries and regions with more than 33 million goods available.
The name is derived from the Chinese city of Dunhuang, a major stop on the ancient Silk Road that connected the east and west. The company’s aim is “for DHgate to become the online gateway for global trade, rebuilding the Silk Road through the Internet.”
How to buy on the Little Yellow App or DHgate?
The DHGate website or their Little Yellow App allows you to search for products just like any other e-commerce platform. There is a huge variety from phone cases and bags to clothing and electronics.
When it comes to the designer knockoffs like Louis Vuitton bags, a simple search turns up countless options. Sellers don’t use brand names in their posts. However, searching for the brand or product you’re interested in still turns up plenty of options. The product’s pictures clearly show what luxury brand they are ‘emulating’.
A bag in the style of Louis Vuitton’s Neverfull MM Tote Bag, which retails at £1,430.00, can be found for as little as £20.
Other DHGate sellers are more defensive when it comes to selling luxury brand knockoffs. They will advertise what they are actually selling through Telegram group chats. Then link to what appears to be a legitimate product on DHGate – a shirt or skirt for example. There you pick the colour and purchase.
Often these are more expensive products and can be upwards of £100.
Is it safe to buy from DHGate and their Little Yellow App?
DHGate and Little Yellow App are a legitimate platform. They have existed for years, have a website, and offices.
On their website, they are seemingly positive about consumer protection with a page specifically for it offering refunds if products don’t turn up or are not what was ordered. Founder Diane Wang claims “The DHgate customer experience is built on convenience and confidence; if something is not right, we’ll make it right.”
However, as DHGate is a platform for sellers, as opposed to a seller itself. Quality and reliability can vary from seller to seller. While many people who have tried using DHGate report positive experiences, others have not been so lucky. Receiving products that are poor quality or waiting months for something to turn up.
Common sense techniques can help. Buy from sellers that have better reviews or have sold more products is the more reliable option.
You also pay for what you get. The £20 knockoff will look like and have the quality of a knockoff.
However, a more expensive version can be indistinguishable in quality and appearance from the real thing.
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