The news: Chinese retailers Temu and Shein have sharply reduced US ad spending ahead of a major tariff shift, with Temu cutting its budget across Meta, YouTube, and X by 31% in early April, per Sensor Tower data cited by the Financial Times.
- This new data emerges as Temu’s spending on Google Shopping dropped to zero after April 9, marking a sharp reversal after the retailer dominated ad share in early 2024. Temu’s US app ranking also dropped to No. 69 from a consistent top-10 spot, and downloads fell 62% in recent days, per Sensor Tower.
- Shein also reduced its US ad investment by 19% over the same period, with Sensor Tower data showing the biggest pullback on YouTube.