Consumers, brands scramble after China crackdown on cross-border shopping

Shopping confusion: China raised taxes on goods bought on overseas e-commerce platforms on April 8, but sparked more confusion with a last-minute list that restricted some products from being sold through these channels.

SHANGHAI/BEIJING: A crackdown on China's booming cross-border online shopping trade has created commercial panic and prompted local consumers to seek ways to skirt the increased tariffs and stricter rules that have led to some products being yanked off shelves. 

China raised taxes on goods bought on overseas e-commerce platforms on April 8, but sparked more confusion with a last-minute list that restricted some products from being sold through these channels, leading to sharp share price gyrations by firms in close trade partners like Australia.