By Angela Palumbo

As gas prices rise, U.S. consumers are taking a fresh look at furniture from Temu and clothing from Shein.

Gas prices exceeded $4 a gallon in April for the first time since August 2022, according to AAA. On Wednesday, the national average price for gas was $4.51 a gallon, up from $3.16 a year ago.

Gas prices aren't expected to come down soon , and shoppers are feeling the pain. The Bureau of Labor Statistic's latest inflation reading this week showed that consumer prices rose 3.8% in April from a year earlier, the highest annual reading since May 2023. The University of Michigan's consumer-sentiment index also fell more than expected in May.

The higher prices line up with renewed interest in valued-focused shopping apps.

U.S. downloads of discount clothing app Shein soared 27%, 112%, and 134% during the weeks of April 13, April 20, and April 27, respectively, according to intelligence firm Apptopia, which tracks iOS and Android store data. The moves roughly align with gas prices topping $4, signaling that consumers are now looking to prioritize saving as everyday costs rise.

Temu, a discount shopping app owned by PDD Holdings, has seen a similar pattern. After falling in the last week of March, downloads took off in April, including gains of 196% and 235% for the last two weeks of the month.

Other apps that saw downloads jump after the war started include Alibaba's AliExpress, Walmart: Shopping & Savings, and rewards platform Fetch.

"It's no secret that American consumers continue to face sustained economic pressure, and many are eager to stretch their dollars further, especially as gas prices remain high," a Fetch spokesperson told Barron's.

Fetch said that more consumers are using the app to help manage fuel costs. Gift card redemptions for fuel retailers are rising, the company said, and from January to March, Fetch saw a 20% lift in consumers redeeming fuel-related offers in the app.

Jo Wong, chief revenue officer at Pop.Store, an AI commerce company that helps creators build online businesses, told Barron's she isn't surprised by the rise in value shopping app downloads as gas prices eat into consumer's daily budgets.

"The way I think about it is really intentionality on the consumer side. It's like, 'OK, wait, I still want a cute outfit for spring, but I go from $30 to now $10 budget. Where can I go now to find these items?'" Wong said.

On recent earnings calls, executives have noted a shift in consumer shopping habits to focus more on budget items.

"Clearance sales were up in the quarter," Allison Peterson, chief retail and digital officer at children's clothing company Carter's, said on a May 6 earnings call. "We think this reflects a consumer who is more focused on price. This makes sense to us in the context of higher gas prices and volatile consumer confidence."

Write to Angela Palumbo at angela.palumbo@dowjones.com

This content was created by Barron's, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. Barron's is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

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May 13, 2026 13:31 ET (17:31 GMT)

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