If you’re an avid 2 AM TikTok doom scroller like me, you’ve probably stumbled upon a Shein haul. You know, the videos where someone unboxes an entire wardrobe’s worth of clothes for the price of a Starbucks order.
If you’ve thought of Zara as fast fashion, just know that this is next level. They have a super fast production cycle to cater to fast-paced TikTok and Instagram trends. However, their cheap pricing raises a lot of questions about labour exploitation.
So, is Shein legit? Or are you about to sell your sour for a two-dollar top that sheds microplastics like a cat sheds fur? The answer to both of these questions can be “yes.” In this article, we’ll be covering the good, the bad, and the downright sketchy practices of Shein.
What Is Shein?
Shein is an online-only fast-fashion retailer that mainly sells “trendy” clothing, accessories, electronics, and home goods at insanely low prices. It initially started as a wedding dress retailer in China in 2008.
Unlike most retailers, which follow a “seasonal collection” model, Shein operates entirely on trends. They follow a real-time retail model that allows them to go from design to production in as little as three days. So, if you see a new TikTok fashion emerge, Shein will have it by the end of the week. It’s significantly faster than Zara, H&M, and Uniqlo.
Is Shein Legit?
If by legit, you mean “are they actually going to ship these 37 items on my cart for less than 100$?” Yes, they will. Shein a real company. They will take your money and send you clothes.
Now will the clothes look anything like the pictures? Will they survive more than one wash? That can be a hit or miss. From customer reviews online, the shipping time is not too bad. Also you should know that Shein isn’t winning an “sustainability awards” for their environmental and labour practices.
The bottom-line is that Shein is not a scam. The deals are real and so are the clothes. However, you should keep your expectations in check.
Is Shein Safe To Use?
While Shein is a legit business, it’s also an online business. It operates through apps and websites. It asks for your data, as it must, to ship you the products. So you need to know very well if it’s safe. Our short answer is “no”. And here’s why.
Shein collects a lot of information about you. It needs your name, address, phone number, and payment details for shipping. But that’s not all it takes. It records your browsing behaviour on and off-site using cookies. The app requests access to your camera, location, and storage, which raises several red flags.
Shein explicitly announces in its privacy policy that user data will be “shared” with third-party service providers and advertisers. Which means they’re selling your information. Shein also doesn’t make it clear how long they will keep your data after your account is deleted.
A lot of websites collect such information about you, so what makes Shein unsafe? Well, in 2022, the company suffered a major data breach that compromised millions of users’ personal information. To make matters worse, the company did not take any measures to notify the affected users about the breach.
Outside of data privacy hazards, many items on Shein have been found to contain hazardous chemicals, such as lead, phthalates, and toxic dyes, exceeding legal safety limits. And their customer service is unreliable.
What Makes Shein So Addictive?
Retail addiction has been a thing forever. And fast fashion brands have exploited that for a long, long time. But Shein takes it to the next level. It is engineered for maximum addiction.
The prices are so low that it feels like monopoly money.
You can buy tops for 3 dollars. A whole dress for 5 dollars. Somewhere in the back of your mind, you know that the quality is going to be a gamble, but you still keep going. And after a while, it doesn’t even feel like you’re spending real money. But in reality, you probably bought 100 dollars worth of trash that you wouldn’t wear outside.
The frequent flash sales and discounts create the ultimate FOMO.
The more you buy, the more discounts you get. Has this ever happened to you that you had a 50-dollar budget, but you ended up spending 60 dollars? Because it said something like, “put 5 more items in your cart to get an additional 15% discount.” And now you’re over budget, but it still feels like you won. You didn’t. Also, the urgency marketing, pop-ups, and countdown timers do not help at all.
TikTok and Instagram are in on it.
Have you ever opened TikTok for “just five minutes” and suddenly found yourself watching your 10th shein haul? Just so you know, the chances of your favourite influencers wearing Shein outfits outside are actually very low. But boy do they get you hooked.
The endless scroll.
Shein’s website is bottomless. There’s no end to the scroll. It keeps generating as you keep scrolling down. Even used Spotify Radio? It keeps adding songs to your queue based on the ones you like. Shein does that for shopping. And the algorithm constantly refreshes to make you feel like you’re only scratching the surface.
Shein turns shopping into a game.
Spin the wheel, daily check-in points, coupons. It’s like a mobile game that keeps you hooked. This is a popular gamification technique used by Chinese online retailers like AliExpress, BangGood and others.
There’s a lot more that makes Shein addictive. The “free shipping if you spend more” trap, the fake product reviews that look legit. These are common techniques these sites use all the time. Don’t give in to it.
How do you manage your Shein addiction?
Just uninstall the app. If you ever want to buy something specific from Shein, use the website, purchase that and nothing else.
You should also set a strict budget. If you’re even a penny over budget, and you should remove something from the cart.
Another trick that often works is to wait. If you have a lot of “must-haves” in your cart, wait 24 hours. If they still feel like they’re all worth purchasing, then you do you.
How to Stay Safe on Shein?
If after reading all this, you still want to shop on Shein, we’re not going to judge you. Okay maybe a little bit. But here’s a few tips on how to stay safer on the platform.
- Use a secondary email address if you don’t want your inbox to be full of spams.
- Never save your payment info.
- Consider using a virtual card, PayPal, Google Pay, or Apple Pay, instead of your real credit card.
- Don’t grant unnecessary permissions to the Shein app on your phone.
- Always make sure you are shopping from the official Shein website (shein.com), and the URL starts with “https://” instead of just “http://”.
- Never access the website from your emails. Go to the official site to check the offers.
- While Shein reviews are probably not the most trusted ones, reading them might still help a bit. Look for the ones with customer-uploaded photos.
- Update the Shein app regularly.
- Avoid using the same password as other services on Shein.
- Always double-check the return and refund policies.
While this last tip won’t help you be any safer on the platform, just be a bit more mindful about what you’re buying, how often you’re buying it, and if you really need it. If you care about sustainability, consider shopping secondhand or from brands with ethical practices.
Wrapping Up
Shein is either a revolutionary disruptor or the “final boss” of unethical fashion. It depends on who you ask. It’s not a scam, but it does come with risks. There are serious data privacy concerns surrounding the platform. So, if you’re really going to shop there, be very smart about it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Shein ship from?
Shein ships primarily from warehouses in China, but they also have fulfilment centres in the U.S., Europe, and other regions to speed up shipping times. However, most orders are manufactured and processed in China before being shipped worldwide.
How long does it take Shein to deliver?
Depending on your location, it can take 7 to 15 days. However, if you choose express shipping, they try to deliver within 5 to 10 days. Keep in mind that peak seasons and custom processing may sometimes cause delays in your order.
Does Shein offer free returns?
They offer one free return per order. After that, each return will cost $7.99 in the US. The return window is usually 30 days, but the refund process may take longer. Also, certain items (like bodysuits, lingerie, and beauty products) are non-returnable.
Is Shein’s customer service reliable?
Shein’s customer service is mostly automated, with live chatbots and email support, but it’s not known for being super helpful. Getting a refund or return approved can take time, and many users report difficulty getting responses.
Does Shein sell knock-offs?
Shein has been accused of stealing designs from independent artists and brands. While many items are original fast-fashion designs, the company is facing multiple lawsuits and controversies surrounding copied products.