Shein Review | Is Shein Legit & Is Shein Poor Quality?

As the most popular fast fashion brand in the past two years, Shein’s influence is comparable to that of Amazon.

Shein’s marketing can be seen everywhere on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook and other social media.

While Shein is developing rapidly, it has also been subject to a lot of controversy.

So let’s talk about Shein in this article. This article does not include any advertisements and links. You can read it with confidence.

What is Shein?

Shein, formerly SheInside, is a Chinese online fast fashion retailer.

At Shein online shopping site, you can not only buy clothing, shoes and accessories, but also find household items, beauty and personal care items, kitchen items, and even pet supplies.

Shein offers a huge selection of stylish clothing for adults, teens and kids at dubiously affordable prices.

Compared with other fast fashion brands, the characteristics of Shein can be summarized as follows.

Stylish design and fast product updates.

The Shein platform can launch about 1,000 new products every day. According to reports, Shein launched more than 150,000 new products in 2019, and it only took one to two months to catch up with Zara’s new products throughout the year.

This is thanks to Shein’s high-quality product supply chain. As we all know, Chinese manufacturers are the most developed in the world.

The delivery cycle of Shein is generally about 5 days, while fast fashion brands such as ASOS and Missguided usually take 1-2 weeks to produce goods, while fast fashion brands such as Zara and H&M take 3-4 weeks, and traditional retailers need 2-5 monthes months.

Shein also excels in inventory management. Shein starts with very small orders (usually 100 to 200 pieces), returns the order immediately if the sales trend is good, and suspends production if the sales do not meet expectations.

Besides fashion, the most attractive thing about these clothes is the price.

One can see T-shirts for $3, pants for $7, and dresses and suits for $13…

The price of a beautiful dress is only a dozen dollars, which is often only one-half or even lower of similar products from fast fashion brands such as ZARA.

On clearance, some products even cost a dollar or two, or even a few cents.

As a business, Shein is absolutely excellent in business.

Where is Shein located?

The Shein brand was founded in 2014 in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.

His company, Nanjing Xiyin E-Commerce Company, was founded in 2008 by Yangtian Xu(Chris Xu).

Its founder Chris Xu is an SEO expert who graduated from Qingdao University of Science and Technology.

Chris Xu came from an ordinary family and worked part-time while he was in school.

After graduation, he worked as an SEO specialist in China’s first foreign trade marketing consulting service company for one year, and then left the company in 2008 to start a business.

At that time, Chris Xu’s cross-border e-commerce website products mainly sold women’s clothing and skirts, among which wedding dresses were the key category. Wedding dress products are extremely profitable.

With its strengths in SEO, its website quickly gained traffic. The company quickly accumulated its first capital.

Later, the company gradually expanded the product category, but its products were mainly purchased from the Guangzhou wholesale market. Then do marketing on social media like Pin, facebook, Instagram, etc.

It wasn’t until 2016 that the company assembled a team of 800 designers and prototypers to produce Shein-branded clothing.

At present, Shein is headquartered in Nanjing, and has established branches in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, the United States, Belgium, Dubai and other places, and has entered North America, Europe, Russia, the Middle East, India and other markets.

Is Shein legit and safe?

Overall, Shein is a legitimate business and a safe shopping platform.

Shein is a reputable Chinese fast fashion manufacturer with products sold in more than 220 countries around the world.

Although there is a lot of negative news about Shein, that doesn’t mean it’s illegal.

It’s normal for any major company to have some negative news. Especially for this kind of brand facing the global market, the culture and laws of each country are different, so everyone has some different views.

Below I summarize some of the negative news about Shein on the Internet.

Shein experienced a data breach in 2018 that exposed the email addresses and encrypted passwords of 6.42 million users.

But Shein does not sell your information. And I believe that with Shein’s current strength, it is difficult for anyone to steal any of their information.

On the issue of plagiarism, Shein has been sued by Dr. Martens, Levi Strauss & Co., Kikay and some small fashion retailers for copying their products or ideas.

There is no doubt that Shein’s plagiarism is unethical.

But in fact, isn’t this the foundation of fast fashion brands?

It is well known that fast fashion brands such as H&M and ZARA draw inspiration from luxury brand clothing and make some minor modifications.

With only 10 dollars, you can have the design of the brand product. Although it is said to be disrespectful to the original creator, many people are willing to do so.

After all, not everyone can afford hundreds of dollars in clothing, which is why fast fashion platforms have a place.

A survey by Swiss advocacy group Public Eye found that workers at six locations in Guangzhou worked 75 hours a week.

Although labor law stipulates that workers work an average of no more than 44 hours a week, many people in China are willing to work overtime for more pay. So we can’t condemn Shein morally for this.

Many people complain about the poor quality of Shein.

While this is true, I would say you get what you pay for. Don’t expect a few dollars to get the same quality product as dozens of dollars.

To sum up, Shein is definitely a legal and safe shopping platform,

Shein is a great place to shop if you’re looking for stylish and cheap clothes, and if you’re not particularly quality-conscious.

If you are looking for high quality clothing, then Shein is not a good choice.

Why is Shein so cheap?

Shein’s price is really cheap compared to other local clothing brands or clothing on Amazon.

But the price of Shein is actually normal in the Chinese market.

On Taobao and Pinduoduo in China, you will find a lot of T-shirts for only 20 to 30 yuan, and earrings for a few yuan. The price of Shein is normal in the Chinese market.

But as a cross-border brand, Shein’s price is really cheap.

First of all, all of Shein’s clothes are produced in China.The labor cost in China is lower than that in Western countries, which is absolute.

Shein doesn’t have a permanent brick-and-mortar storefront, it just sells online. Compared with other fast fashion brands, Shein has saved a lot of rent and labor costs. This also allows Shein to launch products faster.

In addition, for cross-border e-commerce, the most expensive is the transportation cost. Shein adopts the overseas warehouse model to minimize the transportation cost of each product.

For the inventory cost, Shein successfully passed it on to the suppliers, allowing the suppliers to bear the inventory themselves, and improving the cooperation of the suppliers through various assessment indicators. This is a big key to Shein’s success.

We have to admit that the quality of Shein is really average, also because of its low cost of raw materials and production.

There are many reasons why Shein is cheap, but in general, economies of scale can be achieved when the product volume is large enough. So the price of each item can be cheaper than ordinary retailers.

Is Shein good quality?

Despite the low prices and stylish design, online brands have long been known for inconsistencies in their manufacturing and sizing, and Shein is no exception.

Just like other big-name retailers, their clothes can suffer in terms of quality – if you don’t do your due diligence, it can be a big mistake.

However, with a little research and a fair bit of patience, you can increase your chances of finding a diamond in the rough.

However, you get what you pay for, so don’t expect to spend a few dollars on a product of very high quality.

The quality of Shein matches its price.

Of course, if you have more budget, Shein can also provide you with higher quality products.

In June 2021, Shein launched their premium collection MOTF, which they describe as “premium essentials made of higher quality materials and construction” so shoppers can “enjoy premium apparel without paying extra.”

Where does Shein ship from?

Shein is based in China. But as I said earlier, Shein has warehouses in many regions.

So your order will usually be shipped from the warehouse closest to you. When out of stock, it may be shipped from Hong Kong.

How long does Shein take to ship?

Shein usually offers two shipping options, Standard Shipping and Express Shipping.

Standard shipping costs $3.99 and express shipping is $12.90.

Shein offers free standard shipping on orders over $49. Sometimes I see them running promotions with free shipping and no minimums.

Most items take about 10 days to arrive in the US if you use standard shipping. Some items that are available in U.S. fulfillment centers may be faster. On average, things are delivered to your door within a week or two.

You can use Shein Shipping Estimator to see how long it will take. They also offer a tracking service so you can see where your package is.

Tracking information will not be updated until the order has been processed and left the China warehouse.

If you order from Shein for an important event, be sure to give yourself enough time for the item to arrive.

If you’re in a hurry to get your package on time, I recommend upgrading to Express Shipping ($12.90 in the US).

Shein products are also available on Amazon, and depending on where you live, shopping from Amazon may mean faster delivery.

Shein return policy and how to return goods in each country?

If an item in your order isn’t what you want, or you decide you don’t need it anymore, they’ll offer you free shipping as long as you return it within 45 days of purchase. (Please note that any shipping or insurance you pay for your package will not be refunded.)

If you’ve already returned an item from an order and want to make an additional return for another item, you must do so within 45 days of purchase. There are two ways:

① You can use the shipping label provided by Shein and pay the shipping fee of $7.99, which will be deducted from your refund.

② You can use your own shipping method at your own expense.

Regarding what can and cannot be returned, Shein lists non-refundable items as “bodysuits, lingerie, jewelry, beauty products, underwear, event and party supplies, DIY supplies, pet supplies and accessories (except scarves, bags, and mermaid blankets).”

Additionally, you cannot return an item if you have removed the original label or hygiene sticker (including cosmetics), or if the item has been washed, worn, or damaged.

If your order arrives damaged or defective, you can contact Shein’s customer service to correct it, but you need to do it within 24 hours of receiving the order, so it is best to check the package contents as soon as you receive it.

Many shoppers end up being allowed to keep the damaged items while also getting a refund, but that’s not a guarantee.

View the full Shein return policy here.

The 3 best tips for shopping on Shein in 2022

Read Shein review

The best way to improve your Shein experience is to read product reviews before purchasing.

Shein’s model pictures are attractive, but the real thing may disappoint you.

It’s a good idea to look for pictures posted by others in the reviews and what other buyers are saying about the product before placing an order.

Not only will this allow you to avoid buying things that don’t match the real thing, but it’s also helpful to check reviews for size, quality, material, and color.

Customer reviews provide honest feedback that you should consider. But don’t just look at the five-star ones: they may be fake, and look for as many reviews as possible.

Buy fashionable clothes (not classic)

Shein is a great place to find statement outfits or experimental pieces to try, but not necessarily pieces you wear every day. Its clothes usually don’t last long.

For wardrobe staples or classics that you plan to wear for years to come, such as a white t-shirt that goes with all your jeans, a base for fall, you’re better off choosing a higher-quality clothing brand.

If you just want to buy travel bra suits, dresses, some stylish tops, Shein has the best option for you.

Shein offers a huge selection of fun, on-trend pieces at a fraction of the prices you’ll find elsewhere.

Stick to Shein size measurements

Trust the size guide even if you are normally an XS and you think the size guide must be wrong because at the top of this it tells you to order a L.

Size inconsistencies between Shein clothing items. Be sure to refer to the size chart and Shein reviews on each listing, as some people believe that Shein dress sizes vary from item to item.

And since Shein is a Chinese brand, all sizes are usually on the small side.

So pay attention to your size so you can make it bigger (or smaller) as needed. It’s also helpful to check out the customer sizing reviews for Shein.

It’s your turn, have you shopped at Shein? Share your experience. Also, what would you like me to share next? Leave your comments below.