If you want to know a little more about one of the most famous fashion stores in the world, then we will give you an in-depth analysis in this article, along with opinions about it.
Shein and its success in the fashion world
Shein’s story begins on the renowned AliExpress sales platform, then migrate to its own website (you can visit it here) and phone app (available for iOS and Android). Since then, it has more than 10 million users and a catalog of more than 2 million items, in addition to having some of the most affordable prices for consumers.
Shein’s success derives from quite specific factors: shipments are practically free and there is even a way to get shipments without spending a penny; it markets inexpensive but quality clothing from China, with modern, contemporary, and attractive designs for users. The variety of products is shown in the different categories, where you will find shoes, handbags, cosmetics, jewelry, home decor, pet products, and clothing for children, men, and women. In addition, you can visit the section for plus sizes or Shein Curve (which you can access from this link) and the one for new designers called SheinX (which you can find at this link).
Differences between Shein and AliExpress
One of the main differences is that Shein sells products of its own brand, while AliExpress is not limited only to garments and has in its catalog a lot of brands.
On AliExpress there are an incredible amount of sellers competing every day with each other to achieve sales, so we recommend that you always look at the comments section to be sure of what you’re buying.
Shein doesn’t have that problem, as they only take care of their own line, plus they have pretty strict quality control, especially when they send out free trials to get reviews from winners.
And, even though the quality control is more reliable, it’s still ideal that you don’t let your guard down and always check the reviews.
Guide and tips to make your shopping easier on Shein
There are a variety of ways you can shop at Shein, so we’ll show you a few in this article.
Discounts
Shein always has a sale and deals section so you can save a little money. You can go to the sale section from this link. You can also find accessories, shoes, skirts, and other products with coupons with around 35% and 80% off. Check out some of these deals at this link.
Deals usually happen when Shein has too much inventory and needs to sell those clothes before the season passes and new items arrive, so we recommend you to keep an eye out for them.
Important fact: Something interesting you should know is that new users always get discounts, plus extra coupons. You can see a bit about it on the main page here.
Shein Coupons
This is one of the biggest benefits that Shein can offer you, as they always have coupons available. If you want to learn a bit more about this system, we recommend you to read our article about Shein coupons.
VIP
With this system, you’ll be able to get rewards, especially if you shop on the site in a row. The more you buy, the more you will be upgraded and, therefore, you will have a lot of discounts to use. You’ll also be able to participate in Premium events and get exclusive promotions.
In order for you to see what level of membership you have, you must go to your Shein account from the platform of your choice and log in with your username.
How many membership levels are there?
There are 4 membership levels: level 0 is for any member who has registered, level 1 is for people who have placed an order of more than €0.01, level 2 is reached with 2 orders of more than €0.01 or who have already spent €100, level 3 is reached with 6 orders of €0.01 or who have spent €285.
Extra fact: The most recommended level is probably s3, because it offers a variety of advantages such as coupons, promotions, gifts, returns, and faster refunds, among others.
Shein Points
For every 100 Shein points, you earn an equivalent to $1 off, making it an incredible way to save. You can learn a little more about this points model through this link.
There are many ways to get the points, especially from your mobile app, as you can watch the regular Live streams and make a larger number of comments.
Descuento para estudiantes
If you’re a student, then you should take advantage of this discount section offered by Shein. Just enter your student number on the UniDays platform and that way you’ll get a 15% discount on your purchases.
Gift cards
Shein also offers its own gift cards. Even if you have to buy them, anyway the price of the card will always be much lower because of the percentage discount it gives you.
You can see some gift cards from this link.
Test Center
From the test center or Free Trial Center, you can purchase products completely free of charge, where even the shipping costs are completely covered by the company. You can go to the trial center section through this link.
In order to win completely free products you only need to select up to three items per week and, if you win, the product will be shipped automatically.
Package tracking
If you want to see where your order is, just go to the “Order List” section and click on “Status” to see the details of your shipment.
Could I have problems with VAT or customs when shipping?
If you’re shopping outside Europe you will have to pay tax. In the case of Shein and AliExpress, both have the IOSS system, which allows that if your purchases exceed €150, the company will pay the taxes for you.
If you want to know a little more about customs regulations you can read our article: AliExpress customs. We also leave you with the link where you can see all the information that Shein offers you on this subject.
Evaluation of the general aspects of Shein’s website
Here are our opinions about the different sections of the Shein website.
Customer service
You can contact Shein through these options: phone, contact message, and chat. All of them work during working days, except for the chat, which can also be answered on Saturdays and Sundays, but you should check what times they answer at this link.
Returns
Shein warns you that you have 45 days from the date of purchase to exchange or return your garments.
However, they make it clear that there are some clothes that cannot be returned from the moment you click on “Buy”, such as bodysuits, beauty products, underwear, costume jewelry, accessories, and pet products. Apart from these restrictions, one of the many benefits that Shein offers is that the first return is completely free. However, you’ll have to pay the next returns.
Métodos de devolución
- ParcelShop: You can do this through a pick-up point.
- Post Office: You need to use the labels.
- Paid return: with this method, you’ll have to pay for the shipping costs.
Refunds
On the other hand, the refund will be made around 10 working days once Shein receives the package back. You can request the refund through your Shein Wallet, which is one of the fastest options, or to the account that you used to make the payment. If you want to expand on this information a bit more, click on this link.
Payment methods
There are many ways to pay at Shein, which is a plus. Among them are credit cards (which can be VISA or MasterCard) and PayPal.
You can also use Afterpay (Clearpay), which allows you to pay in installments. However, Shein does not accept cash on delivery payments. You can find more information right here.
Shipping methods
Shein has two shipping methods: Standard and Express. With standard, the order usually takes from a week to 10 days to arrive, and with express about 8 days.
If you want a little more information about Shein’s delivery times, you can click on this link.
Clothing on Shein
One of Shein’s biggest plus points is that the brand has made an effort to offer its consumers a wide variety of clothes at affordable prices without lowering their quality. They have clothes for all sizes, plus they provide a useful tool for users to check product sizes on their own sizing chart.
Bonus fact: If you want to know a little more about sizing at Shein, then check out our article: Sizing at Shein.
Shein has also been highlighted in recent times for their Shein Curve line, which we also have an article for you to review: Shein Curve. Likewise, you can review the items in this line by clicking on this link.
Other questions
Are there physical Shein stores?
Currently, Shein doesn’t have physical stores, but they usually open temporary stores around the holidays, such as Christmas or Valentine’s Day.
Type of package delivery
Shein can ship from different courier companies. You can check these details within the shipping details.
What happens if a product is out of stock?
If you can no longer find a product you wanted to buy, don’t worry, it will be back in stock in about 2 weeks. However, if you notice that time passes and the company still doesn’t restock the product, it’s likely that they won’t sell it again.
Is shopping at Shein safe?
Shein has built its reputation and track record over the years, as well as having pretty stringent quality controls, so don’t worry if you want to make a purchase from Shein.