World e-commerce retailer Shein is understood for providing low cost style. Not solely are the objects themselves priced fairly low, however simply happening the web site’s homepage, you might be bombarded with pop-ups and different inner commercials concerning the newest Shein gross sales and offers. Are the financial savings, nevertheless, price it? Are you getting professional, high-quality style for worth?
It would not appear that manner. Shein just isn’t accredited by the Higher Enterprise Bureau (BBB) and solely has a one-star buyer evaluate score primarily based on over 700 critiques on its web site. Shein has additionally been concerned in a number of lawsuits throughout its historical past. These lawsuits middle on different style manufacturers and artists accusing Shein of promoting counterfeit merchandise and stealing their designs. In order that Coach purse you discovered on Shein won’t really be Coach in any respect.
Based mostly in China, Shein was based in 2008 by Chris Xu. It acquired its begin promoting marriage ceremony attire earlier than increasing into all of ladies’s style and different miscellaneous merchandise. It is grown to be a preferred app, with billions in income and a number of manufacturing partnerships. It provides hundreds of latest objects to its retailer each day, which may typically be a crimson flag for amount over high quality. Whilst you could be getting deal buying at Shein — much like Amazon’s low cost retailer Haul — it is a stretch to assert that this firm is totally legit.
Shein’s repute on the BBB
Since Shein just isn’t accredited by the BBB, it has not gone by way of the method to satisfy the group’s eight Requirements for Belief. These requirements embody sincere promoting, clear enterprise insurance policies, responding rapidly to disputes, and safeguarding buyer knowledge. Whereas this doesn’t essentially imply Shein is dishonest and negligent, incomes a BBB accreditation does go a great distance in profitable buyer religion in an organization’s services and products.
Clients are allowed to publish their good and unhealthy experiences with corporations on the BBB web page, though it is not accredited. Shein’s 1-star score out of 5 potential stars is a strikingly dismal rating. Complaints embody objects ordered not arriving and no cash being returned, the flawed objects being delivered, and counterfeit objects that do not match the web site description.
It’s price noting, nevertheless, that Shein has an A score on the BBB. The explanation given is that Shein responds to buyer complaints rapidly. Letter grade scores on the BBB are a direct reflection of the enterprise’s responsiveness to upset clients and should not influenced by critiques posted on the web site. For comparability, three corporations in Canada have earned F scores. So if you take the entire bundle of no BBB accreditation, an A score for responsiveness, and a number of buyer complaints, you get a fuller image of what to anticipate from buying with Shein.
Shein lawsuits and copyright points
Tapestry, the corporate that owns the style model Coach, sued Shein in 2025, accusing the corporate of getting third events manufacture counterfeit Coach merchandise and promote them on the web site. These counterfeit objects featured the Coach identify and its well-known emblem. In response, Shein claimed all of its merchandise from third-party suppliers have been professional and never knock-offs.
Giant corporations aren’t the one ones that really feel their designs have been stolen by Shein. Small, unbiased style designers have additionally complained on-line about their handmade fashions being mass-produced by third events by way of Shein with out their permission. Shein has additionally been accused of copying the direct design of merchandise, like Bottega Veneta’s Cassette bag, typically worn by celebrities. Buyers could really feel that they’re getting a Hollywood-level bag at an ultra-cheap worth. Sadly, there may be little authorized safety out there for copies of distinctive designs exterior of trademarked logos or comparable brand-defining visuals.
To Shein’s credit score, its moral insurance policies are acknowledged clearly on its web site. It emphasizes that its mission is to conduct enterprise lawfully and responsibly. This consists of the suppliers it really works with agreeing to a set of requirements and huge sections about its dedication to protected work practices and no employee exploitation — the identical sort of challenge that Temu has come underneath hearth for. For those who do store at Shein, do not forget that generally a deal that appears too good is, the truth is, too good to be true.
