The Chinese fast fashion retailer Shein has been notorious for making the headlines, not always for good reasons. Many artists and designers have been speaking openly about Shein blatantly stealing their designs. On top of that, it became widely infamous for murky ethics and anti-sustainability. Shein’s inhumanly fast turnaround and presumed slave labor should be enough to repel shoppers, but that’s not the case.
Founded as wedding dress retailer "Sheinside" in 2008 by Chris Xu, SHEIN became a global phenomenon for its data-driven reach and hyper fast production cycle. And when we say hyper we really mean it. The online-only retailer releases between 500 and 2,000 products on average every single day, while its fellow competitors like Fashion Nova and Missguided, in comparison, manage only 1,000 a week.
Despite its obviously problematic aspects and tons of controversies, Shein has still managed to virtually conquer the world with a whopping $100 billion valuation, announced in early April. But when it comes to consumers who shop at the hyper fast fashion retailers like Shein, not everyone is impressed with the item they receive. Expectation vs reality has clearly become a meme in the recent years with shoppers sharing their order fails that, in reality, look little if anything like the pictures on the website.
To find out more about this widely spread phenomenon, the questionable tactics of hyper fast fashion retailers and the key role the internet plays in this instant consumerism, we spoke with Lina Survila. Lina is a founder and editor in chief of the online cultural magazine “Abstract Stylist,” and a former L’Officiel fashion editor with a decade-long experience in fashion.
“We are all visual people,” Lina told Bored Panda and added that “with the booming e-commerce marketplaces selling fast fashion, people usually get very disappointed with what they order and what they actually get.”
Moreover, photo editing is nothing new for brands on platforms like AliExpress or Etsy. “Sometimes, the seller lists the original photo from a fashion house but actually sells a copy. It might be that one of the biggest marketplaces online, Shein, will reach a valuation of $100 billion this year. Although, it seems that not all Shein shoppers feel that the brand is selling what it promised them,” Lina said.
“Internet culture shaped a different style, a social media-appropriate style dictated by the world’s biggest influencers. To be the first to copy the style of a trending outfit, you have to work very fast. And with fast comes the price of quality.” On the other hand, Lina argues, shoppers shouldn't expect a lot for such small prices. Shein’s prices are very low, with the retailer’s official website listing T-shirts, trousers and dresses for $3, $7 and $13 respectively, which is often 50% or lower than the cost of similar products from other prominent fast fashion brands such as Inditex-owned Zara.
Lina explained that marketing plays a big role in promoting the dream or something that is way better in the picture than in real life. “To catch people’s attention is hard work, so a few Photoshop touches might help to do that and make people buy, but not necessarily come back,” she said and added to not “believe everything you see on the internet, and if the dress looks perfect for an unbelievably small price, I am sure it’s too good to be true.”
“Before buying, I suggest Googling the brand, reading other people’s comments on it, and, if possible, checking on Instagram if anyone tagged a photo of themselves wearing the brand,” Lina said and concluded by reminding shoppers to never trust a price that is too cheap.
