Shein
During the toughest months of the pandemic, the dominators of the textile market in Spain refined their online strategy to sell their garments with home deliveries as a priority. Even so, stores like Zara, H&M, Lefties, Kiabi or Primark have already been late before digital native competitors. The latest to achieve success is Shein, a Chinese e-commerce of clothing at knockdown prices that has been sweeping the fast fashion sector in recent months.
Its strategy is based on achieving increasingly shorter production cycles to have the clothing market before its low-cost competitors. They detect the different fashion trends in more than 220 different countries in which they are present and in just two weeks they are able to design their own garments and put them on sale thanks to very elaborate logistics and transport processes. It is estimated that in the last few weeks of success they release thousands of new articles daily. On their website they do not explain in which country they create their garments, nor in what conditions their employees work, although they do deny working with suppliers that exploit children.
Shein is known as 'the Aliexpress de la ropa' and is sweeping social networks thanks to the support of Instagram influencers and especially Tik Tok, such as Katy Perry and Lil Nas X. In addition, it has a 'microinfuencers' program to which any girl can apply as # SHEINgal to promote their garments on these apps in exchange for free fittings from the latest collections. According to Bloomberg data, her online sales already exceeded Zara's in 2020 and in May it became the most downloaded shopping app in the US, ahead of even Amazon. In Spain they do not have a physical store and on their website they report the existence of a local distribution center.
Most of its catalog is made up of women's clothing, but there are also items for men and children as well as accessories, shoes, bags and other fashion items. The clothes are not of high quality, but it is not a problem because being so cheap they are almost 'throw away', something to which the young people of Generation Z have become accustomed. Payments can be made by card or with PayPal and shipping costs are free on purchases from 29 euros (between 2 and 3 euros without the purchase is less). For every order, they offer a free return. Many of their products are clones of 'celebrities', although Shein denies accusations of plagiarism from other textile companies. The best-selling imitations are the following:
The Colombian singer posted an image on her Instagram with her personal trainer. Shakira wore animal print leggings and Shein didn't take long to clone them. It is a high-waisted model that imitates snakeskin, ideal for sports, but also for walking or going out with friends.
On the Shein website There are hundreds of items of clothing with strawberry prints, but the most successful is the one that resembles one that Lady Gaga wore on her social media. Although they are not identical, they are both pink with red strawberries. It can be purchased on their website for only 10 euros.
The American model shared a very summery photo on her social networks, wearing a purple bikini in front of a palm tree. And in Shein they have not taken long to put a very similar one on sale that can be purchased for 11 euros. It is available in three other colors: red, black and grey.
The singer wore her Instagram one of the fashionable shoes, in white, with a grid and a bit of a heel. In Shein they have created the panel sandals with a mesh leg with a drawstring, which is an identical model, but surely at a much lower price, only for 18.25 euros. They are also available in brown, black, green, red and yellow. They can be purchased from size 35 to 42.
The influencer has more than 10 million 'Likes' in an Instragram publication with narrow-waisted denim jeans (they are high-waisted) , wider along the leg and with pockets at knee height. In Shein there is a very similar model for only 21 euros, although the pockets are on the sides.
