SHEIN Online Shopping: 12 Best Tips for 2023

Is SHEIN online shopping something you are considering? Are you wondering if SHEIN is legit?

Previously known as Sheinside, SHEIN clothing sells trendy and affordable women, men, and children’s apparel; accessories, shoes; bags; homeware; and beauty tools.

It’s safe to say that some people may have reservations about shopping at SHEIN. Is SHEIN trustworthy? Find out in this detailed SHEIN review. Let’s make the most of our SHEIN shopping experience, why don’t we? 

 This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no cost to you when you make a purchase through the links. Read our complete disclaimer here, and Amazon Affiliate disclosure here.

1. Manage Your SHEIN Expectations 

The adage ‘you get what you pay for’ rings true. SHEIN is a budget-friendly retailer, (emphasis on budget) so don’t expect a luxury brand experience. That being said, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with embracing the budget-friendly side of life.

Pros and Cons of Shein Online Shopping

Pros 

• Budget-friendly, affordable women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing, shoes, accessories, homeware, and accessories.
• Seasonal, trendy pieces you don’t intend to wear for the long haul.
• Great way to try out styles that you are considering splurging on at high-end retailers. 

Cons

• Inconsistent sizing and quality of fabrics. 
• Extended shipping times, unless you pay extra for expedited/express shipping, but even then, delays can occur.
• Not the place for long-lasting, timeless pieces

Learn how to save money while shopping online here.

2. Use SHEIN Online Shopping Search Filters to Prevent Overwhelm

The mere volume of items on display on the SHEIN website can be quite overwhelming. Therefore, when SHEIN online shopping, having a high-level or specific idea about what you want, can make for a less stressful shopping experience. 

Personally, I’ve found using category filters to be extremely useful. For example, specific to SHEIN clothing, I like elegant, glamorous, preppy styles. So I use those filters to further narrow down the pool of items to choose from. 

Under each category, you can filter to subcategories and shop SHEIN clothing by style, by occasion, by length, by trend, by color, etc. If you know the specific trend or style you want, you can search by keywords e.g “balloon sleeves,” “high waist pants” etc and the system will populate relevant items for your perusal. 

3. Read the Item Description

Sizing 

SHEIN sizes range from XS to XL for most pieces. Additionally, there is a SHEIN Curve + Plus section that has equally stylish pieces. A good point to note is that standard American sizing may not apply. I’m a US size 6/8 (M); however, while shopping on SHEIN clothing sizes that fit range from medium to large, depending on the style and fabric.

SHEIN clothing measurements provided in the size guide are of the actual item and not body measurements. For example, if the hips measurements of a skirt are 38 inches and your hip measurements are 36 inches, the skirt will be body-hugging. In this case, you can size up if that’s not the look you are going for. I would suggest you take your measurements, and determine what size will work for you based on the fit you desire.

Or use the Size & Fit section to see sizing as well as the model’s size for reference.

TIP: “One Size” does not mean one size fits all. Check the item’s specific measurements to ensure that it will be a good fit for you.

Fabric 

An item’s type of fabric may determine how well it will sit on your frame. The SHEIN online shopping description section provides detailed information about an item’s fabric, and what season it is best suited for.

Tip: I’ve found that most dresses, skirts, and tops can be sheer, so be prepared to wear a slip or camisole (unless you don’t care) underneath as they are often not lined. 

4. SHEIN Prices

Typically, the higher the price of a SHEIN clothing item, the higher the quality.  This is not a rule of thumb though— I have purchased lower-priced items that were of great quality.

SHEIN recently rolled out MOTF Premium collection of elevated essentials made from high-end and sustainable fabrics, with a focus on quality and craftsmanship. Additionally, equally new is Shein X which showcases different designers’ pieces, that are of superb quality, while still being affordably priced. These items also tend to have great SHEIN reviews.  

5. Read the SHEIN online shopping Reviews

Popular items have written reviews as well as real customer photos of said items. Getting a “real world” view of an item could make the difference between you adding it to your shopping cart or making a hard pass.

6. SHEIN Clothing Sold Out Items

As a fast fashion brand, SHEIN clothing items tend to sell out fast in some sizes. However, thankfully, they sometimes restock popular items. So, if there is an item that you absolutely must have but your size is sold out, save the item to your My Wishlist and check back on the website often to see if it has been restocked.

Alternatively, if an item in your My Wishlist is completely sold out, a Shop Similar Items option will pop up.

Tip: if you see something you like on SHEIN, purchase it ASAP because chances are if you wait, it will be sold out by the time you are ready to purchase it. 

7. Take Advantage of SHEIN Online Shopping Points and Rewards

First things first, sign up for a FREE Shein account. This will help you keep track of all your orders, points earned, coupon codes, etc. An account will also allow you to keep track of your orders and favorite items saved to your My Wishlist.

Points/ Rewards

SHEIN makes it uber easy to earn points/rewards. It begins when you sign up for a free account and verify your email address. This simple task earns you 100 points. Moving forward, you will earn 1 point for every dollar spent on any SHEIN purchase. When you receive your order and confirm delivery, on the website or app, you will receive points. You will also receive points when you leave a SHEIN review on items you purchased, and additional points when you upload a photo to your review.

SHEIN Mobile App

Available on the APP Store and Google Play Store, download the SHEIN app and gain access to additional ways to earn points. Check in to the app daily and earn points when you have a consecutive check-in streak of 7 days. Join the outfit contests within the app, tune in to SHEIN live, as well as participate in show contests, for a chance to earn additional points. Read the Points Policy in its entirety here.

8. Find and Use Promo Codes When SHEIN Online Shopping

Why pay full price when you don’t have to? Save your coins, friend! SHEIN typically has a myriad of in-house discount codes that they share on the website, app, email promotion, or via their brand ambassadors/ influencers. Also, check the SHEIN reviews to see if other shoppers have shared discount codes you can use.

Additionally, you can download the Retail Me Not deal finder browser extension to your laptop/PC and it will automatically search for the best discount codes for you.

Tip: You can only use one promo code per order, but you can combine promo codes and points you have earned to further lower the cost of your order.

9. Payment Methods Accepted by SHEIN

You can pay for your SHEIN online shopping order with a credit/debit card, Paypal, Klarna, or Afterpay. Note that payment methods in different countries will vary. Personally, I prefer to use Paypal when shopping online, due to its security backing.

10. Purchase SHEIN Shipping Insurance

As tempting as it may be to decline the shipping insurance at checkout, this is one moment when saving a couple of dollars is not worth it. It is a small additional cost to your order total, but one that’s quite impactful. When purchased, you can be assured that in the event that you do not receive your order, or you need to return your items, your needs can be addressed at no additional cost, no questions asked.

11. Familiarize Yourself With The SHEIN Online Shopping Return Policy 

Review each item’s description thoroughly, prior to checking out. This is because some items cannot be returned. This includes intimate wear, swimwear, bodysuits, and some clearance items. Also, be sure to read the SHEIN reviews to get a good feel of what other shoppers’ experiences have been. For items that can be returned, you have 45 days (at the time this post was published) from the date of purchase to return your item for a full refund. Read the SHEIN online shopping Return Policy in its entirety here.

Tip: When you receive your SHEIN online shopping order and identify items that you would like to return, ensure that you make your return request in one go. If you later decide to return an additional item after your original return label has been created, you will be charged a fee of $7.99 per additional return label.  

12. Be Aware of SHEIN Shipping Costs and the Delivery Process

Shipping Costs

SHEIN online shopping expedited shipping costs an additional $12.90 on average and will be delivered in a week or so from the order date. You may qualify for free standard shipping, depending on the monetary amount of your order, or if you apply certain promo codes. Standard shipping can take approximately 2 weeks. Expedited/Express shipping is typically via DHL and standard shipping is via United States Postal Services (USPS).

Note that the majority of SHEIN warehouses are in Asia; therefore, shipping can be delayed; therefore, the aforementioned delivery timeframe is not set in stone. Read the shipping policy in its entirety here.

Tracking

When you place a SHEIN online shopping order and you receive an email (or you check on the website or app) and confirm that your order is shipped, you can track the shipping progress via the tracking number provided. 

Delivery

Your items will arrive tightly packed in plastic packaging, so expect wrinkles, depending on the apparel fabric.  Keep your iron and/or steamer on standby.

DHL may require a signature at the time of delivery, so plan for this. For USPS, if the package is small enough, it will be delivered to your mailbox. Larger packages will be delivered to your door or parcel service.

Customer Service 

If for any reason, you need to contact SHEIN Customer Support, you can do so via live chat with an agent; by submitting a ticket on the SHEIN website; or via email. If all else fails, you can reach out to them via Facebook Messenger.  

SHEIN Review: Final Thoughts About SHEIN online Shopping

It is my hope that this SHEIN review and 12 best tips for SHEIN online shopping (based on my personal experience) will help improve your SHEIN shopping experience. Feel free to share additional tips you may have in the comments section.

SHEIN Coupon / Promo Code / Discount Finder

The beauty of shopping at SHEIN is that you never have to pay full price. There are always coupon codes available to lower the cost of your order. I use the Retail Me Not deal finder. Download it to your browser (only works on desktop/laptop, not mobile) and start saving. At checkout, Retail Me Not will search online for the best coupons to save you the most money.

Happy SHEIN online shopping, friends!

P.S. If you found this post helpful or want to save it for later, please share it on Pinterest! Thank you. 🙂

Shop some of my current favorites below: