Shein: International shopping experience
When you think of trendy, numerous options, and affordable clothing, Shein is mostly spoken of. Hailing from China, this is a global retailer known for its fast fashion as well as beauty and homeware.
Shein has a dedicated South Africa site, with pricing in Rands, guaranteeing that the items can be shipped to South Africa. The bonus is, there are constantly sales and coupons available for discounted prices coupled with new inventory being released on a daily.
Why Shein?
The hunt was on for some modern chic items at an affordable price point - mostly swimwear since it’s summertime. Frankly, the South Africa fashion retail market often does not hit the mark, whether in style or price. vs what is available in the global market - think Fashionova, Boohoo, Pretty Little Thing, Asos, Zara, etc.
ZA ULWAZI EXPERIENCE - had a list of items that we wanted (swimwear, tops, and dresses). Browsed based on keywords i.e. 1 piece swimsuit, maxi dress, satin top. Only selected items with reviews and at least 4.5 out of 5 star rating. Used the user reviews, pictures, and measurements provided by Shein and other buyers to gauge size to purchase.
PS: You can skip to this quick question and answer blog post which summarises the below.
Placing an order
One has the option to use the website or the mobile app. Placing an order using either of these options is similar to how you would place an order on any eCommerce platform, whether local or international. It is advised to register and create a profile on the site which is free to do. This ensures you are able to favorite/save items and also add items to the cart that will be saved until you revisit the site or app again at a later stage and tailored discounts or coupons are made available to you. There are often discounts given for first-time app users or first-time buyers on the platform, seasonal sales, and so forth.
ZA ULWAZI EXPERIENCE - a previous user ordering on Shein for the second time. Ordered on the app on Sunday 19 September 2021 and a total of 10 items (3 swimsuits, 3 tops, 3 dresses, 1 pair of shoes). Summarised process of how to order on Shein.
Shipping
You cannot choose which logistics service provider will ship your package. Shein mostly uses Aramex or Buffalo Logistics to ship to South Africa. Shipping timeframes are indicated per item as well as for the total order, with a timeframe reflecting approximately 3 - 4 weeks from when an order is placed (this can vary depending on the items in the order, if some items go out of stock etc.). Shipping is as follows, subject to be changed at any time:
R150 shipping fee for orders below R590.
R75 shipping fee for orders between R590 - R1050.
Free shipping for orders over R1050.
R15 shipping guarantee (optional) - if the package is reported lost or damaged, a new package is reshipped.
Returns will be at your own expense. It will be better to sell the item(s) on platforms such as Yaga. Refer to Shein’s return policy if that is the route you want to go with.
ZA ULWAZI EXPERIENCE - eligible for free shipping as the order was above R1050. Could not choose a logistics service provider but the package was shipped by Buffalo Logistics.
Payment
You can pay using Paypal, your debit or credit card (termed international on their site). or Apple pay. It is highly recommended to make use of a virtual card for online transactions. A virtual card is a digital bank card that you can create to shop online and securely make payments, reducing your risk of online fraud or theft. Virtual cards are now widely offered by all the major banks in South Africa. It is free and simple to set up using the banking app or banking website. Also note, not all sites will accept virtual cards. There are constantly coupons showcased on Shein, including additional ones that can be found on the internet or provided by Youtubers and Bloggers. Only 1 coupon code can be applied at a time as well as whatever is in your Shein wallet, Shein points, and gift-card can be used concurrently, reducing the total amount to pay at checkout.
ZA ULWAZI EXPERIENCE - paid using Apple Pay to credit card, with a discount code for 15% off found on the website, taking the total from R1659 (including R14 shipping guarantee) to paying the discounted amount of R1423.
Processing
Shein will process the order after payment is received, packaging the items from the warehouse and handing over the package to the logistics service provider. This can take 1 - 3 days. Once shipped, an email confirmation is sent with details of the logistics service provider used and the order tracking number. Thereafter, the order can be tracked on Shein.
ZA ULWAZI EXPERIENCE - order was placed on 19 September 2021 and shipped on 20 September 2021. Used the Shein app to constantly track the order.
Customs
You will be liable to pay for customs duty and VAT on your order as this is an international purchase being imported into the country. This is calculated based on the Rand value, the country of origin of your order, and tariff (classification of the goods). Further details can be found on SARS website. The logistics service provider will contact you with an invoice of what is due to SARS to be paid for by you the buyer. The email and SMS you will receive to pay customs are authentic and not a scam, if you do not pay this, your order will be delayed.
ZA ULWAZI EXPERIENCE - SMS and an email with an invoice received on 22 September 2021 from Buffalo Logistics for R127.72 (approximately 7.7% of the original order amount). The payment was made on the same day on Buffalo Logistic’s site using a virtual card. The customs invoice was sent before the package arrived in South Africa. The package arrived and cleared SA customs on the same day, 24 September 2021.
Delivery
This will vary depending on the timing of when the order is placed as well as the company handling your package. One should also bear in mind that there could be delays with clearing customs which impact delivery timelines. Delivery will be done to your doorstep, to the address specified when you placed your order.
ZA ULWAZI EXPERIENCE - Buffalo Logistics does not do deliveries on Saturday, Sunday, or public holidays (same as most delivery companies). Post clearing customs, the package was given to Fastway to deliver to the final destination, from Johannesburg warehouse to Cape Town destination. Package received by recipient on 4 October 2021.
Review and impressions
PROCESS - The entire process from ordering to receiving the package took 15 days with no issues experienced. The tracking feature is quite detailed, keeping one in the loop at all times of activity on the package and whichever status it is in. Timeline summarised:
Order placed - 19 September 2021
Order shipped - 20 September 2021
Customs invoice received and paid - 22 September 2021
Arrival and clearance at SA customs - 24 September 2021
Arrival at JHB warehouse - 29 September 2021
Arrival at CPT warehouse - 1 October 2021
Order delivered - 4 October 2021
ITEMS & PACKAGING - All items ordered were fully received, without damage, and accurate according to the images on the website. Each item is individually packaged in Shein branded ziplock bags with an overall package that has all the items when you receive it.
QUALITY - Shein is quite well known for its swimwear and this is evident with the quality of the material. For regular clothing items, the material tends to be thin with no lining which may not be durable, material composition will also be important to factor (note this might not be the case for all clothing items on the website, this is highly dependent on the items purchased). It is often said you get what you pay for, therefore a R125 dress may not be of the highest quality compared to a R300 dress. Regardless, the look and feel of the garments is great even though the material is not of the highest quality.
SIZE & FIT- Items are true to size and frame the body well. When selecting the size per item, the detailed size guide, reviews, and images shared by other buyers is very useful in identifying the size to go for. No items were purchased by sizing up, all items were purchased based on regular size for purchasing garments in South Africa.
Overall experience was great and will likely be making more purchases in the future. Any questions on the Shein experience? Share in a comment below. If you have experienced issues and need help or support with your order, you need to use your Shein account to do so to contact support as no contact number is provided. Supplemental Shein help page.
