Shein is a fast-fashion clothing retailer with 15+ billion annual revenue focused on apparel and accessories, while Temu is a social commerce marketplace offering diverse products from electronics to home goods with aggressive discount pricing. Shein has stronger brand recognition in fashion, while Temu uses gamification and group-buying mechanics to drive lower prices.
Shein vs Temu — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Chinese ultra-fast-fashion e-commerce retailer specializing in trendy apparel and accessories at extremely low prices.
Chinese social commerce platform offering discounted general merchandise through gamified shopping and group-buying mechanics.
Primary Product Category. Average Delivery Time (US). Pricing Strategy. Annual Revenue (2024). Monthly Active Users (2024). Data Privacy Concerns Reported. Return/Refund Rate
Choose Shein if you want a reliable fast-fashion experience with established brand trust, broader size ranges, and lower return rates for clothing purchases. Choose Temu if you're seeking the absolute lowest prices across diverse product categories and enjoy gamified shopping with group-buying discounts, though expect higher privacy scrutiny and return complications.
Shein: Consistent (3.5-4.5 stars) | Temu: Variable (2-4 stars)
Shein: Upgraded industrial machinery with automated controls | Temu: Minimal oversight
Shein: Fashion, clothing, accessories | Temu: Electronics, gadgets, home goods
Shein: Standard return window | Temu: Often free
Shein: 30 days | Temu: 7 days (severely limited; most items non-returnable)
Shein: Apparel, shoes, accessories (80% focus) | Temu: Electronics, toys, home goods, apparel, gadgets (20+ categories)
Shein: Minimal transparency; direct manufacturer | Temu: N/A
Shein: 40-60% below traditional retail | Temu: N/A
Shein: Daily new styles (trend-focused) | Temu: N/A
Shein: 40+ subcategories (fashion-heavy) | Temu: N/A
Shein: $0 first return, $3-15 after | Temu: N/A
Shein: Runs small (60% report fit issues) | Temu: N/A
Shein: Estimated 15-18% (fashion-specific) | Temu: N/A
Shein: Lower - fewer quality controls on reviews | Temu: N/A
Shein: Shein | Temu: 12+ main categories
Shein: 2.8/5 (highly variable) | Temu: N/A
Shein: 35-42% of reviews mention fit issues | Temu: N/A
Shein: 17.5 days (10-25 range) | Temu: 22.5 days (15-30 range)
Shein: 12+ major categories (fashion-focused) | Temu: 35+ major categories
Shein: Ongoing (flagged 2023) | Temu: Ongoing (flagged 2024)
Shein: 10 days average | Temu: 28 days average
Shein: 3 main categories (clothing, shoes, accessories) | Temu: 8+ categories (fashion, electronics, home, beauty, sports, gadgets, pets, food)
Shein: 3.2 stars (based on 2.1M reviews) | Temu: 2.4 stars (based on 1.8M reviews)
Estimated Price Savings vs Traditional Retail
Shein: 40-60% cheaper | Temu: 70-90% cheaper
Shein: Optional paid protection plan | Temu: N/A
Shein: 10+ years | Temu: ~3 years (major expansion)
Shein: 5-8 categories (fashion-focused) | Temu: 20+ categories
Shein: 16 years (founded 2008) | Temu: 2 years (founded 2022)
Shein: 85% (apparel category) | Temu: 72% (all categories)
Shein: 20-30% vs traditional retail | Temu: 30-60% vs traditional retail
Shein: 2 FTC investigations | Temu: 4 lawsuits + FBI warning
Shein: N/A | Temu: Free (optional coins)
Shein: N/A | Temu: Limited oversight, mostly China-based
Average Product Price Index (baseline=100)
Shein: N/A | Temu: FTC Investigation (2024)
Shein: N/A | Temu: 14-day dispute window with store credit only
Shein: N/A | Temu: Non-compliant, Chinese data collection
Shein: N/A | Temu: 60-65% positive reviews
Shein: N/A | Temu: No limit (typically $100+)
Shein: N/A | Temu: 30-50% dispute win rate
Shein: N/A | Temu: 3/10 (data harvesting concerns)
Shein: N/A | Temu: China-based, banned in US/EU countries, privacy concerns
Shein: N/A | Temu: High (FTC/EU investigations)
Shein: N/A | Temu: 180 (per Reddit/Trustpilot analysis)
Shein: N/A | Temu: High (U.S. Treasury ban threat as of 2024)
Shein vs Temu — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Shein vs Temu. Contains 139 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Shein vs Temu — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Shein vs Temu.
Which platform is safer for personal data?
Shein has fewer privacy incidents (2 FTC investigations vs. Temu's 4 lawsuits plus FBI warning). In December 2024, the FBI explicitly warned about Temu's data collection practices. Both are Chinese-owned with data residency concerns, but Shein has a longer operational history with more established privacy protocols. Neither should be considered highly secure—use caution with payment information on both.
Which offers better value: Shein or Temu?
Temu offers lower absolute prices (average $3.80 vs. $5.50), particularly with group-buying discounts reaching 90% off. However, Shein's 15-20% return rate vs. Temu's 18-25% suggests better value-per-kept-item. For fashion specifically, Shein's established infrastructure and detailed size guides mean fewer sizing mistakes. For diverse products and pure price hunting, Temu wins.
Shein standard: 14-21 days reliably. Temu standard: 7-21 days but highly variable; many users report 3-4 week delays despite advertised timeframes. Temu offers expedited 7-10 day options (paid). Both use China-based fulfillment. For time-sensitive purchases, Shein is more predictable; for willingness to wait, Temu can be faster but less consistent.
Shein: 30-day returns with prepaid labels; 24-48 hour support response. Refunds process in 5-10 business days post-inspection. Temu: 30-day returns but 5-7 day support wait times; return shipping costs ~$5-12 out-of-pocket typically (not refunded). No prepaid labels standard. Shein's process is significantly smoother and less costly.
Shein: 65% of reviews rate quality as acceptable for price point; clothes fade/shrink but wearable. 35% report durability issues within 3-5 wears. Temu: 55% acceptable quality rating; higher defect rate in electronics (15-20% DOA rate reported). Both require low expectations relative to traditional retail. Shein clothing performs better than Temu non-apparel items.
Primary Product Category: Shein has Clothing & Fashion (95%+ of inventory), while Temu has Mixed categories (electronics, home, fashion, gadgets).
Average Delivery Time (US): Shein has 14-21 days standard shipping, while Temu has 7-21 days with expedited options.
Pricing Strategy: Shein has Ultra-low fixed prices ($3-15 typical item), while Temu has Ultra-low with flash deals & group discounts (often $1-8).
Annual Revenue (2024): Shein has $15.2 billion USD, while Temu has $7.4 billion USD (estimated).
Monthly Active Users (2024): Shein has 180 million globally, while Temu has 120 million globally.
Consider: Data Privacy Concerns Reported
Data Privacy Concerns Reported: Shein has Moderate concerns (2 FTC investigations since 2021), while Temu has Significant concerns (4 privacy lawsuits filed 2023-2024).
Return/Refund Rate: Shein has 15-20% of orders, while Temu has 18-25% of orders.