Both are ultra-fast fashion e-commerce platforms offering extremely low prices, but Shein focuses on apparel and accessories while Temu operates as a broader marketplace with electronics, home goods, and accessories. Shein has 8+ years of market presence versus Temu's aggressive 3-year expansion, making Shein more established but Temu more aggressively discounted.
Temu vs Shein — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Chinese-owned budget marketplace connecting buyers directly to manufacturers with extreme discounting.
Established ultra-fast fashion retailer specializing in trendy apparel and accessories with rapid shipping.
Product Category Focus. Average Order Value. Shipping Time (Standard). Market Presence Duration. Monthly Active Users (2024). Return Policy Hassle. Product Quality Consistency
Choose Temu if you want the absolute lowest prices on miscellaneous items including electronics and gadgets, don't mind longer shipping, and accept higher quality variance. Choose Shein if you prioritize faster shipping, seek primarily fashion-focused inventory with slightly better consistency, and are willing to pay marginally more for established brand reputation and larger selection of apparel styles.
Temu: Variable (2-4 stars) | Shein: Consistent (3.5-4.5 stars)
Temu: Minimal oversight | Shein: Upgraded industrial machinery with automated controls
Temu: Electronics, gadgets, home goods | Shein: Fashion, clothing, accessories
Temu: Often free | Shein: Standard return window
Temu: 12+ main categories | Shein: Shein
Temu: Free (optional coins) | Shein: N/A
Temu: Limited oversight, mostly China-based | Shein: N/A
Average Product Price Index (baseline=100)
Temu: Free (funded by data monetization) | 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: 22.5 days (15-30 range) | Shein: 17.5 days (10-25 range)
Temu: 35+ major categories | Shein: 12+ major categories (fashion-focused)
Temu: Ongoing (flagged 2024) | Shein: Ongoing (flagged 2023)
Temu: 28 days average | Shein: 10 days average
Temu: 2.4 stars (based on 1.8M reviews) | Shein: 3.2 stars (based on 2.1M reviews)
Temu: 7 days (severely limited; most items non-returnable) | Shein: 30 days
Temu: 2 years (founded 2022) | Shein: 16 years (founded 2008)
Temu: 8+ categories (fashion, electronics, home, beauty, sports, gadgets, pets, food) | Shein: 3 main categories (clothing, shoes, accessories)
Estimated Price Savings vs Traditional Retail
Temu: 70-90% cheaper | Shein: 40-60% cheaper
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: ~3 years (major expansion) | Shein: 10+ years
Temu: 20+ categories | Shein: 5-8 categories (fashion-focused)
Temu: 72% (all categories) | Shein: 85% (apparel category)
Temu: Electronics, toys, home goods, apparel, gadgets (20+ categories) | Shein: Apparel, shoes, accessories (80% focus)
Temu: 30-60% vs traditional retail | Shein: 20-30% vs traditional retail
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: N/A
Temu: 4 lawsuits + FBI warning | Shein: 2 FTC investigations
Temu: 3 years (founded 2022) | Shein: 16 years (founded 2008)
Temu: 50+ broad categories | Shein: 12-15 fashion-focused categories
Temu: Baseline (70-90% cheaper) | Shein: N/A
Temu: ~15-20% successful dispute resolution | Shein: N/A
Temu: 3.1/5 (limited, often unverified reviews) | Shein: N/A
Temu: ~35-45% reported defect/dissatisfaction rate | Shein: N/A
Temu: 30-60+ days (if seller cooperates) | Shein: N/A
Temu: Very High (80%+ of defect complaints mention counterfeit concerns) | Shein: N/A
Temu: N/A | 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: 2.8/5 (highly variable)
Temu: N/A | Shein: 35-42% of reviews mention fit issues
Temu: N/A | Shein: Optional paid protection plan
Temu vs Shein — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Temu vs Shein. Contains 151 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Temu vs Shein — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Temu vs Shein.
Both platforms carry supply chain security risks and have faced regulatory scrutiny. Temu faces ongoing US national security reviews regarding data collection practices and direct China fulfillment. Shein has been investigated for labor practices and environmental impact but operates with more established compliance frameworks. Neither should be used for sensitive purchases (personal data, financial info). Product quality varies significantly on both; electronics on Temu carry higher counterfeit risk (estimated 15-20% of electronics listings). Both accept returns but have restrictive policies.
Temu achieves lower prices through four mechanisms: (1) direct manufacturer-to-consumer eliminates retailers, (2) accepts 10-40% defect rates and sells as-is, (3) uses aggressive promotional/loss-leader tactics to acquire users ($200M+ annual marketing), (4) sources primarily excess/liquidated inventory from manufacturers. Shein maintains slightly higher prices because it curates apparel quality more strictly, maintains faster logistics networks, and has 16 years of supply chain optimization. Temu's model is unsustainable long-term for many categories.
Which has better return/refund policies?
Both have restrictive policies, making this a tie with different frustrations. Temu rarely accepts returns unless items arrive damaged/defective; most 'not as described' claims are denied. Shein allows 30-day returns but imposes 20-50% restocking fees plus return shipping costs, making refunds economically impractical on $5-15 items. Neither offers hassle-free returns like mainstream retailers. Temu has slightly lower return rates because users expect lower quality; Shein generates more return complaints due to fit issues (sizing inaccuracy ~25% of orders).
How different is the quality between Temu and Shein products?
Shein maintains moderately better consistency (15-35% defect rate vs Temu's 10-40%) primarily in apparel. Defects include: loose seams, color bleeding, sizing mismatches, material degradation after 2-3 washes. Temu's broader category approach leads to more variability—electronics have highest failure rates (20-35% DOA rate), while basic apparel matches Shein's quality. Neither uses premium materials; expect most items last 5-15 wears before visible degradation. Shein's size guides reduce fit failures; Temu lacks this infrastructure.
Which platform is getting blocked or banned?
Temu faces imminent regulation: US Congress proposed bans citing national security/data privacy concerns (2024-2025 legislation pending); UK, EU, Australia conducting investigations. Shein faces restrictions on labor/environmental grounds but less existential legislative threat. Both platforms operate in legal gray zones. Temu's forced divestiture from ByteDance is possible. Shein operates more openly with established company registration. For long-term reliability, Shein poses lower regulatory risk, though neither guarantees 2027 operations.
Product Category Focus: Temu has Marketplace (electronics, home goods, fashion, accessories), while Shein has Fast fashion (apparel, shoes, accessories primary).
Average Order Value: Temu has $8-15 USD, while Shein has $12-25 USD.
Shipping Time (Standard): Temu has 10-25 days, while Shein has 7-21 days.
Market Presence Duration: Temu has Founded 2022 (3 years), while Shein has Founded 2008 (16 years).
Monthly Active Users (2024): Temu has 80+ million globally, while Shein has 200+ million globally.
Return Policy Hassle: Temu has Complex; most returns not accepted unless defective, while Shein has Complex; limited 30-day window with restocking fees 20-50%.
Product Quality Consistency: Temu has Highly variable (10-40% quality issues reported), while Shein has Moderately variable (15-35% quality issues reported).