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
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.
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.
Structured comparison data for Shein vs Temu with 139 attributes.
Estimated Price Savings vs Traditional Retail
Average Product Price Index (baseline=100)
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.