Shein Might Be Cheap, But Is It Legit?

Global e-commerce retailer Shein is known for offering cheap fashion. Not only are the items themselves priced quite low, but just going on the website's homepage, you are bombarded with pop-ups and other internal advertisements about the latest Shein sales and deals. Are the savings, however, worth it? Are you getting legitimate, high-quality fashion for a good price?

It doesn't seem that way. Shein is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and only has a one-star customer review rating based on over 700 reviews on its website. Shein has also been involved in multiple lawsuits during its history. These lawsuits center on other fashion brands and artists accusing Shein of selling counterfeit products and stealing their designs. So that Coach handbag you found on Shein might not actually be Coach at all.

Based in China, Shein was founded in 2008 by Chris Xu. It got its start selling wedding dresses before expanding into all of women's fashion and other miscellaneous products. It's grown to be a popular app, with billions in revenue and multiple manufacturing partnerships. It adds thousands of new items to its store daily, which can often be a red flag for quantity over quality. While you might be getting a good deal shopping at Shein — similar to Amazon's discount store Haul — it's a stretch to claim that this company is completely legit.

Since Shein is not accredited by the BBB, it has not gone through the process to meet the organization's eight Standards for Trust. These standards include honest advertising, transparent business policies, responding quickly to disputes, and safeguarding customer data. While this does not necessarily mean Shein is dishonest and negligent, earning a BBB accreditation does go a long way in winning customer faith in a company's products and services.

Customers are allowed to post their good and bad experiences with companies on the BBB page, even though it's not accredited. Shein's 1-star rating out of 5 possible stars is a strikingly dismal score. Complaints include items ordered not arriving and no money being returned, the wrong items being delivered, and counterfeit items that don't match the website description.

It is worth noting, however, that Shein has an A rating on the BBB. The reason given is that Shein responds to customer complaints quickly. Letter grade ratings on the BBB are a direct reflection of the business's responsiveness to upset customers and are not influenced by reviews posted on the website. For comparison, three companies in Canada have earned F ratings. So when you take the whole package of no BBB accreditation, an A rating for responsiveness, and multiple customer complaints, you get a fuller picture of what to expect from shopping with Shein.

Tapestry, the company that owns the fashion brand Coach, sued Shein in 2025, accusing the company of having third parties manufacture counterfeit Coach products and sell them on the website. These counterfeit items featured the Coach name and its well-known logo. In response, Shein claimed all of its products from third-party suppliers were legitimate and not knock-offs.

Large companies aren't the only ones that feel their designs have been stolen by Shein. Small, independent fashion designers have also complained online about their handmade fashions being mass-produced by third parties through Shein without their permission. Shein has also been accused of copying the direct design of products, like Bottega Veneta's Cassette bag, often worn by celebrities. Shoppers may feel that they are getting a Hollywood-level bag at an ultra-cheap price. Unfortunately, there is little legal protection available for copies of unique designs outside of trademarked logos or similar brand-defining visuals.

To Shein's credit, its ethical policies are stated clearly on its website. It emphasizes that its mission is to conduct business lawfully and responsibly. This includes the suppliers it works with agreeing to a set of standards and large sections about its commitment to safe work practices and no worker exploitation — the same type of issue that Temu has come under fire for. If you do shop at Shein, remember that sometimes a deal that seems too good is, in fact, too good to be true.