If you are into trendy, affordable clothes and online shopping then SHEIN may be the spot for you. I’ve been shopping at SHEIN for a little over a year. So, today I’m sharing my experience with the online retailer as well as some tips to make shopping at SHEIN more enjoyable. “This blog earns commissions if you shop through the links in this post”
The topics I’ll cover in this post
- My first-year experience shopping at SHEIN
- What SHEIN is and what it’s NOT
- Quality & Returns
- SHEIN VIP Program
- Coupons & Discounts
- Shopping Tips

What is SHEIN?
If you’re not familiar with SHEIN, it’s a popular international fast-fashion online retailer, based in the U.K. They ship to 220 countries and areas around the world and are most known for their trendy style and affordable pricing. They offer a full range of clothing & accessories for women, men, kids, and pets as well as items for your home.

SHEIN is NOT a high-end designer brand. It is a super trendy affordable fast-fashion brand. So, you may need to adjust your expectations accordingly if you’re not used to shopping at a lot of fast fashion spots. Think along the lines of H&M and Forever 21 vs. Nordstrom or Saks 5th Avenue.
My Experience Shopping at SHEIN
I started shopping at SHEIN a little over a year ago because someone recommended them to me after I had a terrible experience at another online retailer. I won’t say the name but it rhymes with yoohoo lol.
Anyway, I was on the brink of giving up shopping for clothes online when I decided to give SHEIN a try.
My experience since then has been pretty good! I probably order from them about 1 to 2 times a month for various things. Most of my time lately has been shopping for Spring/Summer and replacing some of my wardrobe as I purge my closet of old things that either no longer fit or are outdated.

Anything I toss gets bagged and sent to my local Goodwill. Or, I’ve even given a lot of it away through my local buy nothing or mom swap groups, this year. I really believe in repurposing or recycling old clothes so that landfills don’t get overwhelmed.
One of the plusses of shopping at SHEIN is that I save on clothing budget. The pricing is great so I can always get a lot for less. I also love how I can curate my favorite pieces into collections to browse later.
SHEIN VIP Program
This is simply a rewards & loyalty program for customers. The program itself is free to join but you have to have made at least 1 purchase before you can become a member. There are 4 levels or tiers that will reward you with things like free gifts, speedy refunds, free shipping and VIP service, etc.

What about the quality and returns?
As with any fast-fashion retailer you really have to be mindful of doing your due diligence before buying. So paying attention to things like stitching, materials, reviews and if the clothes arrive looking the same as they do online is very important.
I’m gonna share a few tips on what you should look out for when shopping at SHEIN so you can have a great shopping experience. But first, let me get into their return and refund policy.
SHEIN actually has a pretty good return/refund policy. And, the process gets even more speedy as you grow into a loyal paying customer, which is one of the reasons why I keep shopping here. If I ever have an issue they are really quick to respond (by email, text, and even FB messenger) and issue a refund or replacement.

My SHEIN Shopping Tips
- Create a SHEIN customer account
- The more you shop, the more you gain extra VIP benefits. So, pay attention to those things in your account.
- Read the product reviews and LOOK CLOSELY at the photos left by customers.
- Check the store’s size charts carefully
- Quality check every garment & item you buy
- Always check for coupons and add your coupon codes at checkout.
- Also, use cashback services like Rakuten to get rebates on every purchase
- Review the return policy & refund process
- Save your packaging & return slip after receiving your order, just in case.
- Keep & reuse your SHEIN garment bags
I hope you’ll give SHEIN a try. I love it so much that I became an affiliate with the brand and look forward to sharing more of my finds with you in future posts.
SHEIN Accessories Featured in this post
Black Cat Eye Glasses / Large Gold Geometric Earrings / Metal Decor Layered Bracelet / Blue and Gold Bangle Set / Textured Gold Disc Earrings / Gold & Green Enamel Accent Earrings / Rectangle Textured Drop Earrings (Various Colors)
Are you ready to give SHEIN a try?


3 comments
How do I join VIP? I’ve made two qualifying purchases and I’m still at S0? It’s been several weeks between the two purchases as well. Do I have to physically sign up somewhere on the desktop website? I cannot seem to find it. I thought it just increased my levels based on $ spent, but that’s but the case as I’m still at S0. Please guide me in the right direction bc I’m currently obsessed with SHEIN! Thank you
What sort of rewards are offered? I have about 140 in a cart and am trying to decide it i should order now or wait till the 10th when I level up ( I spent like 350 in June there 😔)
It’s up to you. I’m assuming you’re currently at S1 or S2? If you wait, you’ll likely get free shipping plus a few bucks off your order. However, you could also get that by adding their coupons to your current order. You qualify for 15% off if you use code: FIREWORK21 at checkout today. If you are S2 you should have received a free shipping coupon when you leveled up.
Also, keep an eye on your available coupons at checkout and try them all to see which one will give you the biggest discount.
Feel free to use my affiliate links to shop at –> SHEIN or to check out the –> SHEIN VIP Program
When I reached S3, I received a $40 off coupon for orders over $199. So, I’m not sure what they are offering now. But it’s probably something good.