Yes, Shein is a Chinese company. It is a Chinese global online fast-fashion and lifestyle retailer. Even though Shein is not headquartered in China and operates through a complex corporate structure involving multiple entities, it is basically Chinese by origins and controlled by Chinese investors. The company’s product offerings include women’s clothing, men’s clothing, kid’s clothing, shoes and footwear, beauty and health products, electronics, sports and outdoor products and bags and accessories. Shein is particularly known for its ultra-affordable pricing model.
| Details | Info |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founder | Chris Xu |
| Headquarters | Singapore |
| CEO | Chris Xu |
| Sector | Online retail |
Company History
Shein was founded in the year 2008 as ZZKO by Chris Xu in Nanjing, China. It started as a small cross-border e-commerce company. The website SheInside.com was launched in March 2011 as an online seller of wedding dresses and women’s clothing. The company had no involvement in the design and production of the garments and simply operated as a drop-shipping firm selling products from third-party wholesalers directly to international customers.
The company began building its own supply chain in the year 2013 and acquired Romwe, a Chinese e-retailer, in the year 2014. SheInside was officially rebranded to Shein in the year 2015. By the year 2016, Shein had 100 employees and moved its headquarters to Guangzhou.
Shein launched its dedicated mobile app in the year 2017. In the year 2019, Shein became one of the most downloaded shopping apps globally. Shein grew rapidly during Covid-19 pandemic, with revenue hitting $10 billion in 2020. In the year 2021, Shein surpassed Amazon to become the most downloaded shopping app in the United States.
In the year 2022, Shein reached a valuation of $100 billion. It moved its headquarters from Guangzhou to Singapore in the same year.
Current Status
Shein has a large catalogue of over 600,000 items, with a network of over 6,000 sellers primarily based in Guangdong, China. The company serves customers in more than 220 countries through its website and mobile app. Shein is a hybrid platform, with 65% Shein-branded products and 35% by third-party sellers.
Shein uses AI and user-data to predict trends and produces items accordingly. The items are produced in small batches of about 100, with scaling dependent upon sales. Revenue streams include direct sales, brand partnerships and delivery fees.
Future Outlook
Shein is expected to sustain double-digit growth, driven by AI enhancements, market expansion and geographical diversification. The company’s revenue is projected to reach $50-60 billion in the year 2026. Shein is also expected to push more into electronics, home goods and beauty products.
