Ordering items from Shein to South Africa is fairly straightforward and there are various steps along the way that ensure your order will get to you.
Shein is an e-commerce platform that offers South African consumers a variety of clothing products. The global online store partners with local logistic service providers to deliver orders within South Africa.
About Shein
Shein is a Chinese e-commerce platform that sells trendy clothing items such as dresses, shirts, shoes, accessories, and even dog clothing at very low prices, and then ships these items across the globe to consumers.
The vast amount of items for sale on the website and the very low pricing of these items are what keeps consumers invested and interested in buying from this company.
Shein’s popularity has been increasing globally and they have unwittingly started putting a lot of pressure on local e-commerce stores that are struggling to provide the same variety and pricing that Shein offers.
How to order on Shein from South Africa
Shein offers its consumers two ways to shop on their platforms, namely, the website and mobile application. The process is fairly straightforward and will be similar to those of other e-commerce sites like Takealot and Zando.
The process of ordering on the website or mobile application is as follows:
Step 1: Register your Shein account using your email address, Facebook profile, or Google account
Step 2: Add your desired items to your bag by selecting the correct colour, size, and quantity and then select the “Add to Bag” option
Step 3: View your shopping bag and ensure that all the items are correct
Step 4: Select the “Checkout Securely Now” option once you are satisfied with the items in your bag
Step 5: Sign in to your Shein account
Step 6: Fill in the required shipping and billing information for your order, which includes the shipping address, payment method, delivery method and a coupon code if you have one
Step 7: Click the “Place Order” button to confirm your order
Step 8: Enter your credit or debit card details and make the payment
Step 9: Click “Continue” to finalise your order
Shipping to South Africa
When you order items from Shein and want them delivered to a South African address, you will need to allow for one to three days of processing at the Shein warehouse. In this time, your products will be assembled and packed before they are shipped.
Once the processing of your order is complete, Shein will contact a local delivery or courier service like Aramex or Buffalo for delivery. The shipping time frame of each product is usually indicated, as well as for the entire order.
The time frame for South African deliveries is usually three to four weeks, but this is just an approximation and may change for every order.
Standard shipping rates for Shein orders to South Africa are as follows:
| Order total | Shipping costs |
| Orders below R590 | R150 |
| Orders between R590 and R1050 | R75 |
| Orders over R1050 | Free |
Tracking your order and customs
Shein allows you to track your order so that you can stay up to date on where your package is and when you can expect it to arrive.
Orders can be tracked by visiting the Shein website or mobile application and going to the My orders page, where you will see an overview of your recent orders and will be able to track specific orders.
The step in the delivery process that often takes the longest is the customs clearance. You will be responsible for paying any duties and VAT charges for your order.
These charges vary and are calculated according to the Rand value of your order, the country of origin, and tariff for your order.
The courier company will contact you regarding these additional charges and once they have been paid, your order will be released from customs.
Tips for ordering items from Shein
Shein, like all e-commerce platforms, has variations in the sizing, quality, and availability of its products. Fortunately, there are some ways to ensure that you are satisfied with your order when it arrives.
Shopping on the dedicated Shein South Africa page is a good place to start, as this ensures that you are certain of the pricing in Rands and that the items can indeed be shipped to South Africa.
It is also a good idea to read product reviews before adding items to your bag, so that you can see what other consumers thought of their products after receiving them.
Final thoughts
Ordering from Shein is a fairly uncomplicated process. Furthermore, there are various prompts and checks that you can do throughout the process to ensure that you are satisfied with your product when it arrives.
