Shein pops up in SA! Trendy Chinese brand is coming to Jozi

Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein will launch its first-ever pop-up store in South Africa at Midrand’s Mall of Africa next week as part of its strategy to boost brand awareness on an interactive shopping platform.

“We are delighted to bring the Shein experience to South Africa with our very first pop-up store,” said head of brand for Shein South Africa, Crystal Chen.

“Our mission has always been to empower individuals to express their unique identities through accessible and affordable fashion, and this pop-up represents a tangible embodiment of that vision.”

The Shein pop-up experience

Shein’s pop-up store will be in South Africa’s busiest mall from 2 pm to 8 pm on Friday, 2 August and from 9 am to 9 pm from Saturday, 3 August until Sunday, 11 August.

However, the pop-up store will only serve as an “exhibition space” that showcases the latest trendy fashion and lifestyle products, the company said in a statement.

What is the catch?

This means that products cannot be purchased at the pop-up. Customers will only be able to fit garments and try out products and then order them online with a discount at the store.

With QR codes connecting the in-store experience to the online platform, shoppers can easily transition from browsing to purchasing directly from the Shein app, ensuring a seamless shopping journey

The store will have a “curated” selection of summer and winter fashion and will include clothing for women, men and children along with accessories and Shein’s makeup range.

SA retailers vs the Shein factor

Shein and its rival Temu have been pursuing a “fast and furious” expansion across the globe since the Covid-19 pandemic surge in online shopping.

They have been accused of exploiting tax loopholes by exporting China-made products in small quantities to avoid higher duties.

Local brick-and-mortar and online fashion retailers have urged South African regulators to impose a 45% import duty on all clothing item imports, no matter the price, to level the playing field.

A Shein spokesperson told Reuters the online retailer is engaging with South African regulators to ensure its continued compliance with local laws.

“That said, such tax measures are not critical to the success of our business or the competitive prices we offer our consumers. We keep our prices affordable through our technology-based on-demand business model and flexible supply chain,” the spokesperson added.