Recently, when Amazon.in announced that Chinese fashion app, Shein, was part of their Prime day sale, fans of the brand went gaga. This move marked the app’s comeback after it was among the 59 Chinese apps that the Indian government banned last year. Founded in 2008 by Chris Xu, the brand was a hit among Indian women and girls for its affordable, trendy fashion items.
But last week, the Delhi High Court had sought response from the Centre and Amazon on a plea seeking to prohibit the brand’s re-entry in India through sale of its products on the digital marketplace. The court refused to pass any interim order to stay the sale, and the matter is up for hearing on August 20. A few fans and fashionistas from Delhi dress up in their favourite Shein ensemble and share their views about the brand and the ongoing ban.
Sonam Sharma, 29, IELTS trainer, Delhi
I heard about Shein from a friend in 2018, when we were about to go on a Goa trip and I ended up buying a lot of dresses from there. I am still in love with the tops and trousers that I bought. In the past one year, I had moved on to Myntra and Urbanic, but when I saw an Instagram post saying Shein is coming back to India, my joy knew no bounds. I eagerly waited to check out the Amazon sale, but it was a sheer waste of time as the products were was not good! I want Shein to be operational in India again because it was the most affordable and trendy site I had come across. At the same time, I believe selling products despite a ban is illegal. Nothing’s more important than the law. All rules must be followed.
Khushi Mitra, 19, BAJMC student, Central Delhi
I was never inclined towards Shein. I came to know about it from a friend, four years back, and had ordered a top out of curiosity, but did not like the quality and tried to return it, but their return policy was such a headache! That’s why I was not interested in Amazon’s Prime Day sale, and came to know from my friends that the sale was highly disappointing. The prices were really high, no accessories available and limited choice in clothing. Myntra is a better alternative for its good quality items. Moreover, selling products despite a ban is not right as it is against the sovereignty and integrity of India. And immediate decision should be taken as to what is good for the country.
Aanchal Ghatak, 26, Research Analyst, Gurugram
I have been shopping from Shein since 2017, and bought a lot of accessories, clothes, or accessories for my home. When we shop online, we trust the platform, and the platform should respect the trust, and the ban on Shein was for our safety. Moreover, there was nothing new in the Shein collection on Amazon, and not at all worth the hype. I hope the government allows Shein to relaunch in India rather than selling on Amazon because I liked their user interface very much.
Ritika Sharma, 25, counselor, ApplyOn, Tilak Nagar
In 2017, I stumbled upon Shein while shopping for trendy clothes, and I bought many tops, jeans, dresses, hair accessories, belts and jewellery. I was disheartened when the ban was announced, as I had become a frequent buyer. When I got to know it’s coming back, I was so excited, and I even confirmed the news with my friends. But the Amazon sale was a total disappointment. Shein used to have a good amount of products and using their app was easy, as everything was categorised, however, on Amazon dresses, tops and lowers all were mixed together. I did not order from Amazon because I heard bad reviews. Now, I have found a perfect alternative for Shein — Urbanic, and a few Instagram pages that I have found to be perfect for shopping.
Radhika Sindhwani, 25, Founder, Radhika Sindhwani Makeovers, Najafgarh
I almost shopped for Rs 5,000 every month from Shein, after I heard about it in 2018. At one point, my whole wardrobe was bombarded with Shein clothes. For a very long time, I could not process the news of its ban in India! So, I was relieved that the brand is making a comeback. I didn’t buy anything during the sale because I didn’t have time, but I think the government should make Shein legal or should come up with something exactly similar, which is local and Made in India because who doesn’t like good, fashionable clothes at low prices?
Shivani Matta, 23, Senior Executive, Public Relations, Karol Bagh
Shein became a one-stop solution for me after I got to know about it through a fashion influencer in 2018. I would spend Rs 3,000 on buying from the site everything from top to bottom, every month. So, Shein’s comeback made me so happy! I immediately went through the Amazon prime sale on Shein and ordered a few things. It is a bit difficult to find Shein on Amazon because it is like a new brand on the site. However, I took great advantage of the sale. About the ban, I feel either Shein should be legally re-launched either in its original look or a similar Indian app should be launched.