Introduction

In today's booming international e-commerce landscape, Shein, as a global online fashion and lifestyle retailer, has a mission to make fashion accessible to everyone. Its most notable feature is its unique business model. According to Shein, unlike the traditional supply-driven model, its on-demand model more accurately and efficiently meets customer preferences. Its digital supply chain enables them to solve the mismatch between customer demand and product supply. This includes launching small batches of 100 to 200 new products for testing, evaluating customer feedback in real time, and replenishing high-demand products promptly. This highly automated process ensures that their supplier partners can produce the products customers need while minimizing overcapacity. This means Shein's customers can enjoy more affordable prices while reducing waste. This article will detail Shein's logistics services and their advantages, and reveal how other brands have developed logistics systems that are as fast and reliable as Shein's.

Shein's shipping and fulfillment process

After purchasing items from the Shein website, have you ever wondered what processes your goods go through before reaching you? Understanding these logistics and fulfillment processes can help you receive your goods faster and more efficiently, or quickly find the cause of any problems. Shein's order fulfillment process includes six carefully coordinated steps to ensure timely delivery. These six steps will be detailed below:

• Placing an Order

Customers browse Shein's extensive online catalog through its website or mobile application, select products, place an order through their Shein account, and then complete the payment process. After the customer places an order, Shein will confirm the purchase and prepare to process the order. At this stage, the system will also verify order details, including payment confirmation, selected products, and shipping address. Once everything is confirmed to be correct, the order will be generated.

• Order Processing

Order Processing After an order is generated, it will be processed through the Shein system. Shein's shipping team uses Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory management to check the inventory status of goods. If the goods are in stock, they will be picked up from the nearest warehouse and prepared for shipment. If a certain item is out of stock, the system will place a small batch order to replenish the stock. Depending on the warehouse location and the inventory status of the goods, order processing and shipping may take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

• Shipping from China or Regional Warehouses

After order processing, routing will be based on inventory status, SKU location, and inventory turnover data, selecting a shipping location from China or the nearest Shein global regional warehouse to the customer. If the product is not in stock locally, it will be shipped directly from Shein's warehouse in China. Most of Shein's products come from suppliers in Guangzhou, China, and are then centrally transported to a central e-commerce warehouse or logistics center. In addition to China, Shein partners with third-party logistics companies to store popular items in regional warehouses worldwide, thereby speeding up delivery. Some items may already be in regional distribution centers, such as Shein's distribution center in Indiana, USA.

• Packaging and Shipping Handover

Once the shipping origin is determined, the goods will be packaged and handed over to the carrier for shipment. Shein prioritizes safe and efficient packaging. All goods are carefully packaged to prevent damage during transit, and Shein also uses environmentally friendly packaging materials whenever possible, reflecting the growing trend of sustainable e-commerce practices. If the goods are shipped from the warehouse closest to you, then in this process, the goods will be delivered directly from the carrier to you. If the goods are shipped from Shein's warehouse in China, it means the package is being transported across borders, usually via China Post. It first goes through Chinese customs, and then again before entering your country. Assuming you didn't purchase any goods worth more than $800 on Shein, it's very likely that they can bypass the US minimum purchase amount, thus avoiding customs duties.

• Tracking Updates

Order tracking is a crucial part of Shein's logistics and delivery process. Once your order is ready to ship, Shein will immediately send you a tracking number, allowing you to track the shipment's progress directly through your account and monitor the entire transportation process.

• Final Delivery

Once the order is packaged, it is handed over to logistics partners. Shein collaborates with global logistics providers, including USPS, DHL, FedEx, and regional postal services. For example, the United States Postal Service (USPS) handles domestic delivery within the United States, while DHL or FedEx handles international delivery, ensuring efficient last-mile transportation. Simultaneously, Shein is exploring sustainable transportation methods to reduce its environmental impact.

Shein delivery services and carriers

Shein's delivery options:

Standard Shipping

Standard Shipping is the most common shipping option for Shein customers and is usually the default option at checkout. It prioritizes affordability over speed, making it ideal for budget-conscious shoppers and those purchasing non-urgent orders. Delivery time typically ranges from 7 to 15 business days, depending on your location and customs clearance. If your item is shipped from China, it is expected to take around 12 days; if the item is already in a US warehouse, you may receive it in less than a week. This option sometimes offers free shipping on orders over a certain amount, making it more attractive for larger orders. However, because it relies on regular courier companies and sometimes passes through multiple sorting centers, it is more prone to delays, and its timeliness is generally average.

Express shipping

Some customers may not be satisfied with the timeliness of standard delivery, so Shein offers express delivery services to speed up the process. These services are more expensive but faster. Parcels are typically shipped by air and usually arrive within 3 to 7 business days. Delivery is usually handled by reputable carriers offering better tracking and fewer transshipments, and they enjoy priority customs clearance. In some major cities, the speed is even faster. While express delivery is more expensive than standard delivery, it is suitable for customers who urgently need their goods. For example, if you need to receive goods by a specific date for travel, holidays, or as a gift, then paying the extra fee is worthwhile. However, during peak shopping seasons such as Christmas and Black Friday, even delivery services can experience delays.

Economy Delivery

In addition to the two common delivery methods mentioned above, economy delivery options are available in some areas. This is the slowest delivery method, but it's the cheapest. Delivery time may take 15 to 30 business days, and tracking information may be limited.

Local Warehouses

In some countries, Shein has local warehouses. Orders shipped from these warehouses are delivered faster, typically within 3 to 5 days. For Shein, using local warehouses also helps reduce transportation costs.

Shein's logistics carriers:

Shein partners with multiple carriers to build a vast global and last-mile network, which varies by region.

United States: Most Shein orders are delivered by the United States Postal Service (USPS).

United Kingdom: Delivery is handled by courier companies such as Yodel and Royal Mail.

Canada: Shein partners with UniUni for delivery, a rapidly growing last-mile delivery service.

International courier orders: DHL, FedEx, and Aramex are used for faster global delivery.

China: Orders typically begin shipping via China Post, especially for international shipments.

Shein's logistics delivery time:

USA: Standard delivery 7-10 days, expedited delivery 3-7 days

Canada: Standard delivery 9-13 days, express delivery 7-9 days

UK: Standard delivery 7-10 days, express delivery 6-8 days

Australia: Standard delivery 10-16 days, express delivery 6-8 days

Transportation times vary for the EU and Middle East countries.

Since most of Shein's warehouses are located in China, packages arrive faster in most Asian countries than in other countries.

Shein’s advantage: localized warehousing and shipping from China

From the detailed introduction of Shein's logistics process, services, and carriers above, we can see that Shein's ability to combine price advantages with smooth logistics services stems from two aspects that other e-commerce companies should learn from:

Firstly, whether it's the need to source goods from Chinese warehouses due to stockouts or the shorter delivery times for regions and countries closer to China, it's clear that despite Shein's efforts to establish warehouses globally in recent years, its core warehouse network remains located in southern China. Warehouses worldwide still need to source goods from Chinese warehouses. The reason for Shein's model is that Shein has suppliers in southern China, and by establishing warehouses there, Shein can directly connect with these suppliers, effectively reducing costs and ensuring price competitiveness during sales. Furthermore, since all goods are exported from China, the consistent quality of Shein's products is guaranteed. From an inventory perspective, a large logistics center in China handles most of the production and global order fulfillment. Inventory management is strictly controlled, and demand data is updated in real time. Customer clicks, searches, and purchases on the Shein website are synchronized to the factory, which then increases production of certain items based on customer demand. This model ensures a wide selection of products while effectively controlling inventory buildup. Even as Shein expands globally, most of its inventory still comes from these large hubs, especially for newer SKUs or niche products.

Secondly, Shein has built warehouses around the world, establishing a global warehousing and last-mile delivery network to ensure fast logistics across different regions and countries. Global brands like Shein can no longer afford to ship all orders from China. Therefore, the global warehousing and last-mile delivery network allows Shein to locate its stores closer to major cities, shorten transportation times, and reduce costs at both ends. Shein initially stocks some goods in its local warehouses; if a local warehouse runs out of stock, it ships directly from its logistics center in China.

ChinaDivision helps you achieve fast, reliable shipping like Shein

Chinadivision leverages China's warehousing services to expand its global business, making the receipt, storage, and distribution of goods more convenient, thus enabling products to reach customers as quickly as possible.

Professional Chinese sourcing agent fulfillment services

As we learned above, Shein's significant price advantage in international e-commerce stems from its source selection of cheaper suppliers. China's complete supply chain provides a substantial cost advantage, increasing your profits. ChinaDivision offers a one-stop, comprehensive remote sourcing service, bringing together millions of products from Chinese manufacturers. With its vast pool of high-quality sourcing resources, ChinaDivision is dedicated to finding affordable, high-quality products, helping you save costs right from the source.

Multi-Location Warehousing Network

As Shein's sales and scale continue to expand, shipping goods from China after a customer places an order results in very low delivery times. Therefore, in recent years, Shein has been striving to build warehouses around the world, establishing a global warehousing network to achieve last-mile delivery. The ChinaDivision has multiple warehouses within China, distributed in major logistics hubs. This effectively shortens transportation time, improves delivery efficiency, and reduces costs. Furthermore, to facilitate user tracking and improve customer satisfaction, China Division employs a highly efficient barcode tracking system to streamline the order fulfillment process. Each item is labeled with a barcode, enabling accurate data collection and facilitating product tracking for customers.

FAQs

1、Why choose Chinese warehousing services?

Transparent prices provide high-quality warehousing services, and the cost of warehousing services is also cheaper than in other countries. Real-time tracking of inventory quantities, automatic fulfillment of orders, and other services will solve cumbersome warehousing problems for you.

2、How can my customer track their order?

This is flexible and fully customised, our tracking API enables you to display the tracking information on your website to your customer, or let them track the package themself through the provided package ID and carrier. We're also building up a dedicated tracking page, so that you can send a link from your CRM or add a link to your order confirmation page for your customer to be able to track their package.

Reference:

1、Shein Delivery Times & Methods: Everything You Need to Know

https://www.wikihow.com/How-Long-Does-Shein-Take-to-Deliver

2、The truth behind your $12 dress: Inside the Chinese factories fuelling Shein's success

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdrylgvr77jo