Hey girl, are you as obsessed with online shopping as I am? Then I‘m sure you‘ve heard of Shein and Romwe – the two hottest destinations for cute, affordable fashion. But with their crazy low prices and massive selections, it can be hard to tell the difference between them. Is one secretly better than the other?
Well I‘m here to dish the real tea, fashionista to fashionista. I‘ve spent an embarrassing amount of money on both sites (seriously, don‘t look at my credit card statement), so I know them inside and out.
In this ultimate Shein vs Romwe showdown, we‘ll dive deep into everything you need to know before hitting that "add to cart" button. I‘m talking the juiciest details on:
- 👗 Which one really has the best clothes
- 💵 Where you‘ll score the biggest bargains
- 📦 What the ordering & shipping process is actually like
- ✨ All the pro shopping tips I‘ve learned the hard way
So if you‘re ready for some real talk between fashion besties, grab a snack and let‘s get into it!
🤔 First Up: WTF is the Difference Between Shein and Romwe?
Honestly, I don‘t blame you if you thought Shein and Romwe were the same damn company at first. I mean, they‘re both based in China, have scarily similar websites, and sell clothes so cheap they seem too good to be true. What‘s the deal?
Shein Backstory
Shein (pronounced She-In, not Sheen fyi) is the OG of cheap and cheerful fashion. It was started way back in 2008 by a dude named Chris Xu, with the goal of making cute clothes accessible to everyone. And boy, has it delivered – Shein is now one of the biggest online fashion retailers in the WORLD.
Its whole thing is "fast fashion" on steroids. Shein adds literally thousands of trendy new styles to its site every freakin‘ day, all at rock bottom prices. The brand has blown up with Gen Z and Millennials who can‘t resist a good deal or a TikTok trend.
Romwe Backstory
If Shein is the Goliath of fast fashion, Romwe is the David. It was also founded in China, just a year after Shein in 2009. And yep, you guessed it – the intention was to sell the latest styles for cheap AF too.
Romwe has been sneakily growing its fanbase in the last few years thanks to killer YouTube hauls, an addictive app, and its own cult following of bargain-hunting fashion lovers.
So yeah, on paper these two are nearly twins. But there are some differences when you actually start browsing and buying. Time for a deep dive!
✨ The Tea on Each Site‘s Shopping Experience
For this Shein vs Romwe showdown to be legit, I knew I had to go full Sherlock Holmes on both sites – for research purposes obviously. So I poured a glass of wine, busted out my credit card, and got to shopping.
Here‘s the 411 on the most important stuff:
Product Selection 😍
Girlll, I hope you‘ve got nowhere to be because you could legit spend HOURS scrolling all the clothes on Shein and Romwe. Here‘s the high level comparison:
| Shein | Romwe |
|---|---|
| 500,000+ items total | 100,000+ items total |
| Adds 2,000+ new items every DAY | Adds hundreds of new items every DAY |
| Massive range of sizes XXS-4XL, Curve + Plus | Sizes XS-4XL, smaller Plus range |
| Every category imaginable: dresses, tops, shoes, accessories, bags, intimates, activewear, swimwear, etc | Main focus on clothes + accessories, smaller shoe range |
As you can see, Shein is the clear winner in terms of sheer volume. You could browse for days and still not see everything. I‘m especially obsessed with how inclusive Shein‘s sizing is!
But Romwe holds its own in the trend department. While both sites hop on micro-trends at lightning speed, I find Romwe‘s vibe to be slightly younger and edgier. Think cut-out dresses, neon crop tops, and funky graphic tees.
Prices & Sales 🤑
Speaking of those micro-trends, here‘s the best part: both Shein and Romwe let you try them for cheap AF!
These are real prices I‘m seeing while browsing each site RN:
| Item | Shein Price | Romwe Price |
|---|---|---|
| Crop top | $4 | $3.50 |
| Maxi dress | $11 | $10 |
| Denim jacket | $15 | $13 |
| Booties | $22 | $18 |
| Puff sleeve blouse | $7 | $6 |
I know, I‘m shook too. How do they even turn a profit?! The price differences between the two are pretty negligible. You‘ll save a couple extra bucks at Romwe, but you have more options at Shein.
Both sites also run jaw-dropping sales constantly. Shein‘s daily deals go up to 90% off, and Romwe offers an EXTRA 15% off clearance with code ALL15!
I nearly blacked out when I got $100+ worth of Shein clothes for $32 shipped on Black Friday 🤯
Quality & Sizing 🕵️♀️
Okay, this is where things get a little iffy. I‘m not gonna lie, you do get what you pay for with quality from both Shein and Romwe sometimes.
Like yes, you can score some amazing gems. I LIVE in my Shein "That Girl" oversized sweatshirts and ribbed tanks (iykyk). And my Romwe bodycon dress makes my booty look 🍑👌.
But there have been a few times my order has shown up looking straight off the Wish app. 😬 I‘m talking flimsy fabric, busted zippers, and just an overall "where the hell is the rest of my shirt" moment.
Romwe seems to be slightly worse for quality fails and misleading product photos. It has a 3.9 TrustPilot score compared to Shein‘s 4.3.
My advice? Stick to tops and dresses from both sites vs. pants and shoes. And ALWAYS check the customer reviews. If the quality seems too good to be true, it probably is.
As for sizing, both Shein and Romwe come up a bit small in my opinion. I‘m 5‘6" 145lbs and reliably wear a M/L in US sizing, but I always order up to an XL just in case. Shein‘s size charts have been more accurate than Romwe in my experience.
Returns are free for your first Romwe order and always free at Shein, so don‘t be afraid to get a couple sizes just in case!
Shipping Sitch ⏰
Not gonna sugarcoat it, shipping is the biggest downside of ordering from these sites. Both Shein and Romwe ship from China, so delivery takes a minute.
Here‘s a breakdown of the shipping options/prices:
| Shipping | Shein | Romwe |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (10-15 business days) | Free over $49 or $3.99 flat rate | Free over $39 or $3.99 flat rate |
| Express (6-8 business days) | $12.90 flat rate | $12.99 flat rate |
In my experience, Shein is slightly faster, but not by a lot. My standard orders show up in around 2 weeks from both sites. And both usually take forever to actually ship out in the first place (like 5-7 days).
So yeah, not ideal for last minute outfit emergencies. But considering how long it takes me to decide on my order, the wait balances out. 😂
Pro tip: Splurge on express shipping if you need your haul for a specific date! It‘s saved me for so many Shein wedding guest dresses.
‼️ The Results: Shein vs Romwe, Who Wins?
Whew that was a lot of ☕️! But I promised you the TRUTH about Shein and Romwe, and I hope I delivered. After extensive research and way too many orders, here‘s my final verdict:
If you want the most 👏 bang 👏 for 👏 your 👏 buck 👏, Shein is the move. You just can‘t beat the overwhelming selection and inclusive sizes. The site is also more user-friendly and quality seems slightly more reliable. Prices are a couple dollars more on average, but it usually ships faster too.
But if you‘re looking for the absolute dirt cheapest way to hop on every TikTok trend? Romwe‘s your girl. The clothes are a smidge cheaper and you can often score an extra discount. Romwe definitely has that cool kid vibe, and I‘ve found some of my fave going out tops and funky accessories there.
Honestly though, you can‘t go wrong with either one. My wardrobe is practically 50/50 Shein and Romwe at this point. I fully support your journey to becoming a certified #SheInGal AND #RomweBabe like moi.
Now that you‘re armed with this classified intel, there‘s only one thing left to do… get shopping, bestie! If you see me in the Shein/Romwe comments hyping you up, mind your business and add to cart 😘
