How Shein, the Singapore-based China-founded Asian retailer is outgunning Amazon and Walmart in South Africa

Shein is the most downloaded shopping app on South Africa’s Google Play store. And it isn’t even trying that hard.

The Singapore-based fast-fashion brand launched in the country at the foot of the continent during the Covid-19 pandemic and is expanding via word of mouth and by offering first-time buyer discounts. It has already caused such a stir that local retailers are spooked and regulators are investigating if it has exploited import tax loopholes when sending parcels to shoppers.

Taahira Khumalo, a 24 year-old receptionist in Johannesburg, says she now buys all her clothes online and Shein is a brand she keeps on returning to, lured by its competitive prices, on-trend fashion and speed of delivery.

“Shein offers really good discounts and I don’t wait long for my parcels to arrive,” she said. “Since the pandemic, technology has improved and now I really don’t need to leave the comfort of my home to shop.”

Shein, founded in China, is gaining a foothold in a nascent e-commerce market in the most industrialised country in Africa and is squaring up to US giants Walmart Inc. and Amazon.com Inc., who want to do the same.

Online acceleration