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Tuesday, January 21st
SHEIN, a worldwide online fashion and lifestyle retailer, is dedicated to bringing fashion's beauty within everyone's reach. Using its "proprietary” manufacturing technology, the company connects suppliers to a flexible supply chain, minimizing inventory waste and offering affordable products. Operating from its global offices, SHEIN serves customers in over 150 countries. However, before you get excited by the low prices, read through the concerning red flags we found for this retailer.
Hard to find what you need
While there's a lot to look at on SHEIN, from home appliances to clothing to automotive products, this is a bit of a drawback when it comes to browsing. SHEIN's prom dresses aren't easy to find from the home page. After some trial and error, it was easiest for us just to type in Prom Dress in the search bar and select the most accurate result that popped up. There are so many things to scroll through on SHEIN, you could be there all day just looking for the prom section.
Dress section looks a little too familiar
Once you find the dresses though, you might think the storefront looks super familiar. If you checked out our review for Milanoo, you might even confuse SHEIN for the same site since the layout is so similar (including the coupons on the right-hand side). The filters are likewise similar including options like color, fit, style, length, and some unique filters like material, pattern, details, and more.
Insane number of dresses
There are over 4,000 different prom dresses on SHEIN. These include cuts like A-line, bodycon, and tank dresses. The sizes range from XS to XXL with tall sizing as well. You'll find nearly 2,000 products for full-length dresses and 29 options for mini dresses. This is the largest collection we've seen in our review, beating out all of our companies for the most prom dresses at one retailer.
Prices from $11 to $307.79
With so many dresses for sale, we definitely needed to get you some prices for SHEIN. Like at our other retailers, we looked at the same three dress styles at each store. We looked at A-lines, ball gowns, and mini dresses and found the most and least expensive dresses. Here's what showed up for SHEIN:
Free shipping on $29+
While there aren't any options for tailoring at SHEIN, you can enjoy free shipping on orders over $29. Standard shipping is typically estimated to take around 10 days, with SHEIN promising that most items ship in a much shorter timeframe. While this isn't the case for many who left reviews for SHEIN, the low threshold for free shipping is a bonus.
Free returns on the first item in any order
For all clothing items, including wedding dresses, suits, and other formal attire, SHEIN requires them to be returned in a new, unworn, unwashed, undamaged, and unaltered condition with the original tags attached. The company provides a free return shipping label for your first return package with any order. Make sure to use the provided return label and send the return package postmarked within 35 days after the purchase date. If you need to make other returns from the same order, you can still use the provided Return Label, but a $7.99 shipping fee will be deducted from your refund.
Reviewers warn to stay away
Now, with prices like SHEIN's, you are probably getting what you pay for. Or at least, that's what the reviews are saying. SHEIN is rated by the Better Business Bureau, but the news isn't good: the company holds an "F” rating. On third-party review sites, SHEIN also isn't popular. At Sitejabber, SHEIN has a 1.8-star average. Ouch. Customers say that there is zero support from customer service and that you should only buy from SHEIN if you're 100% sure about your purchase. Customers have also complained about lost packages, SHEIN refusing to process returns, and items coming damaged or being extremely poor quality.
Too much uncertainty
Bottom line? SHEIN has great discounts and an insane number of prom dresses, but it's not worth the potential stress of trying to get your money back if something goes wrong. Prom is supposed to be a fun and exciting time, not stressful, and from the reviews out there, buying your prom dress at SHEIN might make it one of the most stressful events of the year (if the dress even arrives). Our recommendation? Check out one of our top-rated services instead.
The quintessential high school experience, prom, is one of the most exciting moments for teenagers across the US. This event is so well-known, it's become a pop-culture icon in TV shows and movies: international students even know about the US prom as something key to American high school life. It's a time when students can dress up, feel like royalty, and dance with their friends and, of course, their date.
One of the biggest parts of prom (and one of the most exciting) is the quest for the perfect dress. Prom dresses hold a special place in the hearts of many teens. You can use them to make a striking fashion statement and enjoy the black-tie feeling you've seen on the red carpet. Whether you're looking for a glitzy number that feels like something from a James Bond film, or a princess-style ball gown that makes you feel like a heroine in your favorite fantasy novel, the variety of prom dresses out there is extensive.
While in the old days, you'd wait to grab a bunch of friends and navigate crowded local dress stores (or get kicked out of them if you don't have an adult over 18 with you!), you can find your dress in a much quieter (and low-stress) environment these days. Online shopping introduces a world of possibilities.
Today, you can explore unique options from the comfort of your home. Most companies allow returns so you can still try on the dress and get your "wow” moment with your friends before you commit to your favorite gown. You can find long, short, tight, fluffy, long lace sleeves, or strapless. If you can picture it, there's a dress out there somewhere with your name on it.
Whether you're shopping at a bridal store, discount store, or department store, there are tons of retailers that offer prom dresses. Some sites even offer tailoring or custom services that allow you to get that like-a-glove fit. But with so many options out there it can be hard to decide where to spend your time browsing.
To help you out, we put together some criteria that can narrow the field:
To make sure your prom is extra special, Top Consumer Reviews has reviewed and ranked the best online prom dress stores out there today. We hope this helps you find the perfect dress that fits flawlessly, lets you feel confident and beautiful, and makes your memorable night out one you look back on fondly for years to come. Happy shopping!
Select any 2 Prom Dress Stores to compare them head to head