Shein brings second-hand platform to Europe

Shein is bringing its second-hand platform Exchange to Europe. The Chinese e-commerce giant is hoping for as much success as in the United States.

France First

Since this week, French consumers can buy and sell second-hand items on the platform, at even lower prices than usual. Prices start from 3 euros for pieces of clothing and 5 euros for used shoes. However, buyers still have to pay an additional delivery charge of at least 3.99 euros.

Soon, Shein Exchange will also move into Germany and the United Kingdom. The second-hand platform has already been active in the United States since October 2022, attracting 4.2 million users last year. The company claims it has more than 115,000 second-hand items for sale from more than 95,000 sellers. Exchange is part of the main Shein app, allowing customers to automatically see their previous purchases there and then simply click “sell” at any item they want.

Growing pressure

The idea of giving Shein’s cheap fashion, often associated with disposable clothing and regularly criticised for its polluting production, a second or even third life is surprising to say the least. “As a member of the World Circular Textiles Day community, we know there is still much work to be done to achieve a fully circular textile future by 2050”, Director of Sustainability Caitrin Watson pointed out.

Watson admits that the company needs to do something to appease customers. In a series of surveys, customers in Brazil, France, Germany and the UK expressed a strong desire to integrate circular practices into their daily lives, with clothing donations and peer-to-peer sales being the top two. Almost half of respondents are also keen to buy second-hand. How long an average Shein shirt lasts, however, remains to be seen…