Temu, Shein, and Amazon have exploded in popularity in recent years, with fewer and fewer people going to physical stores in favor of purchasing things online. Shopping on these apps is inexpensive. For example, you can buy something off Shein for less than $5, while a similar item might be two to three times more expensive elsewhere. Online shopping also generally allows hassle-free returns if you do not like a particular product.

In a recent poll on @flucojournalism on Instagram, students were asked, “What do you browse the most on?” Here are the results:

• Amazon 53%
• Shein 32%
• TikTok Shop 12%
• Temu 3%

Chinese-owned Temu is particularly known for its low prices and wide selection of products. Shoppers can find almost everything on Temu, from clothes to home goods, but one downside is that some items ship from overseas, which leads to longer delivery times. Customers are often disappointed when their packages don’t arrive swiftly, especially after getting used to rapid shipping times for online sources like Amazon.

Also a Chinese company, Shein is very popular for its trendy fashion, mainly for young shoppers, as it offers stylish clothes at rock-bottom prices. Plus, Shein sometimes offers discounts. However, some customers think Shein tends to have very low-quality materials, meaning that some items easily break as soon as you get them.

As of March 2025, Temu has approximately 47 million active monthly users in America, while Shein has approximately 29 million. In comparison, the American company Amazon clocked in at 66 million active American users.

Amazon offers low prices on products ranging from books to electronics to groceries to clothes. If you’re willing to pay a monthly fee, Amazon Prime members can receive their packages in a day or two, but even with their regular shipping, products tend to arrive considerably faster than Temu, TikTok Shop, or Shein products. While Amazon often has higher prices than these other apps, its quality tends to be considerably higher.

Some argue that the biggest con with using Temu and Shein is that both specialize in fast fashion, clothes that are poorly and cheaply made, then sold at low prices to get people’s attention, and then discarded for the next fad. The problem with fast fashion, critics argue, is that it encourages waste and pollution, and that the cheap materials often come laden with harmful chemicals that can damage the ecosystem.

Similarly, some believe that Temu, Shein, and other places that produce fast fashion are more likely to use materials that may hurt your health. TikToker @PaulsLaw noted, “Your skin is your largest organ, and it eats everything you put on it.”

In an article on the Bay State Banner on Oct. 30, 2024, reporter Jennifer Gore said, “He’s not wrong: Scientists and public health experts are sounding the alarm about synthetic fabrics and chemical-based products commonly used in the fast-fashion industry. They say cheap clothing and goods are a fast-growing source of illness, from rashes and migraine headaches to breast and prostate cancer.”

According to GlobalAffairs.org, one final concern with Temu and Shein, and to some extent, Amazon, is that some of their products may be made in sweatshops or forced labor camps which pay garment workers either no, or extremely low, wages while working up to seven days a week.

One new issue for Temu and Shein fans to consider is the impact of the Trump administration’s recent push for tariffs, particularly against China. According to Axios, “The Trump administration, which already closed a trade loophole that allowed cheap goods from China to avoid tariffs, is now tripling the planned levy. Why it matters: Packages valued at less than $800 have enjoyed the ‘de minimis’ exemption from added duties, which has enabled foreign online retailers like Temu and Shein to sell super-cheap items to American consumers.”

As a result, some American Temu and Shein shoppers are already noticing a jump in prices on the apps. Will this result in a major drop in their popularity? Only time will tell.