Shein wants its marketplace sellers to know it means business.
The fast-fashion juggernaut’s U.S. marketplace will now partner with Flexport for fulfillment, the two companies announced via LinkedIn late last week.
More from Sourcing Journal
-
Copyright Class Action Targets Shein's Use of AI and 'Algorithms'
-
Temu Sues More Knockoff Sites After Favorable Default Judgment
The Singapore-headquartered company has been struggling in a number of ways in the U.S.—its IPO has been all but squashed and forced to move to London while it simultaneously struggles to recruit U.S.-based marketplace sellers.
The marketplace offers a variety of wares, from jewelry and accessories, to sporting goods, to beauty products and more. Temu, Shein’s competitor, expanded its marketplace into the U.S. earlier this year, offering similar goods.
While Shein just made a deal with Flexport, an entity widely known to U.S. sellers, Temu has gone a different route; last week, the company announced it had partnered with WinIt and Easy Export, two Chinese 3PL companies, to service its U.S. marketplace sellers as needed.
Juozas Kaziuk?nas, founder and CEO of e-commerce tracking company Marketplace Pulse, said that move by Temu may further alienate U.S. sellers considering joining Temu’s marketplace because of unfamiliarities with—and potential lack of trust in—WinIt and Easy Export.
But Shein may not face that same dilemma with its new partnership. Flexport already services merchants integrated with Shopify and Walmart, making it more visible to the sellers Shein has been working to onboard.
“We are excited to partner with Shein Marketplace, US as their preferred logistics partner, helping merchants scale their business faster and unlock reliable, nationwide US fulfillment,” Flexport wrote in a LinkedIn post last week.
The partnership is a play for higher-speed delivery and increased seller efficiency on Shein’s part.
According to Shein Marketplace U.S.’s LinkedIn post, orders will “trigger shipping and logistics processes in Flexport, making fulfillment a breeze.”
“With our combined forces, your supply chain will run like a well-oiled machine. From inventory management to sales, everything works together seamlessly to boost efficiency,” the fast-fashion company wrote.
Shein has been forging partnerships with more than just Flexport—it announced Monday that it has also integrated with ShipStation. That partnership, it said, ensures sellers receive faster fulfillment and “access to multiple shipping carriers and preferential rates, ensuring timely and cost-effective delivery.”