Outsourcing remains irresistible to many companies because it allows them to quickly tap into China’s large manufacturing workforce when customer demand increases or a product deadline looms; then, if business needs change, they can shed those same workers just as quickly. Flexibility is particularly important to Shein, which bills itself as an “on-demand” fashion company that can quickly analyze “real-time customer feedback” and adjust its supply chain accordingly.
Shein lists thousands of new products on its website every day, but initially orders batches of just 100 or 200 of each garment from its suppliers. If an item is a hit and sells out, its proprietary software system alerts the factory to start producing more. Shein, which reportedly made $32.2 billion in sales last year, says its business model reduces waste and keeps prices low, but also requires suppliers and workers to contend with fluctuating income levels and ever-changing demands from the e-commerce giant.
In recent months, China’s central government has specifically encouraged the growth of so-called cross-border e-commerce firms like Shein, which can potentially help boost the country’s exports. In June, the Commerce Department, along with eight other government agencies, called on local governments to find ways to help cross-border companies build “profitable industrial clusters” and help them “go global.” Two months later, Guangzhou authorities said they had approved Shein’s proposed plan to build a $514 million supply chain center in the city, which would include logistics and transportation facilities. However, the announcement did not include any information about the types of workers who will be hired to operate the new warehouses.
But what Shein’s employees show in their vlogs — which often seem aimed at viewers who might also be considering taking gigs with the company — is far from all doom and gloom. While some may carefully choose to omit certain details to avoid the wrath of Chinese internet censors, their content is full of sarcasm, jokes and dark humor. In one clip uploaded to Xigua in July 2023, a worker steps on a stained finger while walking to work. “I want to spend a day playing in this mud, I don’t know if my boss would agree,” he tells the camera.
In a Bilibili video from October, a different Shein employee strikes an almost poetic tone, suggesting to viewers that there is comfort in knowing that life is universally difficult for all workers. After his shift ends at 8:00 p.m., he explains that he’s going straight back to the staff dormitory to sleep, but first he’s briefly distracted by the night sky. “I just noticed the moon is really round tonight,” he says.
