SHEIN vs. Fashion Nova vs. ROMWE vs. Cider: Which Brand is the Best? (History, Quality, Design & Price)

SHEIN vs. Fashion Nova vs. ROMWE vs. Cider Overviews

SHEIN 

Shein is one of the most popular fast-fashion retailers in the world. It's a Chinese online fast fashion retailer that only sells online. It was founded in 2008 by Chris Xu in Nanjing, China as SheInside and sold women's fashion. The company is known for its cheaply priced apparel which is made directly in China. In 2015, the brand officially changed its name to Shein. 

Now SHEIN is an international B2C fast fashion e-commerce company. The company mainly focuses on women's wear, but it also offers men's apparel, children's clothes, accessories, shoes, bags, homewear and other fashion items. 

Shein predominantly sells its products online as there’s currently no physical store in America. However, from time to time throughout the year, Shein installs pop-up stores in popular city retailers where you can purchase your items.

SHEIN mainly targets Europe, America, Australia, and the Middle East along with other consumer markets. In 2020, Shein was the most talked about brand on TikTok and Youtube and the 4th most talked about brand on Instagram. At Shein, you'll find hundreds of tops, dresses, bathing suits, jeans, and outerwear for under $20.  Shein currently serves over 220 countries. 

【Best for】Shopping for various clothing styles all in one place at affordable prices.

【Price range】 $1 to $50 per piece

【Payment】Pay With Credit/Debit Card,Paypal,Venmo,Afterpay,Klarna,Affirm...

【Coupons and Discounts】

• FREE on orders $29

• Sign up at shein.com and get 30% off + shipping free

【Pros and Cons of Shopping on shein.com】

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Fashion Nova

Fashion Nova is an American fast fashion retail company. Fashion Nova was founded in 2006 by its CEO Richard Saghian. He started his career in the retail industry by working at his father's clothing boutique located in Los Angeles. Fashion Nova opened its first location in Panorama City, Los Angeles, inside the Panorama Mall, selling inexpensive“club-wear” attire. In 2013, he launched the e-commerce website for Fashion Nova.

The brand prides itself on being the one-stop-shop for trending women's fashion with a wide variety of women's apparel for different body shapes and sizes. This includes jeans, tops, jumpsuits, bathing suits, a huge selection of dresses, activewear, and more.

Though the brand also mainly focuses on online sales, it has five brick-and-mortar stores scattered around Southern California.

The company is known to utilize social media marketing e.g. via Instagram to gain earned media for its clothing by interacting with users and generating publicity through a mix of models, celebrities, and other customers.

【Best for】Fashion lovers who trendy piece at wallet-friendly prices

【Price range】$10 to $80 per piece

【Payment】Major credit and debit cards, as well as "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) services such as Afterpay, Zip, and Klarna

【Coupons and Discounts】

• 60 - 80% OFF sale items;

• Up to 70 OFF all new arrival;

• FREE shipping on $75+.

【Pros and Cons of Shopping on fashionnova.com】

ROMWE 

There's another trendy fashion brand making waves on social media: Romwe. ROMWE is a subsidiary of SHEIN. They both have the common headquarters at Nanjing, Shenzhen Global E-grow E-Commerce Co.  Romwe is one of the prominent online websites known for its cute and suitable clothing at an affordable price.  

ROMWE is a one-stop shop for all things cool born in 2010. There is an endless range of girls' and guys' apparel, trendy accessories, buzzworthy gadgets and the latest in home décor.Romwe is best known for making cute and chic clothing at an affordable price. Tons of its dresses, tops, bottoms, sleepwear, and more are under $30, and you'll rarely find anything over that price point. 

Even though Romwe has its own website, it is also available on Amazon. This means you can shop any outfit and get it delivered in just two-three days if you are a Prime user.

Romwe's clothes have hundreds to thousands of reviews on Amazon from shoppers who love how comfy, cute, and affordable they are. Some of its best-sellers, like the Summer Spaghetti Strap Dress and Tie-Dye T-Shirt Swing Dress have over 1,600 raving five-star reviews combined, saying they're flowy, lightweight, and perfect for vacations.

【Best for】E-girl and goth styles, graphic tees, and bold, trendy accessories.

【Price range】$1 to $45 per piece

【Payment】Credit/Debit Card such as Visa,MasterCard,American Express and Google Pay,Apple,Klarna , Pay,Paypal,Afterpay or  "Coupon Codes" /"Bonus Points"

【Coupons and Discounts】

• FREE shipping on all orders;

• Sign up at romwe.com to get 15% off all and 20% off $99+;

• Up to 70% off sale items.

【Pros and Cons of Shopping on romwe.com】

Shop Cider

Cider, popularly known as Shop Cider, is a fashion marketplace that specializes in womenswear, particularly pieces designed for Gen Z. Cider was started in 2020 and rose to prominence courtesy of Instagram and TikTok.

Now, many have been asking, is Cider a Chinese company?Well, Cider is a company headquartered in Los Angeles but sources its products from China.

Now, Cider dropshipping is a business model where sellers list products available on Cider on other marketplaces and order the product from Cider once they get an order. Cider, like many other Chinese marketplaces, allows dropshipping, so you can use the company as your supplier and have your customers’ orders shipped to them directly. 

So, Cider is a direct-to-consumer clothing and accessories brand offering on-trend styles—from tops and dresses to shoes, purses, and more—at budget-friendly prices.

The brand’s all about making stylish, fashion-forward pieces accessible, no matter your vibe, aesthetic, or occasion—whether it’s laid-back, dressy, or anything in between—without spending hundreds of dollars. You’ll find everything from wedding guest dresses and cute cardigans to utility pants, statement bags, and charm necklaces.

【Best for】Mood-based collections, colorful knits, and unique, playful outfits.

【Price range】  $7 to $100 per piece

【Payment】Pay With Credit/Debit Card,Paypal, Klarna, Afterpay, Cash App Pay and Coupon Code

【Coupons and Discounts】

• Sign up at shopcider.com to get extra 10% off;

• 20% off all and 25% off $129, with code "CIDER5TH";

• Free standard shipping on orders over $49.
  

【Pros and Cons of Shopping on shopcider.com】

Differences Between SHEIN, Fashion Nova, ROMWE And Cider

1.Different Feature

SHEIN  

Shein focuses on trendy, fashionable, and insanely cheap clothing. Customers can purchase quality clothes ranging from cute tops to wedding dresses on Shein.

It also sells shoes, bags, graphic tees, and accessories for your need. 

Fashion Nova

With offering between 600 and 900 new styles each week at Fashion Nova, there are feel cute, sexy, and flirty with huge selection of dresses for women, in every color, print, silhouette, and fit imaginable. 

No matter the occasion, from pool days to hot parties or steamy date nights, the dresses that will make you feel your best and look your hottest are here.

ROMWE 

Romwe offers informal clothes that range from dresses to sleepwear. You can find lightweight, cute, and suitable clothing perfect for vacations. 

They also sell formal wear for weddings and dinners. 

Shop Cider

Shop Cider features product categories such as Dresses, Tops, Bottoms, Matching Sets, Outerwear, Knitwear, Swimwear, and Jumpsuits, organized under their "Shop By Mood" feature. 

This "mood" system allows shoppers to browse clothing for specific styles like "Elegant," "Cute," "Corpcore," and "Kpop". You can also find categories for Curve (plus-size), Accessories, Shoes, Home goods, and 365 Essentials

2.Product Design & Quality

SHEIN  

Shein strives to provide stylish, trending clothes for all budgets. It stays up-to-date with current trends and offers fashion for women, men, and children in a wide range of exciting styles.

The company produces all of its items at low-cost overseas factories to keep its costs at a minimum. In turn, this allows its customers to buy cheap products while still keeping up with the times. As a result, the quality of certain items may not always be great.

Some items may survive a long time, while others lose color after only a few washes.

Fashion Nova

Fashion Nova wants women to feel flirty, sexy, and confident with its wide selection of fashionable clothing. The brand strives to keep up with fashion trends, releasing over 600 new styles every week.

It allows you to shop for clothes that’ll make you look fabulous for any occasion — whether it be a pool day or an extravagant event.

Most of its products are of good quality since the company places bulk orders at higher quality companies primarily based in the U.S., as opposed to making use of low-cost factories like Shein.

ROMWE 

Romwe is best known for making cute and chic clothing at an affordable price. Tons of its dresses, tops, bottoms, sleepwear, and more are under $30, and you'll rarely find anything over that price point. 

The Romwe brand's focus is on producing vast amounts of cheap clothing at high speeds – essentially, the definition of fast fashion. Their factories are ISO Certified. ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization that provides world-class standards for quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems. 

They take some of the steps of taking towards sustainability and environment-friendly products. They have begun using an innovative Digital Printing technology to print graphics and patterns onto fabrics. 

Shop Cider

Cider's product design is known for being trendy and fast-fashion-focused, with quality that is generally inconsistent but can surprise with some items, especially knits and denim, while other items may feel cheap or thin. 

It's best to choose simpler, stretchier designs, monitor social media reviews, and not expect premium quality for the low price. 

3.Size Range

SHEIN  

Shein’s sizes slightly inconsistent but generous. They cover from XXS to 4XL, including plus sizes, but expect to size up on some styles. 

Fashion Nova

Fashion Nova delivers a broader range (XS–5XL), clearly designed to flatter curvier frames — most tops and dresses cling where you want, thanks to cleverly added stretch.

ROMWE 

Romwe’s clothing size range generally runs from XS to XL, with some items offering plus sizes up to 3XL.

Shop Cider

Cider usually carries sizes Small through Large (S-L), which may limit options for those needing extended sizing.

However, the online boutique carries a wide variety of trendy items and may have a broader range, including Plus sizes, depending on the specific product. 

4.Special Offers & Coupons

SHEIN  

(1)Shein offers free shipping for orders more than $49.00 in the USA. You can also enjoy free express shipping for orders above $159.

(2)Shein also gives out free shipping coupon codes on Wednesdays and Sundays sometimes. Besides, it has flash deals of over 80% discount daily.

(3)You can earn points on the Shein app when you complete certain tasks. For every 100 points, you’ll get $1.

Fashion Nova

(1)Signing up for the Fashion Nova email newsletter can save you 10% on your first purchase. 

(2)A Fashion Nova discount code can save you a significant amount of money on your purchases when you buy items online. Depending on the type of coupon that you use, you can expect to get anywhere from 10% to 50% off.

ROMWE 

(1)Romwe has coupon codes to give its customers additional discounts. You can get these coupon codes from some coupon websites to save money on Romwe.

(2)Confirm your registration: You will receive 100 points for verifying your email on your profile page.

(3)Buy and Save: You will earn 1 point for every US dollar spent on your purchase, excluding shipping costs and insurance.Points will be credited to your account once you confirm delivery of your order.

Shop Cider

(1)Student discount: Students can get 15% off by verifying their student status through UNiDAYS.

(2)Referral rewards: You can get $50 in Cider credit when you refer a friend who makes their first purchase. Your friend will receive a 20% discount on their first order of $49 or more. 

(3)Cider Club loyalty program: The Cider Club is a point-based rewards program where you can earn and redeem points for coupons and products

5.Shipping Costs & Time

SHEIN  

Shein has three delivery options. Note that these prices apply to U.S. orders:

• Standard shipping: This option is free if your order is $49 and above. If not, you’ll have to pay a $3.99 shipping fee, and delivery will take 10 to 12 days.

• Express shipping: This option will cost you $12.90 and will take 6 to 8 days to arrive.

• Economy shipping: This option will cost you $2 – $4, and delivery will take 30 to 32 days.

Fashion Nova

Fashion Nova also has three delivery options. Note that these prices apply to U.S. orders:

• Standard shipping: This option is free if your order is $75 and above. If not, you’ll have to pay a $4.99 shipping fee, and delivery will take 3 to 7 days.

• Express shipping: This option will cost you $9.99 and will take 2 to 4 days to arrive.

• Rush shipping: This option will cost you $19.99 and will take 1 to 2 days to arrive.

ROMWE 

Romwe has three shipping options. 

• Free Economic Shipping: Available for orders exceeding $19. Orders require a 3-7 business day processing period to be prepared for shipment, excluding weekends and holidays.

• Free Standard Shipping: Available for orders over $29.After processing, standard delivery typically takes 10-28 business days.

• Free Express Shipping: Available for orders of $159 or more.After processing, express shipping usually takes 2-4 business days.

Shop Cider

Shop Cider offers free standard shipping on orders over $39 USD and a flat rate of $5.99 for orders under this amount. 

Shipping Costs & Thresholds:

• Free Shipping: Available on orders with a subtotal of $39 or more after discounts.

• Flat Rate Shipping: A fee of $5.99 applies to orders under $39.

Delivery Times:

• Standard Shipping: Estimated delivery is 6-10 days.

• Flash Shipping: Some eligible items marked with a "Flash" can be delivered in 4 days from local warehouses.

• Express Shipping: Available for a flat rate of $15.99, with an estimated delivery time of 3-6 days.

6.Return Policy

SHEIN  

With Shein, you have a maximum of 45 days to return eligible items. You can only return the item if it’s unwashed, unworn, has the original tag attached, and has the hygiene label intact.

If it’s your first return, return shipping is free. If not, you’ll need to pay a $7.99 return shipping fee which will be deducted from your refund.

Fashion Nova

With Fashion Nova, you have 60 days to return your purchase. You will receive your refund as store credit on a Fashion Nova gift card. You can get a refund to your original payment method in the following cases:

• If an item you order sells out before the order can be processed.

• When your item was damaged during delivery. This could happen due to an error from the delivery team if they didn’t package or transport it properly. Usually, the refund takes two to five business days, but it can take as long as ten days if there are technical issues.

ROMWE 

Romwe offers free returns for customers to return unsatisfied clothing within 60 days. But, you must make sure that the clothes are not damaged and washed. 

They must be free of link and in their original condition when purchased. I find it better for dropshippers and resellers. Even their long shipping times do not affect you.

Shop Cider

According to the Returns Policy, you should file for a return within 14 days from the day you receive your order, and the return package should be mailed within 7 days from the day of filing the return request. Of course, the garments should not be worn, washed, or damaged. 

You pay the shipping fees for returns, and the return should be shipped to Hong Kong, China. There’s no refund for the original shipping fees.

Note: Cider may offer free shipping for the first return in some regions.

There are key differences between Shein,Fashion Nova, ROMW and Cider brands below:

SHEIN vs. Fashion Nova vs. ROMWE vs. Cider: Which Is Better?

Shein

Shein is a leading affordable fashion brand and is renowned for it’s seasonal trends and signature statement pieces. Whether you’re looking for everyday basics, glamourous eveningwear or any type of style in between, Shein will have something for you – and all at a fraction of the cost of other stores.

Choose SHEIN if:

• You're on a tight budget: SHEIN is generally the more affordable option, with most items in the $10–$30 range. 

• You need a wide variety: SHEIN offers a massive selection of styles, from casual wear and swimwear to business and streetwear. 

• You wear a broader range of sizes: SHEIN provides extensive sizing options, including plus sizes, though sizing can be inconsistent. 

• You need trendy, disposable fashion: SHEIN excels at delivering new styles quickly and cheaply, perfect for trying out fast-moving trends. 

Fashion Nova

From dresses to casual wear and accessories, Fashion Nova has a whole lot to offer fashion lovers. Clothes are super affordable too, with prices ranging from $10 to $80 per piece.

Choose Fashion Nova if :

• You're looking for sexy, body-hugging styles: The brand is known for its form-fitting, statement pieces and "club-ready" outfits. 

• You have a curvier figure: Fashion Nova's designs are often tailored to fit and flatter curvier frames. 

• You prioritize faster shipping: With domestic warehouses, Fashion Nova can offer delivery in as little as three days, compared to SHEIN's longer international shipping. 

• You prefer "better" quality: While still fast fashion, Fashion Nova's pieces are often perceived as better constructed than SHEIN's, despite similar synthetic fabrics. 

ROMWE

If you’re looking to style up your wardrobe on a budget, Romwe has you covered with unbeatably low prices and a variety of garments and accessories to choose from. From casual daywear to going-out looks, you can find the latest fashion trends in an array of silhouettes and colors to suit all styles.

Choose Romwe if  you are:

• Young women: The platform primarily targets teenagers and women in their 20s and 30s. 

• Budget-conscious shoppers: Romwe's extremely low prices are a major draw. 

• Social media enthusiasts: The brand offers bold, expressive styles seen on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. 

Shop Cider

Cider is a globally-minded and social-first fashion brand. It’s incredibly popular with Gen Z shoppers for its trendy, Instagram-inspired pieces.

Choose Shop Cider if you are:

• Younger demographics: The brand's strong connection to internet trends and its "Pick a Mood" categories make it particularly popular with teenagers and young adults. 

• Trend-conscious shoppers: If you want to stay up-to-date with the latest internet and street styles inspired by fashion capitals like Paris, Seoul, and New York, Cider is a good option. 

• Aesthetic-driven consumers: Cider caters to specific "moods" or aesthetics, such as "Elegant," "Cute," "Free," "Kpop," or "Minimalist," allowing shoppers to curate their look based on their personal style 

• Budget-conscious fashion lovers: Cider offers fashionable, on-trend pieces at affordable price points, making it accessible for those who want a stylish wardrobe without spending a lot of money. 

Conclusion

• If you prefer higher quality items and don’t mind spending a bit more, then Shein is likely the better option.

• However, If you are looking for a wide selection of items that are low in price, then Romwe is probably your best bet.

• And Fashion Nova is best for shoppers looking for very trendy, affordable, and "Instagram-ready" styles, particularly those who prefer form-fitting clothing and appreciate a wide range of plus-size options.

• Cider is a better option if you're willing to spend slightly more for unique styles and a potentially better-made product. It provides a more focused shopping experience with a trend-specific approach.

Read More:

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