SHEIN vs Temu vs AliExpress: how to choose (shipping, returns and what to check before you buy)

There is no store that is best for everyone: it depends on what you are buying and how much being able to return it matters. This article does not measure prices or test deliveries; the table brings together what each store publishes in the UK. Amazon and Shopee also appear in searches like this one, but this article does not compare them.

Sources, checked on October 12 and 13, 2026: the privacy, shipping and returns pages of SHEIN's UK site; Temu's shipping and returns pages for the UK; AliExpress's return policy and the product page of a dress, with delivery set to the UK. SHEIN's UK site is operated by Infinite Styles Services Co., Limited (ISSL).

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In the US, SHEIN's site (SHEIN US Services, LLC) publishes returns up to 30 days after delivery.

The AliExpress cells come from one dress: delivery time and free returns change from item to item, so check them on the product page.

Import tax depends on the country. On its UK site, SHEIN says customers in the UK do not need to deal with customs, and the AliExpress product page showed that the price includes VAT. Before you pay, check at each store's checkout whether the total includes taxes, and compare that final figure, not just the price of the item.

Scores on complaint and review sites measure how a store handles customers who complain, not the quality of the product, and the number of complaints depends on the size of the store. Who operates SHEIN and what is known about its reputation are in our article on whether SHEIN is legit and safe.

• The final price, with shipping and taxes.
• The return window, and whether the item is one of those with a shorter window (on SHEIN UK, for example, lingerie, underwear and costume jewelry).
• Who sells it: the store itself or a partner seller.
• The delivery time shown in your order.

• You want room to return things: compare the return window, not just the price.
• You need it by a certain date: check the delivery time on the product page or in your order. On AliExpress, the product page shows the estimated date, and the order is refunded if it is not delivered within 35 days.
• The order comes from abroad: check the total with taxes at checkout.
• You will pay by card, with a digital wallet or in instalments: check the payment options at each store's checkout.

Cecília is an affiliate of SHEIN, Temu and AliExpress and may earn a commission on purchases made through the links in this article, at no extra cost to you. That does not change the answer: the choice depends on what you are buying.

4CW5Y is Cecília's referral code for SHEIN Brazil (the Brazilian site and app). You search for it in SHEIN's search bar, not in the coupon field, and it may not work in your country. It is not a coupon.