SHEIN has exploded in popularity, becoming a go-to online fashion retailer, especially among Gen Z. If you're looking to expand your brand's reach, brand collaboration with SHEIN could be a game-changer. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about securing a brand collaboration opportunity with SHEIN.
What is a SHEIN Brand Collaboration?
A SHEIN brand collaboration is a partnership where your brand works with SHEIN to create a unique product collection. This collection is then sold exclusively on the SHEIN website and app. SHEIN collaborates with brands across various categories, including:
- Beauty 💄
- Accessories 👜
- Footwear 👟
- And more!
The goal is to co-design collections that appeal to both your brand's audience and SHEIN's vast customer base.
“Collaborating with SHEIN provides an unmatched opportunity for brands, especially smaller ones, to get their products in front of millions of new young customers.”
Benefits of a SHEIN Brand Collaboration:
- Access to Gen Z: Tap into SHEIN's massive audience of 18-35-year-old women.
- Increased Brand Awareness: Leverage SHEIN's global platform to boost your brand's visibility.
- Cost-Effective Marketing: Reach a large audience without breaking the bank.
- Gen Z Endorsement: Gain credibility by partnering with a popular fashion brand.
The SHEIN Collaboration Process:
- Pitching: Your brand submits a collaboration proposal to SHEIN, including product samples.
- Approval: SHEIN reviews proposals and selects brands that align with their values and audience.
- Co-designing: Your brand works with SHEIN to design the collection, including products, packaging, and marketing materials.
- Launching: The collection is launched and sold on the SHEIN website and app.
- Collaborative Marketing: Your brand and SHEIN work together to promote the collection.
Why Collaborate with SHEIN?
SHEIN's popularity speaks for itself. Here are some key stats that highlight SHEIN's reach:
- Daily App Visitors: Over 10 million 📱
- Global Reach: Orders shipped to 220 countries and territories 🌍
- Instagram Followers: 15.5 million+ 📸
- Monthly Website Visitors: Over 30 million 💻
- Top Shopping App: Consistently ranks among the top shopping apps 📈
Collaborating with SHEIN offers smaller brands an incredible opportunity to showcase their products to millions of potential customers. The limited-time exclusivity of these collections also creates a sense of urgency and excitement.
For brands looking for a cost-effective way to reach Gen Z shoppers, a SHEIN collaboration is a smart move. These co-branded collections receive prominent placement on SHEIN's website and social media channels.
Consider these points:
- Target Audience: SHEIN's primary demographic is Gen Z and young millennials, predominantly female.
- Market Reach: SHEIN has a massive global presence, making it ideal for brands looking to expand internationally.
- Brand Alignment: Ensure your brand's aesthetic and values align with SHEIN's fast-fashion, trend-driven approach.
What Brands Does SHEIN Collaborate With?
SHEIN collaborates with a diverse range of brands, both large and small, across fashion, beauty, and lifestyle categories. Here are some examples:
| Category | Brand |
|---|---|
| Beauty | Kaja Cosmetics |
| Beauty | Smashbox |
| Beauty | E.L.F. Cosmetics |
| Beauty | Eos |
| Accessories | Casetify |
| Accessories | Doughnut |
| Accessories | Acccky |
| Athleisure | Puma |
| Athleisure | Champion |
| Shoes | Jeffrey Campbell |
| Shoes | Public Desire |
| Specialty Fashion | Barbie |
| Specialty Fashion | Hello Kitty |
| Specialty Fashion | Badtz-Maru |
This variety shows that SHEIN is open to collaborating with brands offering different products and price points, as long as they align with SHEIN's audience and aesthetic.
Requirements to Collaborate with SHEIN
To increase your chances of securing a SHEIN collaboration, your brand should:
- Have an Established Reputation: Demonstrate a history of success and positive customer feedback.
- Offer High-Quality Products: Ensure your products meet SHEIN's quality standards.
- Have Reasonable Price Points: Align your pricing with SHEIN's affordable fashion model.
- Have Strong Branding: Possess professional photos, logos, and marketing assets.
- Align with SHEIN's Aesthetic: Ensure your brand's style complements SHEIN's trendy and youthful image.
- Appeal to the Target Demographic: Your products should resonate with 18-35-year-old women.
Having these elements in place will significantly improve your chances of getting SHEIN's attention and interest.
How to Email SHEIN for Collaboration
Your initial email is crucial for making a good first impression. Here are some tips for crafting an effective pitch:
- Find the Right Contact: Research the appropriate SHEIN email address for collaboration inquiries.
- Introduce Your Brand: Clearly and concisely explain your brand's mission and values.
- Highlight Your Products: Showcase your best-selling products and unique selling points.
- Explain the Synergy: Clearly articulate why your brand is a great fit for a SHEIN collaboration.
- Include Product Samples: If possible, send product samples to give SHEIN a tangible idea of your brand's quality.
- Suggest Marketing Ideas: Propose giveaways or influencer promotions to sweeten the deal.
Follow-up is key! If you don't receive a response within 1-2 weeks, politely follow up with a reminder email. Demonstrating strong website traffic, social media engagement, and positive customer reviews can also strengthen your proposal.
SHEIN Collaboration Proposal Template
Here's a customizable template to help you create a compelling SHEIN collaboration proposal:
Subject: Collaboration Proposal from [Your Brand]
Hi SHEIN team,
My name is [Your Name] from [Your Brand], and I'm excited to propose an exclusive collaboration between our brand and SHEIN.
[Your Brand] specializes in [Describe your products and brand] that we believe would deeply resonate with the SHEIN audience. Some details:
- Over [XXX] Instagram followers and [XX%] month-over-month growth
- Sales in [XX] countries worldwide
- Featured in [Media Mentions]
- Ideal customer is [SHEIN target demographic]
We would love to explore co-designing a unique collection for SHEIN shoppers showcasing [Product Type] in your most popular and on-trend styles and colors.
Some ideas we have include:
- [List ideas for items, product names, potential prices]
We're happy to send over product samples and photos for you to review for fit, quality, and uniqueness.
Please let me know if you're open to discussing this further and potentially moving forward with a collaboration. I can be reached at [Email and Phone]. Thank you for your consideration – looking forward to partnering for a successful launch!
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Brand Website]
Remember to tailor this template to highlight your brand's specific strengths and assets.
Negotiating the Collaboration Deal
If SHEIN expresses interest, negotiations will begin. Key points to discuss include:
- Revenue Splits: Typically, SHEIN takes a larger percentage (50/50 or 60/40) due to their established platform and marketing reach.
- Wholesale Pricing: SHEIN will likely want a margin of 30-50%.
- Promotion Timeline: Expect a timeline of 4-6 weeks from product design to launch.
- Measurement KPIs: Define key performance indicators (KPIs) such as website clicks, impressions, and units sold.
Be flexible and reasonable during negotiations. Ensure your wholesale pricing covers your production costs.
SHEIN Collaboration Potential Revenue Calculator
Estimate your potential revenue from a SHEIN collaboration based on projected sales and revenue split.
Getting the Most Value from a SHEIN Collaboration
To maximize the benefits of your SHEIN collaboration, consider these strategies:
- Provide Lifestyle Images: Offer high-quality photos of people wearing or using your collection items.
- Participate in Giveaways: Host giveaways and contests to generate buzz and excitement.
- Leverage SHEIN's Reach: Utilize SHEIN's platform to promote your own brand.
- Cross-Promote the Collection: Promote the collaboration to your existing audience.
- Apply for an Affiliate Program: Earn commission on sales generated through your affiliate links.
These efforts will further boost sales and brand awareness.
Promoting Your SHEIN Collection Launch
Effective promotion is essential for a successful launch. Consider these tactics:
- Tease on Social Media: Share sneak peeks and launch details on your social media channels.
- Email Your Customer List: Inform your existing customers about the exclusive collection.
- Engage Influencers: Partner with influencers to review and promote the collection.
- Run Sponsored Ads: Target your ideal audience with sponsored ads and content.
- Issue a Press Release: Announce the collaboration to media outlets.
Start promoting the collection 2-4 weeks before launch and maintain momentum for the first 1-2 weeks of sales.
Is a SHEIN Collaboration Right for Your Brand?
A SHEIN collaboration offers incredible opportunities but isn't suitable for every brand.
Pros:
- Massive Audience Reach
- Increased Brand Awareness
- Sales from the Collaboration Collection
- Partnership with a Youth-Approved Brand
Cons:
- Requires High-Volume Production Capabilities
- Short Design-to-Launch Timeline
- Limited Edition Collections Only
A SHEIN collaboration is best for brands that can meet production demands, appreciate SHEIN's audience, offer innovative products, and want to expand their customer base.
It's not ideal for luxury brands or companies without sufficient operating capital and production bandwidth. However, for the right brand, it can be a powerful growth catalyst.
SHEIN Collaboration Case Studies
Several brands have experienced significant growth through successful SHEIN partnerships.
- Kaja Beauty: Saw a 4x increase in brand awareness after 6 weeks. The SHEIN collection accounted for 60% of Kaja's sales during the promotion and drove a 10x increase in website traffic during the launch.
- Smashbox Cosmetics: A curated collection of best-selling lipsticks and primers was prominently displayed on the SHEIN website homepage, resulting in the highest single-day sales in Smashbox history during the collaboration promotion.
- E.L.F. Cosmetics: Created an exclusive 16-piece makeup set for SHEIN customers, which was featured on SHEIN's Instagram with 3.5 million video views and sold out in 48 hours, leading to an immediate restock.
These examples demonstrate the remarkable sales, reach, and brand lift that SHEIN collaborations can provide.
Conclusion
SHEIN offers a unique opportunity for brands to access the sought-after Gen Z demographic in a creative and cost-effective way. By developing exclusive collections tailored to SHEIN's young, style-conscious audience, brands can achieve new levels of growth and visibility. With the right preparation, outreach, and negotiation tactics, securing a SHEIN collaboration is an achievable goal with immense potential rewards. The key is crafting a compelling, aligned proposal, showcasing your products, and leveraging the partnership fully from launch through promotion. For brands ready to expand their horizons, a SHEIN collaboration could be a strategic home run.
