DENVER — Fast fashion fans in Colorado are talking about fast price hikes on the ultra-low-cost sites Shein and Temu.
In addition to recent tariffs, President Donald Trump ended a customs exemption that allows goods worth less than $800 to come into the U.S. duty-free. In response, China-founded e-commerce sites Temu and Shein announced plans to raise prices for U.S. customers.
Since launching in the United States, Shein and Temu have given Western retailers a run for their money by offering products at ultra-low prices, coupled with avalanches of digital or influencer advertising. It's hard to overstate just how popular the two sites have become, especially on college campuses like Metropolitan State University Denver.
"I have not heard of someone that hasn't shopped on Shein," said Laynie Rodas, a student who regularly shops on Shein and has recently noticed a shift. "I've seen the prices go up. Something like this [lip gloss] would be like 7 bucks... and they almost doubled it to $13."
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Since the companies' announcements, Denver7 Investigates found headlines reporting price hikes from 100% to 377%. Shoppers have also posted aboutimport charges and higher prices.
"It should be a wake-up call for consumers," said Alexandre Padilla, the chair of the economics department at MSU Denver. "We are seeing this in real life, right? We economists like to talk about Blackboard Economic Theory with beautiful graphs and explain the impact of tariffs on the price of goods, but it's all theoretical. When the cost of goods you are buying becomes much more expensive, it means you have to make sacrifices somewhere else."
The fast fashion price hikes might be beneficial for some industries. Arc Thrift Stores reports an increase in customers as the global economy shifts. Spokesperson Maggie Scivicque said Shein and Temu shoppers may instead turn to thrift shops to find items for a reasonable price.
"I think that thrift is really becoming cool. Young people are finding thrift on a whole new level, and they're really coming into our stores with their cameras ready and showing their friends and family how cool it is to shop thrift," Scivicque said.
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It's too soon to say if tariffs will spell the end of fast fashion, Padilla said, but many customers we talked to said the higher prices may push them to find a new look.
"I feel like Shein is pretty much known for how cheap it is," said Rodas. "And now, the fact that they're just increasing their prices, it's just really crazy to me."
