How to Develop an Online Shopping App Like Shein? Features, Development Guide, and Cost

Reading Time: 6 minutes

In these digital times, online shopping apps like SHEIN have become a to-go choice for fashion lovers out there. With thousands of brands and designs, these online shopping apps provide convenience and a wide range of fashion styles to the users. 

According to Statista, online retail revenues from fashion and accessory sales in the USA were $134.5 billion in 2023. Furthermore, it is anticipated that market sales will reach 219.3 billion US dollars by 2029. 

Source: Statista

Considering the growth of online fashion shopping mobile applications, in terms of users and revenue generation, in the coming years, we decided to bring up a development guide for building an online shopping app like SHEIN.  

In this blog, we covered every aspect of developing an app similar to SHEIN, from features to the development process to its overall development cost. So, without any more delay, let’s start with the introduction to the SHEIN application. 

Introduction to the SHEIN App

SHEIN is a global fashion online retailer focused on making fashion accessible to people worldwide. The application offers a wide range of fashion and beauty products designed for women, men, and children.

The app is integrated with numerous features that make online fashion shopping convenient for users.  The application is available for both Android and iOS platforms, or we can say it is a cross-platform app.

Benefits of Developing an Online Shopping Mobile App

There are numerous benefits to building an online shopping application similar to SHEIN. The top ones are as follows:

1. It Provides Convenience 

The foremost benefit of developing an online shopping app is the convenience it offers to online shoppers. Users can access thousands of styles and designs of garments, shoes, and home decor, and buy items by paying via secured payment options.  

2. Offers Personalization

In online shopping apps like SHEIN, users can personalize their shopping experience tailored to their preferences. They can choose the size, color, brands, ratings, material, and more, and get the handpicked options out of it. 

Also, users can choose the mode of payment to pay for the products they buy from the SHEIN-like online shopping application. 

3. Helps in Increasing Sales 

With online shopping mobile apps, sellers can reach wider shoppers and sell their products. Moreover, a wide range of products and personalized services attracts more customers compared to the traditional model of shopping. 

All these combined results in increased sales, another benefit of developing an online shopping app. 

4. Provides Analytics and Insights

Online shopping apps help businesses understand shoppers’ needs and gain insights into their preferences. Analyzing these insights, they can offer products that users want, and increase their sales. 

5. Helps in Inventory Management

As we already discussed online shopping applications offer insights into the preferences of the users, and it becomes easy for sellers to manage inventories efficiently in real-time.  

They can increase supply when demand is more and vice versa, reducing the risk of overstocking or stockouts.  

6. Saves Costs 

Setting up online stores is more cost-effective compared to opening physical stores. Hence, developing an online shopping app like SHEIN can save thousands to millions of dollars for a fashion business. 

Now that you know the benefits of developing a SHEIN-like app, let’s proceed and explore its development process. 

How to Develop an Online Shopping App Like SHEIN?

The following is the step-by-step process to develop an online shopping app similar to SHEIN. 

#1. Determine the Requirements 

The first step to developing an online shopping app like SHEIN is to determine the requirements. List down the features you want to integrate, and the platform you want to develop the app for Android, iOS, or cross-platform. 

Also, determine the emerging technologies you want to integrate into the online shopping app. AI, Blockchain, and Augmented Reality are some popular technologies used in developing online shopping apps.

#2. Hire the Development Partner

Building an online fashion e-commerce app is not as easy it looks. It requires deep knowledge and hands-on expertise in cutting-edge tools and technologies to develop a successful online shopping app. 

Hence, you must hire app developers in India who have expertise in developing SHEIN-like shopping apps. Moreover, you can outsource the shopping app development to a leading mobile app development company. 

#3. Design the UI/UX 

After hiring the app developers, design the user interface of the online shopping app. You can analyse various other shopping apps to get ideas, but always keep it unique and user-friendly. 

Create the wireframe and layout of the tabs, icons, and more. Also, don’t forget to design appealing front-end elements that reflect your brand image. 

#4. Develop the Backend

Once the UI designing is done, proceed with the backend development. Also, set up a cutting-edge database system, such as SQL or NoSQL to store and manage data, such as product details, user information, and transaction details.

Moreover, integrate the secure payment gateways to allow for smooth transactions. You need to add core features also at this stage of development into your online shopping app like SHEIN.

#5. Integrate Security Measures 

Online shopping apps are vulnerable to unauthorized access and potential hacks. Thus, it is crucial to implement high-end security measures, such as end-to-end encryptions, biometric access, etc., to protect user data and transactional data. 

You can also leverage emerging technologies, such as Blockchain to provide an extra layer of security in your SHEIN-like online shopping app. 

#6. Testing and Quality Assurance

Post-development, it’s time to check whether your online shopping mobile application is working fine or not. 

You need to test your app rigorously on various platforms and devices to check its smooth functioning and compatibility. 

If you find any glitch or bug, fix it and test again until the app is completely bug-free. 

#7. Launch the App

Once your app is bug-free, launch your online shopping app similar to SHEIN on Playstore and App Store. Your users can download it from there and shop online. 

Don’t forget to market your online shopping app. Use various methods, such as app store optimization, influencer marketing, ads, and more, to promote your app. 

So, by following this process you can develop an online shopping app like SHEIN. If you need professional assistance regarding the development, we are here to help. Reach out to our team and we will be glad to help you. 

Cutting-Edge Features to Make Your Online Shopping App Similar to SHEIN Stand Out

In this section, we have provided some advanced features that enhance your shopping app’s potential and make it stand out from the competition. 

1. Personalized Recommendations By AI

Nowadays, personalization is the key to success. Thus, provide your users with AI-powered product recommendations based on their preferences and increase the chances of buying. 

2. Augmented Reality-Based Virtual Try-Ons

You can also allow your users to try new products by using the Augmented Reality-powered virtual try-on feature. 

3. Payments With Cryptocurrencies 

Provide your shoppers with additional payment methods by allowing them to pay via cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, for the shopping they do. 

4. Visual Search

Help your shoppers find their favourite products and enhance their shopping experience by integrating a visual search feature in your online shopping app similar to SHEIN. 

5. Gamification 

To motivate shoppers to use your app more, you can also add gaming elements and reward them with points, discount coupons, and offers.

6. Design Your Style

You can also add this feature to stand out from the competition. You can allow your users to create new designs and fashion products. If approved, sell them on your app. 

7. Custom Push Notifications

Keep your shoppers engaged with your shopping app. You can offer them new deals, tell them about new launches, motivate them to make a purchase, and more, leveraging custom push notifications. 

8. 24/7 Customer Support With Generative AI 

You can also integrate round-the-clock customer support powered via Generative AI to address customers’ unique queries.

So, these are some advanced features that you can add to your SHEIN-like online shopping app and stand out in the market. 

Technology Stack to Create an Online Shopping Application 

Here is the technology stack to build an online shopping app like SHEIN. 

Component	Technology Stack
Frontend	React Native
Backend	Node.js
Server	Express.js
Database	MongoDB
Cloud Storage	Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage
Image Recognition	TensorFlow, OpenCV
Payment Gateway	Stripe, PayPal, Braintree
Search & Filtering	Elasticsearch, Algolia
Analytics	Google Analytics, Mixpanel
Security	HTTPS, SSL/TLS, JWT
Deployment	Docker, Kubernetes

 

Therefore, this is the suggested technology stack recommended by the best mobile app development company in India. Please note that these are only recommendations. You can also use other technologies and tools to develop your shopping app like SHEIN. 

Cost to Develop an Online Shopping App Like SHEIN

Now comes the cost of developing an online shopping app. The cost of developing an online shopping app depends on various factors, such as the type of shopping app, its features, emerging technologies used, the size and location of the development team, and more. 

All these factors make it difficult to provide an exact cost of development. However, to give you a range, the cost of developing an online shopping app like SHEIN ranges from $30000 to $90000, or more, depending on the requirements. To know the exact cost, reach out to us and we will give you an exact cost. 

Top Online Shopping Apps Similar To SHEIN

The following are the top online shopping mobile applications similar to SHEIN 

1. Fashion Nova
2. Forever 21
3. ASOS
4. Boohoo
5. Zara
6. H&M
7. Urban Outfitters
8. PrettyLittleThing
9. Missguided
10. Nasty Gal

Hence, these are the best SHEIN-like online shopping mobile applications. 

Conclusion

Online shopping apps like SHEIN are liked by users because of the convenience and enhanced shopping experience they provide. As everything is going online, it is a profitable business idea to develop an online shopping app. 

As there are already numerous shopping apps, you would be wondering how one can crack the competition. The answer is simple; Offer something that others are not offering. 

Through innovation and creativity, you can easily overtake the competition and mark your place in the online shopping industry. So, what are you waiting for? Contact a top eCommerce app development company and share your ideas and requirements with them. Their team will assist you with developing your custom online shopping app like SHEIN.