Shein, the world’s largest fast-fashion retailer, is sending a strong signal. This latest move follows increasing public outcry against the sale of these sex dolls with childlike features on its platform. Since then, the company has been proactive under the direction of Executive Chairman Donald Tang. They have instituted a permanent ban on any seller account linked to illegal or out-of-compliance products. This move comes after concerns were raised by France’s Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, which described the dolls as having “little doubt as to the child pornography nature of the content.”
The dolls, which are sold by third-party sellers on Shein’s marketplace, have generated widespread backlash. Once our complaint revealed that these products were being listed for sale, Shein swiftly removed them from sale. Within hours, they had deleted every listing and photo of these particular sex dolls from their site. Alongside this, the company announced that it would crack down on controls on its global platform.
France’s Finance Minister previously threatened to ban Shein from operating in the country if it failed to address the sale of such products. This ultimatum was issued just as Shein was about to open its first flagship location in Paris. Going forward, the retailer will be under much greater pressure to do the right thing. In response to these incidents, Shein proactively pulled its adult products category from the site as a safer practice.
Donald Tang emphasized the company’s commitment to child safety, stating, “The fight against child exploitation is non-negotiable for Shein.” He noted that the company is actively tracing the source of these questionable listings and plans to take “swift, decisive action against those responsible.”
In response to these incidents, Shein has taken additional steps to ensure similar accidents don’t occur again. The platform recently put in place an expanded keyword blacklist to stop sellers from going around bans on specific product listings.
“The company has also strengthened its keyword blacklist to further prevent attempted circumvention of product listing restrictions by sellers,” – Shein
Shein’s responses offer a glimpse into its desire and need to do much more to be ahead of consumer demand and regulation. The company states that it “swiftly responds” to remove any harmful listings and accounts that pose threats to user safety. This move would demonstrate their commitment to making a safe shopping experience and addressing harmful or exploitative content.