Shoppers are noticing price increases 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 the companies' announcements, the Scripps News Group 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 Metro State University 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."
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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.
It's too soon to say if tariffs will spell the end of fast fashion, Padilla said, but many customers the Scripps News Group spoke with 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."
This story was originally published by Jaclyn Allen with the Scripps News Group in Denver.
