Social Listening

 1. I selected Shein, a fast-fashion e-commerce retailer that has gained a lot of popularity with consumers over the last three years. Although they are one of the most successful companies in the fast fashion realm, people on social media aren't speaking too positively on the company due to their controversies in the media for promoting overconsumption, stealing designs from small brands and designers, and their mistreatment of their factory employees and poor working conditions. I am interested to see how they are addressing the controversies they have faced over these last years, and if they have actually made an effort to correct these issues. 

2. Their value proposition can be summarized into these key points: affordable fashion, trendy and fast fashion, wide product range, global reach, user-friendly website and app, promotions/discounts, real customer reviews/ photos and size inclusivity. 

3. 
Although the influencers reportedly claimed they were not paid to attend the trip or post about what they saw at Shein's facilities, the internet is still calling out several influencers for defending SHEIN and "debunking myths" about the controversial company. 

Carly: "It's not just SHEIN. This is all fast fashion. 

Danny: "It doesn't help that all these influencers are doing $600 shein hauls"

Aleks: "It's weird to me how people are putting all the blame on the customers instead of the government and law-makers that should be taking care of this"

4.  Shein is highly active on various social media platforms and uses the following channels to promote their range of products and messages. They primarily use their social media to showcase and promote their extensive range of of fashion products, including clothing, accessories, and footwear. They often work and feature influencers on their platform and models wearing the latest trends on their platform. One of the core messages on Shein's platform is affordability, they often highlight price points that are accessible to a wide range of consumers. They are also known for their frequent promotions and flash sales that they advertise on their social media platforms and use limited-time offers and discounts to create a sense of urgency and drive sales. Other value propositions include user generated content, trendy styles at an affordable price, size/fit information, holiday/seasonal themes, influencer collaborations, and "sustainability initiatives".

5. Several aspects of this company relate to marketing, as the company's success is heavily dependent on it's marketing strategies. The key marketing-related aspects of shein include Building brand recognition, social media marketing, engaging customers, and expanding sales. They have been successful in building brand recognition through their social media presence by using these platforms to showcase their products, engage with customers, and reach a broader audience. Shein has also collaborated with a large number of social media influencers and fashion bloggers to promote their products. This form of marketing is called influencer marketing, where brands/companies will collaborate with individuals who have large followings or engagement rates to help create buzz and drive sales.  Content marking is another important aspect of Shein's marketing strategy, as they create a vast amount of content related to fashion trends, niche styles/aesthetics, and styling tips. This content is used to engage and educate consumers. 

6. The company has responded to the controversies related to various aspects of its business model over the years, including growing concerns over environmental sustainability, working conditions, and the quality of their products. They have addressed the controversies about their working conditions by collaborating with notable fashion influencers and inviting them to China so they can see the factory and working conditions first hand, as well as get an understanding of who is really behind the brand and how they operate. The influencers then create content about their experience visiting the company factory and headquarters for their audience to see. The company has since stated its commitment to ensuring ethical practices and responsible sourcing, including regular conducted audits and inspections of factories they work with to uphold labor standards. 

7. If I were the brand manager, I would have made sure to address the controversies and backlash sooner than later, which Shein has failed to do. They waited years later to address any of their controversies within the media, racking up several lawsuits and only addressing their issues once it has come to the attention of large and mainstream media outlets, whereas a few years ago I remember my research showing that they had not spoken out on any large issues at hand. The brand addressed these issues once NPR issued an article about SHEIN violating the RICO Act by stealing people's design, facing a federal racketeering lawsuit. 

8.  I learned that although SHEIN is one of the most popular fast fashion retailers, there is a big negative connotation regarding the brand identity and culture of SHEIN and it's consumers. Most influencers who work with SHEIN face a lot of backlash and this tends to damage their brand and audience engagement, however, there are definitely a lot of other influencers who still collaborate and work with SHEIN despite this possibility.  I can assume that this depends on who their audience is, whether it is fashion lovers looking for affordable / inclusive size options, or fashion lovers who prioritize quality and sustainability over quantity and affordability.