Those clothes websites down the side of the screen.

Will Shein accept bawbees, I have a whole load of them?
Some of the items look lovely ( in the pics) and probably that’s where the good looks end!

They do look lovely - but they are not! An item I bought from one of these places bore not the slightest resemblance to the item I had bought.

The briefest Google search brings up pages of reviews from people who say exactly that - cheap bad copies in thin material of the quality clothes in the photos (images stolen from the genuine sites) made on the other side of the world in sweatshops, hopeless sizing, and you have to pay to return to themif you can even find a return address.

Some of the photographs look really good and stylish and I've thought about screen shotting one or two and asking a local dressmaker if she can replicate them. I'd never be tempted to order anything from Shien etc; I've read the reviews.

I can confirm that Shein is c**p. I bought what appeared to be a lovely dress on line a couple of years ago. It wasn’t. Once I got over the shock, I had to laugh. It was consigned to a charity shop for rags. Many of these Chinese companies are one and the same. I only buy on line from recognised companies now, however much I am tempted. ‘Wish’ is another to avoid like the plague. If it seems too good to be true, it is!

MawBe

Re your comment about a certain ‘absent’ member. There was a recent thread about fashion, can’t recall the exact details, think it was about what people were wearing on Christmas Day.

Immediately thought we would have been regaled with her ideas, plus photo probably.

? to ‘absent’ friends,

That's a shame as I really like the look of Shein, but these comments ahve put me right off. Are you saying that it is a Chinese company operating under that name?

I heard on the radio earlier that Shein is one of the companies interested in buying Arcadia.

Airydress or Airycloth are also scams. They pay Trustpilot to get rid of bad reviews. I learnt a lot when demanding my money back. Including the postage which at first they refused. I pointed out the clothes were misrepresented as the material was like shower curtain material with a photo of the good stuff on it. If I’d ordered a washing machine and got a wheelbarrow I would have done the same! I threatened to take the story to the media aswell. PLEASE stay away from them!!!

What programme on Radio4 was it on OP?

Ah. Found it. You and Yours. Got it on Sounds catch-up. ??

Newchic seems to have a lot of the same stock as Damensein. Probably made from the same pirated designs to the same shoddy standards.

I always love the look of these clothes but ... did get a lovely dress and have worn it lots of times with plenty of compliments. Then I sent for a top, but was enticed by a “three for £” offer. Took ages to arrive. All completely different quality of material and sizes. One fit. Complained and even though I’d sent photos of the three with a tape measure in the photo, was told I hadn’t measured correctly. Did I want to pay postage back to China to obtain a refund or have half my money refunded? I chose the latter and now always check the head office address before I buy anything on line.

I ordered these sandals from a company on Facebook, but they were plastic and very cheap looking, so were donated to a charity shop. Also ordered a dress and top from Airydress - again, cheap & nasty. It was too much trouble and expense to return them. I’ve learned my lesson!

I think we are all alerted to these now, but what a shame, as the items are really fashionable and attractive?
But no, I won’t be tempted whatever name they trade under this week!

Whenever I see them on Facebook I always post a comment saying that the photos are nothing like the item, the fabric is crap etc!

I made the mistake of ordering a top from them Spring last year, and had a lot of correspondence with them to get a refund.

Because of this every time I post the comment mentioned above, they contact me to say that they have already dealt with my refund.

I ignore that, and will continue to post comments every time I see their ads.

I have bought two tops off Newchic and they were both fine certainly thinish material but I bought them for summer so that was ok Some of the things on Airydress are so stylish and lovely but I won’t chance it again might not be lucky the third time

To make matters worse ... now I keep seeing adverts on the right of the page, for the removal of ear wax, with graphic photographs which make me feel nauseated.

I save my bawbees for Coulter's Candy

(which is probably why none of the clothes advertised on the right would likely fit me )

before you contemplate ordering from ads that pop up anywhere just google the company name adding the word reviews next to it! Damensein,.... Airydress..... lots saying poor quality clothes!

To be fair, if the clothes are THAT cheap, you have to ask why? It's not going to be because they're top designer quality.

As with everything - you get what you pay for.

I've had my fingers burned two or three times by blindly buying from Facebook adverts. From companies which sound British, but turn out to be Chinese.

Historical sewer and costumier Bernadette Banner saw one of her photographs of a unique one off dress she designed and made being used in an advert by one of these companies. So she bought it and ripped it apart on YouTube. Best roasting ever.

youtu.be/J80J4oaGVnY

Bucking the trend here, but I've had a few subsequent buys from Gamiss (Now closed) and New Chic, I've only been disappointed with a few items, poor quality fabric etc. It probably helps that I'm buying in the Sale section, so very often items are just a few pounds. I've had some real gems too, so view it a bit like Primark - lots of pretty naff low quality stuff, but some real bargain hidden among them.

I bought items from Shein for my DGDs for Christmas. It seems similar quality to Primark and other cheap shops and they are happy. The only issue I had was that the trousers ordered for the taller girl were too short for her but fitted the shorter girl. I hadn't realised they were a bad company to buy from.
I've seen Wish and some other cheap stuff on Ebay being badly sized but these items seemed okay.

I wouldn’t buy from Primark myself, the whole ‘fast fashion’ thing is not for me.