“This item is now cheaper by €0.50! Hurry!”, “Sure to leave? You will lose €200 reward”, or “FREE SHIPPING – don’t miss out!” These are just some of the messages with which clothes retailer Shein bombards its users in an effort to nudge them into buying more, according to consumer rights group BEUC.
While such aggressive sales tactics are not necessarily illegal in themselves, they could cross the line when combined with other forms of manipulation, BEUC argued in a formal complaint for unfair practices filed on Thursday with the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC).
