Shein and Temu blow in the neck of Quebec merchants. More than half of them have observed a drop in their sales since the arrival of these Chinese online sales giants, so that 67.6 % of the retailers today resigned their prices to try to stay in the race.
This is at least what emerges from a survey conducted in June by the Quebec Retail Council (CQCD) from 37 brands by representing 1,500 stores.
These results qualified as disturbing, however, do not surprise the retailers interviewed by The press, at the very moment when Shein occupies an ephemeral shop for a few days (pop-up) in downtown Montreal.
Photo Édouard Desroches, Archives La Presse
Showcase of the ephemeral store in Shein
The growing popularity of these low -cost sites, which a good number of traders accuse of unfair competition because they sell items (clothes, toys, shoes, jewelry) of poor quality at derisory prices and by plagiating certain items, also night in Renaissance thrift stores which are struggling to resell the used items of Shein or TEMU because of their poor quality.
“Have you ever knitted a scarf, Madame?” Do you know how long it takes? How much is wool? “Systematically requests Marilyne Baril, owner of the Boutique Marigold workshop in Montreal, when customers tell her that her prices are too high compared to what is found on certain Chinese import platforms. On the Shein site, consumers can easily get a dress at $ 14 and children’s shoes at $ 11, for example.
“I explain to them how much it costs to make locally, what is the minimum wage,” adds the one who also teaches in design and fashion marketing at LaSalle college.
Photo Charles William Pelletier, special collaboration
The owner of the Boutique Marigold workshop, Marilyne Baril
It doesn’t make sense that you can buy clothes at that price. So, clearly, there are humans who are mistreated somewhere.
Marilyne Baril, owner of the Boutique Marigold workshop and teacher in fashion and fashion marketing at LaSalle College
Jessika Roussy, co -owner of the 11 shock fashion stores, specialized in clothing for the whole family, also regularly hears comments from customers who compare their prices to those of Shein, for example. If 58 % of Quebec retailers interviewed in the survey calculate that the appearance of Shein and Temu affected their sales, 17 % claim to have observed a “marked drop”.
“For sales strategies, it puts huge pressure on prices,” admits Mme Roussy, who participated in the survey and who is also one of the signatories of two letters sent since last year to federal and provincial deputies to ask Ottawa to imitate France by acting to better supervise and penalize ephemeral fashion manufacturers.
Photo Charles William Pelletier, special collaboration
Atelier boutique Marigold
If retailers as a shock mode cannot always match the prices of Chinese platforms, they try to get closer to the sales. “We ensure in our promotions to offer equivalent prices. Many retailers like us are very aggressive in their sales at the moment. Even more this year. The sales begin earlier and they stretch longer in time. »»
She believes that the presence of Shein and Temu is not unrelated to this phenomenon.
Online visibility
In addition, according to a 2024 netendances survey, 74 % of adult Quebecers have made online shopping. Among them, 40 % made at least one order on Chinese import sites like Shein and Temu.
For its part, the CQCD survey reveals that 40.5 % of respondents reported a drop in online visibility.
“For referencing, these sites are extremely aggressive,” says Jessika Roussy. They have several digital multicamps which will actually come to grow visibility. »»
Immembicient gifts …
The extent of the phenomenon also worries in Renaissance. “If we receive more and more articles from Shein and Temu, we will not be able to resell them because of the quality. It is almost not reusable, ”explains its managing director, Éric St-Arnaud.
“I did the test. I bought some clothes, I put them in the washer and the seams began to get rid of. »»
If it is unable to quantify it, Mr. St-Arnaud noted an increase in clothing donations and other items from these sites in the past year.
Photo Martin Chamberland, La Presse Archives
Alleys of a Renaissance store
And like retailers, Renaissance thrift stores are also struggling to offer such attractive prices. “These platforms sell items that are often cheaper than us in the user. »»
When writing these lines, Shein and Temu had not yet provided answers to our questions. Following a request for interview The press Last week, on the occasion of the opening of its ephemeral store, Shein replied by email that Canada was “an important and growing market” for the company.
At the Federal Ministry of Finance, we say “aware of the significant increase in the number of low value parcels from companies like Shein and Temu”. “Canada also maintains a solid and active system of commercial appeal that helps protect Canadian businesses against unfair commercial practices of foreign exporters. If Canadian producers are subjected to prejudices due to imports subject to unfair trade, they can file a complaint with the Canada Border Services Agency (ASFC), “we were told in an official response sent by email.
