Short answer: for most shoppers in Malaysia who want faster delivery, easier returns and more reliable quality, Zalora is the better choice. If your top priority is the lowest possible price and an ultra-wide, constantly changing selection of trend items (and you’re willing to accept longer shipping, variable sizing/quality, and sustainability/ethical trade-offs), Shein is the cheaper option. (corporate.zalora.com)

Quick comparison (key points)

• Delivery speed and local logistics

  • Zalora: regional e‑fulfilment hub in Malaysia, local warehouses and in‑house delivery options with next‑day/express choices for many “Sold by ZALORA” items. Faster last‑mile service across Peninsular Malaysia. (corporate.zalora.com)
  • Shein: ships from global/overseas warehouses to Malaysia; delivery windows are longer (several days to a couple of weeks) though they show estimated windows and occasional promotions on shipping. (m.shein.com)

• Price and selection

  • Shein generally offers lower prices and an enormous variety of very cheap trend pieces and accessories.
  • Zalora carries more local and international brands (including mid‑range labels), so prices tend to be higher but items are often higher quality or brand‑guaranteed. (corporate.zalora.com)

• Returns / refunds

  • Zalora: standard returns windows (most categories 30 days; some categories shorter) and local return infrastructure, which usually makes returns/refunds straightforward. (support-my.zalora-ops.com)
  • Shein: allows returns (typical voluntary return window ~20 days for many items) and often offers one free return per order, but return methods can require labels/prints and more transit time. Some categories are non‑returnable. (m.shein.com)

• Payment & convenience

  • Zalora: many local payment methods (cards, online banking, e‑wallets, COD options such as QRPay), local customer service and faster resolution. (support-my.zalora-ops.com)
  • Shein: card and e‑wallet payments typical; customer service is global‑facing and handling can take longer for cross‑border issues. (m.shein.com)

• Quality, sizing & trust

  • Zalora: better consistency on sizing and product descriptions for branded items; easier to judge quality because many items are from known brands or local sellers. (corporate.zalora.com)
  • Shein: quality and sizing are hit‑or‑miss across vendors — bargains but expect variability and sometimes misleading photos/descriptions. Also note Shein has faced public criticism over environmental, labour and IP issues. (bbc.com)

• Taxes / import risk

  • Because Shein ships cross‑border, parcels can be subject to customs processing, duties or sales/import taxes depending on Malaysian rules and de‑minimis thresholds; this can affect final costs or delivery time. (Malaysia’s de‑minimis guidance and import sales tax rules are relevant.) (dhl.com)

Who should use which

• Choose Zalora if you value speed, simple local returns, brand reliability, local payment/COD options and quicker customer support. (corporate.zalora.com)
• Choose Shein if you want the lowest prices, tons of micro‑trend pieces, and don’t mind longer waits, more returns hassle and variable quality — or you’re buying “try‑and‑discard” cheap trends. (m.shein.com)

Bottom line: Zalora = better overall experience in Malaysia (speed, returns, local support); Shein = cheaper, wider variety but with trade‑offs (shipping time, sizing/quality variability, sustainability/ethical concerns). If you shop smart, many Malaysians use both: buy basics/brands/fast needed items on Zalora, and buy low‑cost trend pieces on Shein while checking reviews and sizing carefully. (corporate.zalora.com)

If you want, I can:

• Check current shipping times, free‑shipping thresholds or promo codes for both platforms right now for Malaysia (I’ll fetch live pages).