Shein is expanding beyond fast fashion with the launch of its first book category in the U.S., partnering with online bookseller Alibris to introduce a dedicated storefront on its platform.
The new Alibris shop features a curated catalogue of more than 100,000 titles across popular genres including romance, fantasy, mystery, non-fiction and young adult, alongside a selection of affordable textbooks.
Shein said the range will continue to grow over the coming months.
“The average Shein customer reads one to three books a month — this isn’t a trend, it’s a lifestyle,” said George Chang, GM and head of Shein Marketplace U.S.
“We’re excited to support our customers’ love of reading and learning by teaming up with Alibris to offer a wide variety of books to our shoppers for the very first time.”
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The move comes as Shein navigates mounting trade pressures tied to U.S.–China tensions. The company, founded in China and based in Singapore, has been hit by tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump earlier this year.
The administration also ended the de minimis exemption in August, removing duty-free entry for low-value imports — a mechanism Shein and other low-cost platforms, including Temu, had heavily relied on to keep prices down.
Shein has been broadening its retail presence more widely. It plans to pilot six shop-in-shop concepts with partner retailers in France and has previously run short-term pop-ups in major cities including New York, Vancouver and Los Angeles.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Shein to bring our wide selection of books to a whole new audience of Gen Z and millennial readers,” said Rob Lambert, VP of global sales and marketing at Alibris.
“Together, we’re making it more convenient than ever for readers to discover and access the books they want.”
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