Episode 205: The SHEIN-sodes, part 2: Bots, Stolen Art, and Phthala-what?!

This episode is part 2 in a short series about SHEIN: where it’s been, where it’s going, and how it is changing everything. If you haven’t listened to part one yet, go do that before listening to this episode. In this part of the series, we will be tackling: * An update on SHEIN's IPO plans. * Why and how SHEIN's low prices are unnaturally and unethically low. * How SHEIN’s byzantine corporate structure virtually shields it from any legal accountability. * SHEIN is infamous for stealing designs from artists and smaller brands. And also big brands! How is it doing that? * How the way SHEIN runs its business could be endangering its customers (along with the people making its products). Additional reading (lots of sources again this week): "Experts say Shein’s U.S. IPO is all but dead," ( https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/21/shein-us-ipo-is-dead-experts-say.html ) Ece Yildirim, CNBC. "Shein sought to reassure US over China supply chain ahead of IPO," ( https://www.ft.com/content/25105b73-f073-4b9d-bf0f-59099d0ee1eb )Financial Times. "Shein’s London IPO plan in regulatory limbo as investors grow jittery, sources say," ( https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3267547/sheins-london-ipo-plan-regulatory-limbo-investors-grow-jittery-sources-say ) Coco Feng and Wency Chen, South China Morning Post. "Shein UK breaches company law by failing to disclose human owner," ( https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/mar/06/shein-uk-ownership-company-law ) Julia Kollewe, The Guardian. "Shopp