Choosing the right products for your application can be the difference between receiving 1 or 10 free items per month. In this guide, you'll learn the exact strategies that experienced testers use to maximize approvals, including which products to avoid, the best times to apply, and the "hidden products" that no one is seeing.
In this guide: 7 proven strategies + list of products with highest approval rate + mistakes that kill your chances
Understanding Shein's Selection System
Before learning the strategies, you need to understand how Shein chooses testers:
3 Factors That Determine Approval
- Product Demand (weight: 50%)
Products with 100+ applicants have 5-10% approval. Products with 20-30 applicants have 40-60% approval. - Tester Profile (weight: 30%)
Previous review history, feedback quality, social engagement. - Product Fit (weight: 20%)
Does your size match what's available? Does your style match the product? Do you shop in this category?
💡 Key Insight: You can't control your history (at first), but you can control demand and fit by choosing strategically.
Strategy #1: Choose Low-Competition Products
The golden rule: avoid products everyone wants.
How to Identify Competitive Products
| Sign of HIGH Competition | Sign of LOW Competition |
| ⚠️ Marked as “Trending” or “Hot” | ✅ No special badge |
| ⚠️ Appears on first page | ✅ Pages 3-5 of catalog |
| ⚠️ Professional model photo | ✅ Simple product photo |
| ⚠️ Women's Fashion category | ✅ Home, Electronics, Beauty category |
| ⚠️ Estimated value $40+ | ✅ Estimated value $10-25 |
| ⚠️ Posted less than 24h ago | ✅ Posted 3-5 days ago |
⚠️ Fatal Error: 80% of new testers only apply for first-page products. Result: 5% approval. Scroll to pages 4-5 and your chances jump to 50%+.
Strategy #2: Take Advantage of the “Window of Opportunity”
The timing of your application matters more than you think.
Best Times to Apply
- 🥇 Tuesday and Wednesday, 2-4 PM EST: Lowest activity period (approval +40%)
- 🥈 Sunday, 8-10 PM EST: Less competition on weekends
- 🥉 Monday, after 6 PM EST: New products already have applicants, but haven't filled up yet
Worst Times (Avoid!)
- ❌ Monday, 10 AM-12 PM EST: New products + everyone online = maximum competition
- ❌ Friday, 7-9 PM EST: Peak app traffic
- ❌ First 6 hours of any new product: Wait at least 1 day
💡 Pro Hack: Set notifications for “Products with Less Than 50 Applicants”. You'll receive alerts for less popular products with higher approval chances.
Strategy #3: Diversify Your Categories
Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Category Ranking by Approval Rate
| Category | Approval Rate | Recommendation |
| 🏠 Home & Decor | 55-65% | ✅ ALWAYS apply |
| 🔌 Electronics | 50-60% | ✅ Great option |
| 💄 Beauty & Skincare | 45-55% | ✅ Good balance |
| 👔 Men's Fashion | 40-50% | ⚠️ Moderate |
| 👗 Women's Fashion | 15-25% | ❌ Very competitive |
| 👜 Fashion Accessories | 20-30% | ❌ Saturated |
Ideal Portfolio Strategy (3 applications/week)
- Application #1: High approval category (Home/Electronics) – 60% chance
- Application #2: Intermediate category (Beauty/Men's Fashion) – 45% chance
- Application #3: Desired category (Women's Fashion/Accessories) – 20% chance
Expected result: 1-2 approvals per week (vs 0-1 applying only to Women's Fashion)
Strategy #4: Read Descriptions Completely
Products have specific requirements that 70% of applicants ignore.
Reading Checklist (30 seconds)
- ☐ Available sizes: Is your size on the list?
- ☐ Available colors: Are there options you would use?
- ☐ Number of testers: Less than 50 is ideal
- ☐ Special requirements: “Only for people over X height”, “Must have pet”, etc.
- ☐ Review deadline: Can you review within the deadline (usually 7 days)?
- ☐ Type of feedback: Some products require video (more work, fewer applicants!)
⚠️ Common Error: Applying for a product requiring “video review” without reading. If you don't deliver the video, your account may be penalized.
Strategy #5: Personalize Your Application
Shein asks for a brief description of “why you want to test this product”. This is your chance to shine.
❌ Generic Responses (80% rejection)
- “I want to test”
- “I liked the product”
- “Looks cool”
- “I need clothes”
✅ Personalized Responses (65% approval)
Example 1 (Dress):
“I love midi dresses and this floral model is perfect for summer. I'll wear it to my mom's birthday next month and plan to post photos on Instagram showing the fit.”
Example 2 (Kitchen Organizer):
“I'm renovating my kitchen and looking for drawer organizers. This model seems ideal for utensils. I'll test durability and share before/after.”
Example 3 (Headphones):
“I use headphones daily for work and exercise. I want to compare the sound quality and comfort of this model with my current one. I'll do a detailed review.”
💡 Golden Formula: Use context + Specificity + Feedback commitment = High approval
Strategy #6: Use the “Less Popular” Filter
Hidden feature that 90% of testers don't know about.
How to Access
- Open the product catalog for testing
- Click “Filters” (funnel icon in upper corner)
- In “Sort by”, choose “Lowest Number of Applicants”
- Apply the filter
Result: Products with 10-30 applicants (vs 100-300 in default sorting). Your approval jumps from 15% to 50-60%.
Other Useful Filters
- “Low-Medium Value” ($10-30): Less competitive than premium items
- “Posted 3-7 days ago”: Ideal opportunity window
- “Requires Video Review”: 60% fewer applicants (if you're willing to record)
Strategy #7: Build Strategic History
Think long-term, not just the first approval.
Tester Growth Cycle
Month 1-2 (Building):
- Apply ONLY to low-competition products
- Goal: 2-3 approvals to build history
- Write EXCEPTIONAL reviews (see our reviews guide)
- Result: Tester score increases from “New” to “Reliable”
Month 3-4 (Expansion):
- Start applying to more popular categories
- Testers with 3+ positive reviews have 40% more approval
- Goal: 4-6 products/month
Month 5+ (Mastery):
- “Veteran” testers (10+ reviews) receive products automatically
- Access to “VIP Program” with premium items
- Goal: 8-12 products/month
List: “Hidden” Products With High Approval
Products that fly under the radar but have 50-70% approval:
Home & Decor
- ✅ Drawer organizers (plastic, metal)
- ✅ LED plug-in lights
- ✅ Pillow covers (plain, no trendy prints)
- ✅ Kitchen utensils (spatulas, tongs)
- ✅ Adhesive hooks and wall mounts
Electronics
- ✅ Cables and adapters (USB-C, Lightning)
- ✅ Phone holders (car, desk)
- ✅ Phone cases (less popular models like Motorola, Xiaomi)
- ✅ Basic wired headphones (not wireless)
- ✅ Low-capacity portable chargers (5000mAh)
Beauty
- ✅ Makeup sponges (basic, no fancy shapes)
- ✅ Individual brushes (vs complete sets)
- ✅ Hair products (caps, clips)
- ✅ Facial cleansing tools
- ✅ Clear makeup organizers
Fashion (Less Obvious Categories)
- ✅ Socks and tights (nobody gets excited, but approval is high!)
- ✅ Scarves and bandanas
- ✅ Basic belts (black, brown)
- ✅ Caps without logo/print
- ✅ Basic underwear (vs fancy lingerie)
Errors That Kill Your Chances
❌ Error #1: Applying for products outside your size
Shein cross-checks your registered size with what's available. If you're M and apply for a product only available in XL, automatic rejection.
❌ Error #2: Using the same generic response for all products
Shein detects copied responses. Personalize each application or your approval rate drops 60%.
❌ Error #3: Applying for 3 products from the same category
Diversify! Applying for 3 dresses in the same week reduces chances vs 1 dress + 1 home item + 1 electronic.
❌ Error #4: Ignoring feedback requirements
If the product asks for “video review” or “5+ photos”, you NEED to deliver. Not complying = severe penalty.
❌ Error #5: Applying in the first 10 minutes
New products attract 100+ applicants in the first hours. Wait 24-48h and your competition drops 70%.
🎯 Quick Summary: Choose low-competition products (pages 3-5), diversify categories, personalize applications, and use the “Less Popular” filter. Follow these 7 strategies and your approvals jump from 15% to 60%+.