LightInTheBox.com
LightInTheBox is a China-based, NYSE-listed direct-to-consumer cross-border e-commerce platform selling globally across apparel, home, electronics, and specialty categories, increasingly through proprietary branded apparel supported by AI-driven product insights.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersBeijing, China
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What LightInTheBox.com does
LightInTheBox Holding Co., Ltd. is a Cayman Islands-incorporated holding company that operates a global direct-to-consumer cross-border e-commerce platform headquartered in Beijing with corporate administrative functions conducted from Singapore. Founded in 2007 and listed on the NYSE under ticker LITB since 2013, the company sells a horizontally diversified assortment spanning Women's Clothing, Men's Clothing, Shoes & Bags, Home & Garden, Weddings & Events, Baby & Kids, Phones & Accessories, Beauty & Hair, Lights & Lighting, Sports & Outdoors, Toys & Hobbies, and Consumer Electronics, plus specialty categories such as Dancewear & Dance Shoes (figure skating, Latin, ballroom, ballet, carnival) and Waterproof Home Products.
The platform is built on an AI-driven e-commerce technology stack that applies machine learning to market insights, product recommendation, and operational automation, supported by visual and textual product discovery. Proprietary branding has expanded via the SoftFade label and the 2025 Artist Collaboration Series, shifting the merchandise mix toward higher-margin own-brand apparel. The platform supports 20+ languages and 30+ currencies, processes transactions through its own storefront (lightinthebox.com) and mobile app (with app-exclusive discounts up to 60% off), and additionally provides B2B e-commerce services — advertising, supply chain management, and fulfillment — to other online retailers.
Revenue is generated predominantly through one-time product sales to consumers (per-transaction unit pricing with no subscription), with the B2B services arm contributing a secondary stream. FY2025 revenue was $224.3M (down 12% YoY), but Q4 2025 (+9%) and Q1 2026 (+11%) returned to growth, alongside a record $3.3M quarterly net income, $8.3M FY2025 net income (turnaround from a $2.5M FY2024 loss), seven consecutive profitable quarters, and a 65% gross margin — the highest since the 2013 IPO. Branded apparel grew 143% in 2025 and over 80% in Q1 2026, now representing 24% of revenue.
LightInTheBox.com firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LightInTheBox.com
- Legal name
- LightInTheBox Holding Co., Ltd.
- Website
- https://lightinthebox.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- LightInTheBox is a China-based, NYSE-listed direct-to-consumer cross-border e-commerce platform selling globally across apparel, home, electronics, and specialty categories, increasingly through proprietary branded apparel supported by AI-driven product insights.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LightInTheBox.com industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cross-border online retail
- NAICS
- Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)
- SIC
- Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Outdoor Lighting & Power (Headlamps, Batteries, Solar) Retail (CRAMAAAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Outdoor & Landscape Lighting Retail (Path, Flood, Security, Deck) (CRAIAHAC), Fine Fragrance (Women’s/Men’s/Unisex) (CRABADAA)
Keywords
Where LightInTheBox.com is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Beijing
- HQ country
- China
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
LightInTheBox.com business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- E-commerce product sales: Direct product sales through the lightinthebox.com e-commerce platform. Revenue generated from consumer purchases across multiple product categories including apparel, home & garden, consumer electronics, and specialty items like dancewear and figure skating costumes.
- E-commerce services: Comprehensive e-commerce services provided to other e-commerce companies including advertising, supply chain management, and fulfillment solutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual product purchases at varying price points based on category and complexity |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | App-exclusive promotional pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
LightInTheBox.com product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LightInTheBox is a global cross-border e-commerce company that sells apparel, footwear, home and garden goods, consumer electronics, wedding and event attire, beauty products and specialty items (such as dancewear, figure skating costumes and waterproof home products) directly to consumers through its own online storefront and mobile app. It increasingly relies on higher-margin proprietary branded apparel (SoftFade, Artist Collaboration Series) and uses AI-driven insights to inform product selection, pricing and brand development.
Product overview
LightInTheBox is a global AI-driven e-commerce platform operating as a direct-to-consumer online retail company. The platform offers a diverse portfolio organized around multiple core product categories including Women's Clothing, Men's Clothing, Shoes & Bags, Home & Garden, Weddings & Events, Baby & Kids, Phones & Accessories, Beauty & Hair, Lights & Lighting, Sports & Outdoors, Toys & Hobbies, and Consumer Electronics. The platform has evolved toward a 'consumer lifestyle' positioning, expanding into proprietary branded apparel under the SoftFade brand, which offers vintage-style cotton clothing. The company utilizes its AI-driven e-commerce platform to power personalized recommendations and operational automation. Additionally, LightInTheBox provides comprehensive e-commerce services including advertising, supply chain management, and fulfillment solutions. Specialized sub-categories include Dancewear & Dance Shoes (featuring figure skating, Latin, ballroom, ballet, and carnival dance attire) and Waterproof Home Products (including waterproof slipcovers, outdoor lighting, and shower curtains).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Women's Clothing Core apparel category for women including tops, dresses, wedding attire and general fashion items, sold direct to global consumers via lightinthebox.com and the mobile app.
- Men's Clothing Core apparel category for men including t-shirts, shoes and menswear essentials, sold direct to global consumers online.
- Shoes & Bags Footwear and accessories category including women's shoes and bags, sold direct to global consumers online.
- Home & Garden Home décor, waterproof home products and garden-related items sold direct to global consumers online.
- Weddings & Events Wedding dresses, event attire and celebration-related products for consumers purchasing occasion-specific clothing online.
- Baby & Kids Children's clothing and products for mothers and kids, sold direct to global consumers online.
- Phones & Accessories Mobile phones, tablets and related accessories sold direct to global consumers online.
- Beauty & Hair Beauty products and hair care items sold direct to global consumers online.
- Lights & Lighting Indoor and outdoor lighting solutions including waterproof outdoor lights, sold direct to global consumers online.
- Sports & Outdoors Sports equipment and outdoor activity gear sold direct to global consumers online.
- Toys & Hobbies Toys and hobby-related products including dancewear and dance shoes sold direct to global consumers online.
- Consumer Electronics Electronic devices and gadgets sold direct to global consumers online.
- Dancewear & Dance Shoes Specialty dance attire including figure skating dresses, Latin, ballroom, ballet, carnival and belly dancewear and dance accessories sold to global consumers online.
- Waterproof Home Products Waterproof slipcovers, outdoor lights, curtains, bedding and shower curtains for home protection, sold direct to global consumers online.
- SoftFade (proprietary apparel brand) LightInTheBox's proprietary apparel brand offering vintage-style women's cotton Henley shirts and tank tops with washed, acid wash vintage styling, sold direct to global consumers online.
- Artist Collaboration Series Exclusive apparel line featuring designs by emerging artists Ruth Thompson, Vincent Hie, Sheena Pike and Dakota Daetwiler, launched to differentiate LightInTheBox from low-cost competitors and support the higher-margin proprietary branded apparel strategy.
- E-commerce Services (Advertising, Supply Chain, Fulfillment) B2B service offering providing advertising, supply chain management and fulfillment solutions to other e-commerce companies, leveraging LightInTheBox's integrated cross-border capabilities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Achieved 65% gross margin, highest since 2013 IPO, through proprietary product strategy
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use LightInTheBox.com
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
LightInTheBox.com technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature3 records
LightInTheBox.com partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
LightInTheBox.com competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Shein: China-based cross-border fast-fashion e-commerce platform selling apparel, accessories, and lifestyle products to global consumers. Direct competitor to LightInTheBox in cross-border apparel with overlapping product mix and target demographic.
- Temu: PDD-owned cross-border discount e-commerce marketplace shipping Chinese-sourced goods globally at aggressive price points. Competes head-to-head with LightInTheBox for value-conscious global apparel and lifestyle shoppers.
- AliExpress: Alibaba's international cross-border e-commerce platform serving global consumers with Chinese-sourced apparel, electronics, and home goods. Closest direct competitor at scale, sharing a similar cross-border marketplace model.
- Wish: Discount cross-border e-commerce platform historically focused on low-cost Chinese-sourced merchandise. Direct competitor in the value-oriented global e-commerce segment, though operating at a smaller scale.
- DHgate: China-based cross-border B2C/B2B e-commerce marketplace exporting apparel, accessories, and home goods globally. Comparable in supply chain origin, customer base, and product breadth to LightInTheBox.
- Banggood: China-based cross-border online retailer selling apparel, electronics, and home products to international consumers. Operates a similar DTC cross-border model with multi-currency and multi-language support.
Broad incumbents
- Amazon: Global e-commerce incumbent with a large fashion, home, and consumer electronics assortment serving the same value-conscious shopper. Overlaps with LightInTheBox on multiple categories but does not specialize in cross-border.
- eBay: Global online marketplace with broad merchandise including apparel, home goods, and consumer electronics. Comparable in product breadth and global consumer base, though a marketplace model rather than first-party retail.
Emerging players
- Wayfair: Online home goods and furniture retailer with global reach. Overlaps with LightInTheBox's Home & Garden category including lighting, but specializes in furniture/home rather than apparel.
- Etsy: Global online marketplace for differentiated, specialty, and handmade goods including apparel and home decor. Comparable in the differentiated/specialty product positioning that LightInTheBox is pursuing with its proprietary branded apparel strategy.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
LightInTheBox.com social profiles
Digital presenceLightInTheBox.com financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LightInTheBox.com leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
LightInTheBox.com funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LightInTheBox.com M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LightInTheBox.com
What does LightInTheBox.com do?
LightInTheBox is a global cross-border e-commerce company that sells apparel, footwear, home and garden goods, consumer electronics, wedding and event attire, beauty products and specialty items (such as dancewear, figure skating costumes and waterproof home products) directly to consumers through its own online storefront and mobile app. It increasingly relies on higher-margin proprietary branded apparel (SoftFade, Artist Collaboration Series) and uses AI-driven insights to inform product selection, pricing and brand development.
Is LightInTheBox.com a public or private company?
LightInTheBox.com is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was LightInTheBox.com founded?
LightInTheBox.com was founded in 2007. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is LightInTheBox.com based?
LightInTheBox.com is headquartered in Beijing, China, in the Asia region.
How does LightInTheBox.com make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. E-commerce product sales are the primary driver. The others are E-commerce services.
Who are LightInTheBox.com's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Shein, Temu, AliExpress, Wish, DHgate and Banggood. Broad incumbents are Amazon and eBay. Emerging players are Wayfair and Etsy.
Does LightInTheBox.com have an API?
No public API is recorded for LightInTheBox.com.
What industry is LightInTheBox.com in?
LightInTheBox.com's product category is Cross-border online retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMAAAG, Outdoor Lighting & Power (Headlamps, Batteries, Solar) Retail, with a secondary code of CRAIAHAC, Outdoor & Landscape Lighting Retail (Path, Flood, Security, Deck). Its NAICS code is 456120 and its SIC code is 5621.