I love scoring a good bargain.
But like many moms, I don’t have time to compare prices at dozens of stores and websites, hunting for the best deals.
We recently wrote about Zulily, the online megastore, which plans to open a huge warehouse in Bethlehem early next year. The center will employ 1,200 people who will package orders for shipment, making it one of the area’s largest employers.
The Seattle company needs that center; its revenues were up 97 percent in the last year and its loyal customer base is 4.1 million and climbing.
Here’s what the company has on its Twitter profile: “Zulily is a retailer obsessed with bringing moms special finds every day — all at incredible prices. We feature clothing, home decor, toys, gifts and more.”
I’m the target customer, apparently.
I decided to dive in and see what Zulily is all about. I had my imaginary $150 that I would spend on stuff for family.
First thing, of course, is to go to the website http://www.zulily.com.
Con: Before you can even look around the site, you have to register by providing your email address and creating a password. I think most people would like to see what a website offers first, then decide if they want to join.
Once you have registered, get ready to receive a lot of emails because Zulily will send you one each day announcing that day’s sales.
Pro: Creating the account takes three steps and is pretty fast and easy. Basically it’s your email address, a password you create and your name.
How the site works
Pro: A quick look at the website and you immediately see some top-brand names, or as the site calls them “boutique brands.” On the day I was shopping, featured on the site was Keen, one of my favorite brands for shoes.
Zulily organizes its special sales by “events.” Starting at 9 a.m., new events open and usually last 72 hours. You’ll need to get on early and score your bargain quickly.
Searching the site is pretty easy. At the top of the page you can search by category — women, girls, boys, men, shoes, health and beauty, baby and maternity, toys and playtime, and home. I was able to search by size and quickly found things for my 8-year-old as well as clothing for my 12-year-old (who wears juniors.) There’s a good selection of women’s and men’s clothing and plus sizes. I saw a lot of items that would be good holiday gifts, like Christmas decorations and blankets and throws.
If you aren’t loyal to a certain brand, you’ll find a lot to like. You could also watch for your favorite brand to be featured as part of an event and grab deals then.
Con: If you are loyal to certain brands, you may not always find what you want. The Keen sale was a special event, meaning if I go on the site again today Keen products won’t be there.
There are regular bands on the site, called Brands We Love, including Calvin Klein, Melissa & Doug educational toys, and Clinique and Urban Decay (beauty items.) Brands We Love can be found at the bottom of the site; if you’re seeking a specific brand, you’ll have to dig down on the site.
Bargains?
Pros: There are definitely good deals on Zulily.
On the day I was “shopping,” the Keen event had great deals (most items half off regular retail price), and there were several styles of shoes in my size. Keen also makes handbags, and there were several styles available, also running about half price.
There was also a ton of cute clothes for kids, especially holiday dresses for girls (many for less than $20) and athletic wear for boys, all at reasonable prices. To find the deals was pretty easy and didn’t take a lot of time.
Cons: The one negative here is that for the “special events,” you have to act fast. I’m the type of person who wants to shop when it’s convenient for me. To get on a website at 9 a.m. every day to check out deals and shop is not practical (plus I’d probably be fired for not doing my work.)
Shipping
Cons: Most of us are used to ordering from sites such as Amazon or Zappos, and within a day or two the order is shipped. That makes the total time for delivery about a week, on average.
With Zulily, it’s not that simple.
According to the site:
“Our process is a little different from how most online stores work. We make bulk orders when each of our events ends — that’s one of the ways we’re able to offer such great deals on so many unique products every day. Next, the brand sends your goodies to us and we ship them to you. Take a look at the product description pages for specific details about each item. The shipping time frame depends on what items you order and to which countries you are having them shipped. Once your order is shipped, we’ll email you a tracking number and you can always check your order’s status under My Orders.”
I needed more explanation so I spoke with Laura Jones, a Zulily spokeswoman.
Jones says Zulily doesn’t keep a lot of inventory in its fulfillment centers. This helps the company keep prices low.
I asked how long it would be for an average customer to receive an order. She says about 10 or 11 days but it can vary.
The site will tell you how much time it is expected to take for items to ship out. One day, Zulily had a good event going on with Le Creuset, a high-end line of cast-iron cookware used by chefs and very pricey. If you clicked on “2.38-Qt. Skillet & Cookbook Set,” the site says it “ships within 10-14 days.”
Pro: Domestic shipping rates are pretty low, starting at $5.95.
Overall
Zulily has a lot of good deals for a wide range of needs, from kids clothes to beauty to shoes and men’s and women’s clothing.
You need to expect the shipping of items to take longer than for other sites. This will require you to plan further ahead if you’re shopping for a special occasion. I can’t say that would always work for me.
twitter @jenwsheehan
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Zulily at a glance
*Website: http://www.zulily.com
*What is it? An online shopping website that bills itself as perfect for busy moms looking for good deals.
*Are there Zulily stores? No
*Compared to Amazon: No books but lots of great deals on clothing, beauty, shoes and home decor.
