If you're going to shop at Zara, you might as well go all out with these Zara shopping hacks that will quite honestly save you time and more importantly, money. Here's all the wisdom we're ready to impart, gleaned from former employees and from our own shopping excursions online and in-store.
The best days to shop at Zara
According to Zara employees, new stock arrives on Mondays and Thursdays, so that's the best time to get your hands on new items. Stock gets unpacked in the morning, so you're better off waiting until later in the morning to shop - but before lunch time so the shop isn't packed. Online, stock gets updated daily, so keep your eyes peeled.
The best time to shop at Zara
In terms of going into a store, it's pretty obvious that the morning is the best time of day to go. Fresh stock will be put out and everything will be ordered nicely, plus there won't be many people around, meaning you can beat the queues both at the changing rooms and at checkout. As soon as 1pm hits though, the queues will snake around the shop as people on their lunch breaks try to buy something.
How to make browsing easier
There is no denying the Zara website is visually beautiful, thanks to its many editorial shoots and videos. However it makes it difficult to browse and shop. But we've got a tip for you. If you go to the top right of the site in any section, you'll see three icons: a square, two side-by-side rectangles and four small squares. Click on the second or third options, and the products will appear in an orderly fashion, skipping the moving images and pretty shoots that aren't that useful to your browsing.
This way, you'll be able to see and shop all the products on the page, much more easily.
Zara pre-owned
Zara's foray into the resale market with its Pre-owned section is a total gamechanger. Not only is this a great way to practice circularity, but you can also grab a bargain and get your hands on sold-out items you might have missed out on previously. Shop our top picks from the current pre-owned new-in section below:
Repair Zara clothing
As part of the Zara Pre-Owned program, you can also get your clothing and accessories fixed in workshops so they can last longer. This isn't a free service, you'll need to pay £5.50 for shipping, and then a separate fee depending on the issue, eg £3 for a button, £15 for a zip replacement or to fix a hem.
How to find the best discounts in the sale
Apparently, Zara employees are told to put the most expensive sale items at the front of the store, in the hope that these will go first. So, if you want to grab a real bargain, head to the back of the store or rack. This is often where you'll find the dregs of the sale even after it's officially ended. Annoyingly, the most popular items will be the less discounted, so it's worth being open-minded with what you're looking for.
How to get faster shipping at Zara
This doesn't necessarily work every time, but I've noticed that if I get an item shipped to a store, it's usually available much quicker for pickup (usually the next day) than it advertises (which is 2-3 working days). Of course, this'll depend on the stock at your nearest store. Plus, this way you get free delivery, and it's more environmentally friendly as it'll likely be delivered with other stock or orders.
If you're desperate and live in London, you can get same day delivery for £7.95, Monday to Sunday, as long as you buy your item before 2pm.
Does Zara still do special prices?
Although it's not advertised as such, the Zara Special Prices section is essentially a sale. You'll find it in the dropdown section under 'women' in pink font, so you can't miss it.
In there, you’ll find clothing from every category, from dresses to coats and shoes, some of them reduced by as much as 60% off. Although it used to be Zara's more basic pieces, now it seems to even include current collections.
Shop our top Zara Special Prices picks, currently on sale below:
Zara sold out items
Missed out on an item? Most Zara best-sellers often get restocked, even a year later if they've been extra popular. These are often to be found in the 'Must Haves' section, based on shoppers' buying and searching behaviour.
If an item is on the verge of being re-stocked, it'll have a 'coming soon' message with an envelope next to the sold out size. Click on it to add your email address, then you'll be alerted by email as soon as it gets re-stocked.
Zara has also started adding new products before they launch, as a kind of 'sneak peek' so this is a good way to ensure you don't miss out on new launches.
Be aware that you won't be the only person signed up for these alerts, so be quick to log on to the site as soon as you get the email.
You can also check the availability of the item in store, but I've found that the tool isn't always accurate, as it can take a few hours for the store's stocks to align with the online ones.
Zara discount codes
That's the one hack I can't help you with, Zara still doesn't do discount codes, so you'll just have to wait for the sales to grab a bargain.
Zara sales 2024 UK
On top of the two big annual end of season sales, there are a few smaller ones peppered throughout the year.
Zara doesn't give you much of a heads up as to when it'll host a sale, so the best way to know in advance is to sign up to the newsletter, because you will usually get notified a few days in advance.
My top tip: create an account if you haven't already and save any items you've got your eye on. This way you can easily see which items have been reduced and add them to your shopping basket quickly.
If you want extra discounts, it's worth being patient. Historically, although Zara sales start with an 'up to 50% off message', not all items are reduced by that much. If you can wait a week or two, more lines will be added to the sale and discounts will increase.
Zara free delivery
The cheapest way to get your Zara order delivered is to get it sent directly to a store of your choice, for free. However, if you're spending over £50, then your shipping will be free regardless. Standard delivery is £3.95 and takes 2-3 days.
If you'd like guaranteed next-day delivery, Zara charges £4.95. Or if you'd like same-day delivery within London, the brand charges £7.95. Be mindful though, that you are only eligible for same-day delivery if you're within London and your order is placed before 2 PM.
Zara's returns policy
A while back, Zara made a significant change to its return policy. Where before it was free to return an item at a drop point (useful for online orders), you now have to pay £1.95 for this service, which will be deducted from your refund.
However you can get around this by returning your item to a store, which is still free, though not very convenient if you don't live near a store. You still have 30 days to return your unwanted items.
