Oct 26, 2017

Shopping at Zara Is Competitive and This Is How to Win

by Lara Burnell

Zara is quite possibly unmatched in its ability to deliver exactly what we need when we are looking for a lunchtime shopping fix. The affordable, quality pieces and constant stream of trends drawn from the runways and street style always keep us looking fresh. But because of the lack of an online store, stepping foot into a Zara can feel like a seriously competitive experience to find the best of the best. Lucky for us, we have an insider at the brand's head office (who wished to remain anonymous) and they've revealed the secrets (and clever hacks) that you can arm yourself with so you can get in and out of Zara in 15 minutes, without missing the goods.

While each store's layout, feel, and stocked items differ slightly, all of these strategies will help you shop at Zara like a pro. Because we know all too well it's hard to find anything that compares to the thrill of wearing an amazing, compliment-attracting piece on repeat. You know the one. It's the dress, pair of shoes, or blazer that people will always ask you where you bought it and you reply, "Oh, it's just Zara," like it's really nothing.

Keep scrolling to read the tips, and to check out what's new in store at Zara this spring.

"Visiting Zara when it opens in the morning is a good idea, as you will be able to appreciate how our merchandisers prep the store before all the other customers arrive. Our merchandisers work their magic on store layouts every week, so don't get stuck on the idea that one section is better than the others."

"The store is set up in a way where collections are presented in little 'boutiques' with styling recommendations—including shoes, bags, and accessories (you might have noticed we don’t have a separate section for shoes or bags). So before just going through the racks of clothing throughout the store, I recommend you take the time to look at these boutiques so you can fully appreciate the collections—you might find some inspiration."

"All stores get two deliveries at the beginning and end of each week, but our flagship stores—Pitt Street in Sydney, Queen Street in Brisbane, Murray Street in Perth, and Bourke Street in Melbourne—will normally get more stock and limited-edition pieces."

"High-trend pieces from the women's section can sell out quickly at the Pitt Street and Bondi Junction stores (in Sydney), this is because we have all the stylists and fashion editors shopping in these stores."