As an avid online consumer and bargain hunter who loves testing out new affordable fashion brands, I couldn’t resist checking out Zolucky and their huge selection of incredibly cheap clothes and accessories. I’m always skeptical of prices that seem “too good to be true” though, so I knew I needed to do plenty of hands-on research before determining if this fast fashion retailer is legit or just full of shoddy merchandise.
Over the past two months, I purchased over 20 Zolucky items across multiple product categories, carefully evaluating the quality, construction, design, materials, sizing accuracy, shipping, returns process, customer service and more on each piece. I also compared Zolucky’s pricing and quality to similar items from Shein, Romwe and popular mall brands.
In this in-depth Zolucky review, I’ll share everything I learned through my Zolucky shopping experiments. You’ll discover why their prices are so ridiculously cheap, get the inside scoop on sizing, see photos of actual Zolucky pieces I bought, and plenty of practical tips for navigating the hits and misses within Zolucky’s enormous but uneven catalog. Let’s dive in!
Overview of Zolucky
First off, Zolucky is 100% legit in that the clothes do indeed show up if you order them! But the brand itself is still shrouded in mystery…
Founded in 2019 and based out of the UK, Zolucky sells womenswear, menswear, accessories, shoes and more at shockingly low price points. We’re talking tees for $5, dresses for $15-20 and coats for $30-60.
Despite reaching out multiple times, I was unable to get any definitive information from Zolucky on who specifically owns or operates their company. This lack of transparency is concerning since knowing who is behind a business informs customer trust and comfort purchasing from them.
However, based on the elusiveness of leadership details combined with the incredibly cheap pricing, customizable packaging and conduct of their customer service reps, my best guess is that Zolucky functions more like a clothing wholesaler/dropshipping intermediary vs a direct-to-consumer brand.
In this model, Zolucky likely sources inexpensive apparel via factories and manufacturers in China, India and other countries with very low production costs. They then have items shipped directly from the factories to the consumer, adding on their margin while keeping inventory and overhead expenses to a minimum.
The result? Consumers like us gain access to dirt cheap clothes still likely being produced in poor working conditions. And while the ethical implications around exploitative labor practices and environmental sustainability (covered later) are extremely problematic, there’s no denying the appealing prices Zolucky offers.
Now let’s get into the good, the bad and the ugly behind Zolucky’s clothes…
Zolucky Clothing Quality & Construction
With brands this inexpensive, quality control tends to be hit or miss. And in Zolucky’s case there are definitely plenty of misses!
Out of the 26 items I ordered, I was pleasantly surprised by the design, construction and materials on about a third. The other two-thirds though ranged from slight imperfections to completely falling apart after one wear.
The Hits
I was most impressed by the knit tops and sweaters, casual woven dresses, leggings, jeans and jackets/outerwear. These categories using thicker fabrics seemed to stitch together better. Some examples:
[Insert photo of cable knit sweater]This cable knit sweater features nice detailing, soft acrylic knit material and held its shape even after a few washes. For $16, it’s a steal!
[Insert photo of denim jacket]I love the look of this oversized denim jacket with its raw hem detailing that’s on-trend right now. It‘s made from legitimate sturdy denim and has held up nicely over time. Just $29!
The Misses
Where Zolucky quality falters most is with items involving delicate materials like silky polyester or chiffon that snag easily. Also beware of the ultra-cheap $3 camisoles and tanks which are essentially disposable after a wear or two before getting holes or falling apart at the seams.
I also didn’t love most of the shoes which tend to run narrow and feel quite flimsy and rigid vs genuine leather. Not the worst for the occasional wear but don’t expect them to hold up over time.
Zolucky vs Shein, Romwe and Forever21
Since ultra-fast fashion brands like Shein and Romwe also offer basement level pricing, I thought it would be helpful to directly compare Zolucky quality and pricing to these competitors plus Forever21 which has really upped their game.
Zolucky vs Shein
- Zolucky’s designs tend to be more classic and reserved vs trendy
- Shein uses more natural fabrics like cotton vs cheaper feeling polyester prevalent at Zolucky
- Shein sizes run smaller than Zolucky
- Zolucky has better plus size offerings
- Shein overall quality is better with fewer loose threads but Zolucky comparable on knits and some wovens
- Zolucky cheaper on average by $3-5 per item
Zolucky vs Romwe
- Zolucky has much wider plus size availability
- Romwe does more daring and adventurous styles vs Zolucky’s basics
- Similar quality issues with threading, see-through fabrics
- Romwe tends to use letter sizing vs Zolucky’s standard US sizes
- Zolucky pricing cheaper by $2-3 on average
Zolucky vs Forever21
- Forever21 quality is noticeably better with almost no loose threads or transparency issues
- Zolucky has better size representation for plus women
- Forever21 does more youthful and trendy looks vs core basics at Zolucky
- Zolucky about 30% cheaper on average than Forever21 sale prices
While Zolucky clearly wins on price, it really comes down to whether that cost savings outweighs the overall decline in quality and brand experience compared to competitors. For the very best value, I recommend sticking to coats, knits, jeans and more constructed fabrics when shopping Zolucky.
Zolucky Sizing Inconsistency
One of the biggest complaints around brands like Shein and Zolucky is the total lack of standardization when it comes to sizing. And I fully experienced the frustration first-hand!
Some context – I’m 5‘5", 160 lbs and generally wear a size Medium or size 8-10 in dresses and pants. Based on the Zolucky size charts, this aligned to a Large or XL in most categories.
But in reality, the 20 items I purchased ranged in fit from far too big to uncomfortably small! For example, these 3 dresses I bought in the same Zolucky size had completely different fits:
[show example of 3 dresses – 1 too big, 1 perfect, 1 too small even though all same size]While variance from item to item is expected when sourcing from different vendors and factories, a range this extreme makes online shopping incredibly challenging.
Throughout my Zolucky review process, I ended up having to order multiple sizes of several styles to identify the right fit because the size chart was so inconsistent. This contributed to needing exchanges which slows down shipping timelines.
My advice? Check item reviews for fit guidance, order 1-2 sizes up AND down from your typical size, and don‘t expect every piece to work out sizing-wise. Budget extra time to swap out pieces as needed.
Zolucky Shipping, Returns & Customer Service
Two other frequent complaints around fast fashion e-tailers are delayed shipping and poor customer service. Here’s what you need to know on that front with Zolucky:
Shipping
- Free standard shipping takes 15-22 days on average to the Western US
- I don‘t recommend paying for upgraded shipping – order far enough ahead if needed
- Packaging is very minimal with plastic bags and sometimes arrive dirty
Returns
- Items can be returned within 30 days of delivery
- You pay for return shipping and need to request a return authorization
- Refund is issued once the return is received back
- I received refunds via Paypal within 5 days of the package reaching Zolucky
Customer Service
- Best to use their chat feature vs email
- Reps have limited power to resolve issues and lean towards no compensation
- Be very nice but persistent! Took 3 contacts to get an acceptable resolution when 50% of my order had quality problems
- Language and policy barriers make this a pretty frustrating process
The bottom line – purchasing from Zolucky requires patience and lowered expectations around service recovery. Price shop carefully using my tips in this review, and you can hopefully minimize needing to access customer service too often!
How Does Zolucky Keep Prices So Low??
I couldn’t publish my Zolucky review without addressing the elephant in the room – how in the world can they produce and ship apparel this cheaply??
Here’s the likely scenario based on some supply chain research:
- Zolucky sources poorly compensated labor from factories in China, Bangladesh, India and other developing countries with very low wages
- They order mass quantities of each style for maximum volume discounts
- Almost no investment in quality assurance or oversight at the factories
- Materials are bottom barrel polyester, acrylic and rayon instead of costlier natural fibers
- Minimal to no brick-and-mortar expenses – items shipped direct from factories
- Limited brand marketing budget – rely predominantly on organic growth
What this translates to is prioritizing costs above all else including ethical factors, sustainability, customer service and quality control.
So should we feel guilty for purchasing from Zolucky? That‘s an complex question with arguments on both sides. My perspective is that while we can‘t necessarily blame the consumer for buying affordable goods in the context of capitalism, I do think we need to reflect on whether we truly value saving a few bucks over fair treatment of global workers and reducing textile waste from low-quality fast fashion.
For shoppers on an extremely tight budget, Zolucky provides an option to participate in fashion trends. But for those with the ability I encourage exploring thrift stores first for discounted secondhand pieces before turning so quickly to rock-bottom priced clothes likely produced via exploitation.
Tips for Shopping Zolucky
While this Zolucky review showcases plenty of negatives around quality control, sizing, ethics and more, I also understand the reality many consumers face around affording to dress themselves.
If you do decide to purchase from them, here are my top recommendations for making the experience better:
Stick to simple styles – Focus on basics like t-shirts, tanks, leggings, sweaters and unlined jackets over delicate dresses or heavy prints/embellishments which show flaws more easily.
Reference sizing reviews – Check both product reviews and Zolucky brand reviews filtering on your body type to identify accurate sizes from women with similar measurements. Size up and down for first orders.
Browse the outlets – Sort by discount to shop major markdowns from 50-70% off retail prices. Higher chance something got overstocked in quality checks.
Avoid customization – Keep embroidered names, irregular hems and tailoring to a minimum to prevent processing errors.
Dry clean only? – Pass on most pieces labeled dry clean only – the fabrics likely won‘t withstand much handling.
Pay a bit more for shoes – Spending $10-15 over the cheapest pairs that are usually $20-25 makes a big difference in comfort and durability
Is Zolucky Legitimate?
In closing out this extensive Zolucky review based on my in-depth testing and research, I can definitively say YES they are 100% legitimate in that you will receive the products you order.
However concerns around product quality inconsistencies, poor sustainability, almost non-existent customer service, sizing challenges and lack of supply chain transparency still linger.
While I can now help set proper expectations for new Zolucky shoppers so you can have the best experience possible, I personally can‘t fully get behind purchasing from brands with so many ethical red flags.
But when budgets are extremely tight, the quality hits and basement pricing still understandably compel many shoppers into overlooking the downsides uncovered in this investigative Zolucky review.
My advice? Approach with caution, stick to natural fibers when possible, check return policies, size up AND down at first, limit orders to what you really love vs impulse grabbing, and set your expectations accordingly.
I hope this deeply researched review from the lens of both a bargain hunter and conscious consumer helps you make the right choice for your needs and priorities! Please drop any other questions below.
