Outfit details here
Happy Monday, beauties!
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Outfit details here
Happy Monday, beauties!
I wrote a review of Chicwish about two and a half years ago, a few months after I had starting blogging (you can view it here). Since then, Chicwish has been one of my go-to's for the latest trends and I have bought more than enough to create an accurate review (not that my first one wasn't accurate...this is just updated a bit). Read below to see what my experience with Chicwish has been like over the last few years and to see some of my favorite Chicwish outfits from 2017. By the way...this is not sponsored. I just wanted to share my honest experience :-)
Outfit details here
If you visit my blog often, then you know that I wear Chicwish items A LOT (both on and off the blog). Even though I absolutely love them, I have had mixed feelings about a few things. I have included specific details about my experiences in each category below.
Shipping
This is where my biggest issue is. Shipping times seem to be all over the place! Keep in mind that items are coming from across the world and much like any Asian retailer, the shipping time will take much longer than if the package were coming from the US. I find that 2-3 weeks shipping time is typical for any Asian retailer. After my initial first order in 2015 (which took six weeks), shipping seemed to be much better (2-3 weeks). There were a couple of instances where shipping took over 8 weeks. I emailed them and they were quick to respond letting me know that items were backordered or needed to be restocked would be shipping soon. Since then, shipping has gotten much better and it usually takes 2-3 weeks to get my items. I have only ever used the free shipping option so I am not sure if shipping would be quicker with the paid options. Needless to say, if you are ordering for a specific occasion, I would order well in advance instead of last minute.
Back-order
When shipping takes forever, it's usually because an item is back-ordered, being restocked or being redesigned. If you placed an order with multiple items and one of your items in back-ordered, there is a possibility that your order may not ship out on time. It seems that they are getting better with this though because my recent packages have included the in-stock items in one package with the back-ordered item(s) in a separate package. If it's been three weeks since you placed your order, I would simply email contact@chicwish.com with your order number and ask if they have shipped your items yet. They have always been very kind and quick to respond.
Missing Items
There have been a couple of times where I have received packages with missing items. This is because they sent the missing items in a secondary package due to back-order or a restock. When this happens, they don't usually notify you which is why you might think that the item was just simply not put in the package. They will usually note a secondary package on the order slip. If not, then I usually email customer service with my order number and let them know that an item is missing from my order. They ALWAYS tell me it's coming in a second package and give me a tracking number if it's been sent out.
Quality
I would say that 95% of the time, the quality is suberb! There have been VERY few instances where the quality was sub-par and not worthy of the price. Overall, the items are well-made, unique and quality. I have never had issues with loose threads, crooked hemlines, cheap embroidery, or anything like that. The items usually wash very well. The ones that don't are the ones that are usually more fragile and are made with delicate material so I hand wash these. The items that I bought almost three years ago still look fantastic! I would say that items are roughly the same quality as Zara.
Fit
A problem with Asian retailers is that the fit is always all over the place! I have learned to look at the fit measurements of each garment (not just the size) when it comes to shopping at these stores online. However, I will say that the fit of Chicwish items seem to be very consistent. My normal US size is a 0/2 (XS) and I usually go up a size and buy a Small in Chicwish items. I do have a few XS pieces that are true to size, but since I'm ordering online, I usually just go with the size Small to lessen the chance of a return. There have been a couple of times where the Small was a bit too big, but the item still looked fine. I would say that if you are shopping here for the first time, either measure from the size chart or go up a size.
Exchanges
Honestly, I have never made an exchange and I'm not sure that I would. This is because items come and go so quickly, that by the time my return shipment made it back to the brand, the item may not be available. For this reason, if I ever needed to make an exchange, I would place a new order and buy the item in a different size/color/etc and return the other item. Luckily, I have had no major fit issues to where I needed to exchange for a different size.
Returns
A few years ago, returns were practically impossible! However, Chicwish has made it so much easier for US customers to return items by providing a US return shipping address. I can count on one hand how many time I have had to return items. It's usually because the item is too overwhelming on my frame or I just didn't care for the way it looked on me...never because of quality. The only thing is that they do not provide a shipping label and you have to pay for return shipping yourself. I always choose priority shipping because a.) I want to have a tracking number for the shipment and b.) it only takes 2-3 days to ship back so I get my refund ASAP. It's a bit more expensive, but I've had too many nightmares happen with cheaper non-priority shipping. Also, be sure to include the return slip in your order! Once I ship out the return, I wait a few days until I see that it's been delivered. I, then, email customer service to let them know that I have made a return and that it looks like the items have been received. I also include my order number, tracking number and which item(s) I have returned to ensure a smoother return. By following up, I have always received a refund or credit within 24 hours of my email. If you don't follow up, it could possibly take much longer.
Defects
As with any brand, there are bound to be defective items. I haven't received a ton of them, but I have received a few. I always email customer service immediately with my order number to let them know that I received my package, but that there was a defective item in the order. I also send photographs and a description of the defect. For these situations, they have done a few different things. If the item is in stock and you still want it, they will send a replacement. If it's not in stock, they will issue a refund or store credit without the item having to be returned.
Refunds
When you return an item, they will usually give you the option of a refund back to your card or a store credit. When they issue store credit, they usually give you a few dollars more than if you were to get a refund. If I see another item on the site I love, then I will take the store credit. Both refund and store credit is usually issued within 24-48 hours, but many times (in my experience) it's immediate.
Lost Packages
There was one instance where a package of mine was sent to my old address by accident. I actually went to my old address to check if it had been left for the new tenant and they did not receive it. It ended up being returned to Chicwish and somehow got lost from there. This is one of the times that it took over eight weeks to receive my package. I will say that they did ship it on time and that it would have been received much faster had the address mistake not been made. Although, they never received the returned package, they issued a sincere apology for the mistake and shipped my entire order AGAIN without hesitation...and it was my biggest order ever.
Discounts
Chicwish did not have a lot of discounts a few years ago, but this has changed. The items on the site are most likely already discounted PLUS they usually offer some sort of 10% off discount on top of it. If you have a store credit or gift card, you can still apply these discounts. Obviously, if you return the item, these discounts will reflect on the price of the item and you will only receive back what you paid. Also, keep in mind that items that are heavily discounted (clearance), might not be able to be returned.
Inventory
Like most other shops of this type, inventory is always changing. They add new items a few times a week and these items do sell out quickly. If any item is popular, it might be restocked but if you fall in love with an item, I would definitely buy it immediately. There have been a few times where I waited a few days or even a few hours and the item sold out and was never restocked. There have also been times where items stay on the site for months so you might get lucky ;-)
Customer Service
Over the years, I made a TON of purchases from Chicwish so I have had a lot of experience with customer service. I have had lost packages, returned item, had defective items, missing items, etc and each time I reached out to customer service (which was a lot), they were very pleasant. Even when I was annoyed, frustrated or not so happy about an order, they were always kind, respectful and helpful. There have a been a few instances where they weren't sure about something, but they always got back to me in a timely manner and always followed up. When they made a promise, they always followed through. They have come a LONG way over the last few years with their growing popularity and while there have been some times that I have been left scratching my head, they have always come through and never cheated me out of an item or a refund.
Overall
I am confident enough with my purchase history to highly recommend this company. The clothing is fantastic quality for the price point and customer service is trustworthy and helpful. They do run things a lot different than a more mainstream retailer would so their business practices may not always make sense, but once you get used to how they do things, it's not such a big deal. I do feel like they can do a few things better, but they seem to be making improvements. :-)
Are you a fan of Chicwish?
xo
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