<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-02-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001478484</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>zulily, inc.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ZU</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001590424</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Atchison David Lee</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O ZULILY, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2601 ELLIOTT AVENUE, SUITE 200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SEATTLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>98121</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior VP, Marketing</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>41.86</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-02-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2024-02-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>100000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares subject to this option shall vest and become exercisable at a rate of twenty-five percent of the total number of shares on the one-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date and 1/48th of the total number of shares each monthly anniversary of the vesting commencement date thereafter for so long as the recipient of the option provides continuous service to the issuer, such that the total number of shares shall be fully vested on the four-year anniversary of the vesting commencement date.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Deirdre Runnette, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-02-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
