Building the ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce

We started our journey as a retailer in 2008, capturing that era’s strong move towards online and mobile. A wide selection and top convenience for a digital audience made us successful. We then expanded from being a pure retailer to building a platform for thousands of brands. We set out to create the starting point for fashion that was not limited by inventory ownership, creating a fashion destination that made any fashion purchase possible for customers. 

Now it is time for the next phase. We will create an ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle around and beyond Zalando. It means opening up and expanding into larger opportunities with the ambition to cover a larger share of the fashion and lifestyle market, while differentiating through quality assortment and quality partnerships.

The ecosystem model is a strategic evolution from the current platform model and enables Zalando to serve a larger share of the growing fashion and lifestyle e-commerce market as well as deepen relationships with customers and partners by helping to solve many more challenges.

Business-to-Consumer

From a customer perspective, we move from a primarily transaction-focused fashion platform to a go-to destination for fashion and lifestyle, personalised content and inspiration. We will achieve this by enhancing the quality and relevance of our multiple fashion and lifestyle propositions and by investing in making our e-commerce experience personalised, engaging, inspirational and entertaining. We will always lead with quality, offering our customers the very best brands they love, an experience characterised by trust, innovative and entertaining digital experiences, and the ability to make more sustainable and inclusive choices. 

Business-to-Business

From a partner perspective, we open up our combined logistics infrastructure, software, and service capabilities. We move beyond helping partners to sell via our own platform: we enable e-commerce transactions for brands and retailers across all digital channels, on and off Zalando. Zalando will continue to offer our brand and retail partners a sizable and attractive business opportunity by connecting them with around 50 million active customers across Europe. In addition to a standard wholesale model, we offer brand and retail partners a direct-to-consumer sales channel through our Partner Program and Connected Retail offerings and support them with additional value-added partner services such as Zalando Logistics Solutions and Zalando Marketing Services (ZMS).

Our business areas – multiple touchpoints and opportunities

Zalando operates in various business areas to reach the goals of our strategy and our aim to connect all players in the fashion industry. We offer customers multiple touchpoints to engage with the fashion world – from online retail, private labels, and a shopping club to personalised style and size advice through AI. In doing so, Zalando plays its strengths in the digital arena. 

The fashion store  

Zalando tailors its online shops to local customers’ needs in 25 different European markets. In its online shops, Zalando offers customers an extensive range of fashion and lifestyle items. The range features renowned global brands and local heros alike. In addition, customers can find 6 Zalando's private labels, designed in-house. In total, Zalando works with more than 6,000 brands.

Offprice – Zalando Outlets and the shopping club Lounge by Zalando

The offprice business of Zalando offers a sales channel for assortments of previous seasons. The shopping club Lounge by Zalando offers registered members exclusive sales campaigns at discounted prices. Furthermore, customers can benefit from special deals at our outlet shops in several German cities. 
 

Zalando's private labels – completing the assortment

As a multi-brand fashion company, we have been developing international fashion brands in the heart of Berlin since 2010. Zalando’s private label assortment includes footwear, clothing and accessories for women, men and children – all of which address diverse Zalando audiences and fill the gaps in the range of the Zalando fashion store. Our private labels also serve as our innovative lab where we can test new approaches, such as adaptive fashion or material innovations, that can contribute to driving positive change in the fashion industry.

ZEOS: Europe, unlocked

Established in 2023, ZEOS is developing tools that allow brands and retailers to manage their multi-channel business in one place. ZEOS helps fashion and lifestyle industry players unlock Europe’s full potential by enabling seamless e-commerce across the continent: from new market entry and expansion to optimisation and business steering.

Zalando Partner Services

Zalando helps industry players such as brands and retailers to be successful in the digital world by connecting their warehouse stocks and physical retail with our fashion store and digitising processes involved in ecommerce operations. Furthermore, we assist partners with full-funnel marketing strategies and campaigns, ensuring comprehensive support throughout their digital journey.