Tracking the future: Why Zalando is uniquely placed to lead the next era of retail

We recently took our strategy on the road—literally. Many of our customers check our app while commuting. So we invited three senior Zalando experts Graeme Smith, SVP Engineering and Science, Joanna Rogers, SVP Propositions, and Volker Bergner, VP ZEOS Logistics, to board a train with us and discuss with how we are defining the next era of retail.

1. Fueling AI: why our data is the engine behind a more personal Zalando

While the world is currently waking up to the potential of generative AI and agentic AI, Zalando has been building the foundation for this moment for over 15 years. For us, this isn’t just a new tech layer; data and machine learning have been at our core since day one.

We're way ahead of the curve in the fast-moving AI world. We've got a unique competitive edge that is not easy to copy, built on millions of daily customer interactions, hundreds of orders processed every minute, tons of product data, deep fashion know-how, and our own advanced AI capabilities.

This knowledge powers increasingly personalised, inspiring experiences for our customers through GenAI and agentic capabilities. A prime example of this is our new home feed: we have transitioned from a traditional, static catalogue to an AI-powered discovery feed. By mirroring the dynamic nature of a social feed, we’ve created a space that is curated, evolving, and uniquely tailored to every individual shopper. At the same time, we are evolving our Zalando Assistant to a shoppable lifestyle companion, serving our customers even better than before.

Artificial Intelligence also helps us solve one of the biggest challenges in the fashion industry: finding the right size. We have been evolving our technology into more sophisticated solutions, continuously pushing the industry forward, and now we are scaling our virtual fitting room, making it available to millions of customers.  

2. Building tailored worlds for every style

Our data shows that 76% of our active customers shop across multiple categories. A key part of our strategy is to leverage AI technologies and our multi-specialist expertise to create bespoke environments for every category - from the most relevant fashion assortment, to tending Beauty products and high-performance Sports gear.

Some recent examples of category-specific enhancements include the new Style It feature within our Designer category. It lets customers combine pieces on an AI-generated avatar, preview full looks, and instantly purchase either the complete outfit or selected items. We have also started rolling out virtual try-on tools for beauty products. In Sports, we have launched “Worlds of Sports”, dedicated online hubs providing high-performance gear, inspiration, recommendations and advice for specific sports types like running, football, or basketball. 

These tailored experiences are not only good for customers, they allow our brand partners to shine, too. We are evolving into a true retail enabler, equipping brands with deep data insights and the marketing power of Zalando Marketing Services (ZMS). By providing these tools, we allow partners to better connect with their target audiences and determine their own assortment strategies, ensuring they have the autonomy to thrive within our tailored worlds.
 

3. B2B: Powering growth through ZEOS

Becoming a retail enabler also means supporting our partners and the industry beyond our own platform. ZEOS is our answer to the fragmentation of the European market. By opening our pan-European logistics network, we allow brands like Marks & Spencer, Pepe Jeans, and NEXT to manage their entire marketplace business from a single, unified stock pool.

The impact is clear: our partnership with NEXT contributed to international e-commerce growth that was 14% points above initial guidance. We’re not stopping at the borders of Europe, either. By 2026, we’ll be expanding our trade capabilities to the US via Amazon, Walmart, and Target, while piloting new content services to help brands meet the highest product presentation standards.

The journey ahead 

By combining our 15-year heritage of data with the bold possibilities of Agentic Commerce, we aren’t just watching the industry change—we’re the ones driving it forward. The future of fashion is personal, it’s frictionless, and it’s being built right here at Zalando.

Watch the full discussion here