Zalando lets local retailers sell through its platform

Zalando gives small local retailers the opportunity to sell their products through its Fashion Platform. According to the German fashion giant, the future of commerce will be a seamless shopping experience for customers, whether products are available online or in local stores.

That’s also why Zalando is continuously testing new initiatives that are part of its Integrated Commerce approach. Zalando cooperating more closely with stationary stores is one of them. Local retailers are now able to connect to the Zalando platform via the external partner software of Gaxsys. Participating stores can accept orders from Zalando customers and fulfill them if the matching item is available in their stores.

Offer retailers a further sales channel

“This way, Zalando can be a digital solution for smaller retailers who are facing the challenges of digitalization and offer them a further sales channel”, says Jan Bartels, Vice President Logistics Products at Zalando. “We see the future of commerce as a seamless shopping experience for customers, whether fashion items are available online or in local stores.” Philipp Kannenberg from Gaxsys adds he’s convinced local commerce can only exist in synergy with ecommerce, not in competition.

At the moment ten local retailers are participating in the test pilot. In June, Zalando already started its first experiment with connecting local stores of big brands to the retailer’s platform. As a result, the assortment of two Adidas stores in Berlin is digitized and offered online to Zalando customers.