Can you sell on Zalando? The answer is yes. It is one of the most famous European e-commerce companies in the world. Created in 2008 in Berlin, over the years it has evolved by offering its resale service in 17 European states towards general clothing and accessories. The platform also offers millions of constantly updated products, all of them quality and cheap. But the question is, how to sell on Zalando?
How to start selling on Zalando?
We all know how to use Zalando: just insert one or more products into the cart, pay and with one click you’re done!
For retailers, however, the problem is to sell. Even though people rarely choose to buy something without being able to feel the fabric or the material, times have changed and many people choose to buy online either due to lack of time in their daily routine or sheer convenience. To date, more and more shopkeepers understand the value of having an online shop where you can sell your goods, but not everyone is able to open an ecommerce site, make it really valid and make it emerge as they would like.
This is why it is essential to have all the skills necessary to sell your company’s products online. Find out more by accessing the E-commerce Courses.
What is the Partner Program
That’s why many people choose to approach more well-known sites that act as sponsors , and therefore can act as amplifiers of the brand by being part of the Partner Program, i.e. becoming an official partner.
Partners who sell their products on the Zalando marketplace will subsequently have to deal with the creation of a catalog which must be multi-lingual, with logistics, customer care and finally with their own marketing. Brands and retailers will be responsible for product compliance, shipping, returns and cancellations. In this way, the sale on Zalando plays an intermediary role, earning – as we will see later – a percentage of the sales and the offer of its logistics and marketing services. However, its function as guarantor of the quality of the catalog remains unchanged, imposing strict rules that sellers will have to respect.
The Partner Program allows the retailer to sell their products through the Zalando.it shop
How to sell on Zalando? You will need to write to the following address: partnerprogram@zalando.it, giving some of your information. So in just a few clicks you can offer and then sell your products directly on the marketplace, thus starting the collaboration.
Why use it and advantages for the seller
Whether they are major brands or small businesses, those who sell on Zalando have many advantages; retailers can reach a large clientele in a short time and be able to manage the offers and prices of the goods by accessing the platform. Furthermore, the site offers constant assistance as well as technical support and certainly a reputation that Zalando has been able to acquire with great success over the years. The German marketplace is a strategic sales channel: it attracts an average of over 106 million visits per month. Which therefore represents an indispensable global showcase for all fashion brands.
You don’t have to offer big discounts, because contrary to other platforms, to sell on Zalando it is not necessary to engage in the so-called “price war”, but it is also possible to sell products of the current season at the same price as in other sales channels. It also offers the option to return an order within 100 days, helping to reduce purchase friction.
Zalando knows its users well and takes great care of content and details, creating a pleasant browsing experience. It doesn’t matter how big or structured your business is, the important thing is to meet the requirements that the platform imposes . In return, it is required that you strictly follow the site’s rules: sell products that fall into the categories of clothing, shoes and accessories, as well as returns and always free shipping.
It is a sustainability oriented channel . In a few years, Zalando will cut off all brands from its platform that do not respect the precise ethical and sustainable standards. And we all know how important this is, today more than ever. Having a platform that is attentive to environmental protection can only benefit the image of the brands that are inside.
There are over 1000 brands that have decided to collaborate and see on Zalando, and there are many Italian brands that have already benefited from the collaboration: such as Armani, Versace, Missoni and Patrizia Pepe, just to name a few.
But let’s go into more detail and talk about multiple advantage.
For shops
For independent merchants, entering the online business marathon with a leader capable of generating adequate traffic and worthwhile business becomes relevant. Much more significant and valuable than creating places where goods are delivered to customers who come to collect them and leave a signature on a sheet of paper.
This is where the relationship started on Zalando between a consumer and a physical merchant who can also bring that final touch comes into play .
We therefore need:
- a new kind of generation of non-plastered and sluggish traders.
- companies that are inclined to distribute and know how to set up a true brand-retailer relationship.
For the consumer
Discovering and rediscovering new stores under a functional and safe brand like Zalando multiplies the offers that others offer in real life in an incomparable way. Depending on what everyone is looking for, new relationships and online business models can also be developed that position even small businesses in a new social model.
Increase your sales on Zalando: download the free ebook and discover the secrets of Fomo Marketing
Do it best with the right strategy
Customers usually want to be able to touch the product and try it on, to see if the size might be right or not. How to disagree! Nobody likes the hassle of having to send the package back, and after all, the live experience remains an important ingredient behind success.
For major brands we all know how important it is to have a sales strategy in the field; the most famous Ateliers are an example of how knowing how to sell the product well and present it at its best can positively influence sales and consolidate the position of one’s brand in the minds of consumers.
But that doesn’t mean that you can’t do the same thing online too ! In this case, setting precise objectives and knowing how to develop your own marketing strategy can really make the difference, as well as learning new cutting-edge technical and IT knowledge.
That’s why there are tools to make your products “come to life”, such as photography and post production. These are the allies you will need. Using high-quality images can really make a difference to your brand.
The representation of the subject with a high definition immediately catches the attention of those who are scrolling through your products with their finger, and what catches the eye are precisely the details, the colors that correspond as closely as possible to the originals, the perfectly fire, are a precise post-production work.
No less important is the product description. By showing the numerous details of the various materials, wearability and design, it will therefore be possible to tell the story of the product as in an illustrated book.
Thus, knowing how to offer customers the best experience even in front of a smartphone or a computer will not be outdone. It’s about dealing with the lack of all the information and sensations that the product would have if it were in the store, giving the opportunity to convey the impression of having the real product in front of your eyes. And the customer won’t even feel the need to try it anymore.
- The rule also applies online: quality + details = + customers and turnover
Attracting customers online is the goal, and Zalando gets the message. Despite the numerous brands assigned to it, the company continues to invest funds and resources. It is no coincidence that it is the first online shop in the fashion sector for the conversion rate. The site offers 7-8 high quality images, sometimes including the 360° view.
A valuable e-commerce
As I said at the beginning, having your own e-commerce site would give you the opportunity to add value to your company and lead your company/business to success. Creating your online store will allow you to sell independently without being just a “guest” on a platform. Furthermore, it could also be easier for your customers who, by scrolling with the mouse, will have the focus only on your site without the inattention of other competitors.
First, you need to create value as well as the product. We talk more simply about creating value around the product , going further and starting to focus on services that can offer benefits to customers such as:
- reduce risks with guarantees, certificates, etc;
- saving time with logistics services;
- customer care (telephone, email etc…) for guidance, advice and technical support;
- help in the purchase decision-making process with forums, tests, customer feedback, or better yet, a supposed “human” who leads you to the choice of the product through customer care – as if it were a real seller in person;
- help in keeping up to date even over time via newsletter or articles section using Marketing Automation tools, to allow you to customize content and promotions based on the individual customer.
Download the free E-Commerce Guide and discover the Tricks of Online Commerce
What kind of products to sell on Zalando
Zalando is a portal entirely dedicated to the sale of fashion and beauty products, from sports and lifestyle brands to a section reserved for luxury brands in the Premium section. Zalando shopping club items include :
- Women’s, men’s and children’s fashion
- Sportswear
- Shoes and accessories
- Underwear
- Designer jewelry and watches
- Footwear from the best brands
- Home furnishing items.
Furthermore, for some years now, Zalando has decided to open a section dedicated to beauty and beauty products . The opening of this new section is defined as “a natural passage”. The target is mainly women (70 percent of Zalando users) and young people, aged between 20 and 35.
The products, if belonging to a particular brand, must only be sold on Zalando if they are 100% original. The quality of the articles must therefore be managed by the site’s Buying team. These are not manipulated in any way by Zalando and are shipped with original labels and packaging. If available, certificates of originality are also sent.
How much does it cost to sell on Zalando
The seller is required to pay commissions which may vary according to the product category. Until 2020, the cost of commissions varied from one retailer to another. Today, however, standard commissions are applied to each reseller based on the category and the final price. The commissions that can be obtained by selling on Zalando can be up to 8%, with some special regulations for “top sellers“. Commissions that you have generated through product marketing will be credited within 60 days of the sale.
How to promote products on Zalando
For some categories, selling on Zalando can be cheaper than on other competitors – as in the example of Amazon. To increase visibility and therefore increase the sale of their products on Zalando, Partners have at their disposal the multiple tools offered by ZMS (Zalando Marketing Services) , the group dedicated to marketing.
Furthermore, on the following formats, Partners can activate specific campaigns.
- Homepage Teaser: shown in the first or second position on the home page whose purpose is to arouse the curiosity of the public before they “open the envelope” and examine the content.
- Engagement Teaser: an image or video, always positioned on the home page, attracts attention; Ideal for storytelling.
- Category Ad: Image that is linked to a specific category, thus increasing awareness generation and audience engagement.
- Countdown Teaser: countdown that serves to generate curiosity and popularity on new products.
- In-catalogue Teaser: image that emerges during navigation when you are inside the category.
- Co-curated products: products that are curated, aimed at pushing them to the top of the search page.
- Newsletter Teaser: Informative/creative newsletter campaign in European markets.
For mobile navigation instead:
- Video
- Product and brand carousels.
One of the most innovative services is Collabary by Zalando , the platform dedicated to influencers, aimed at facilitating collaboration between brands and content creators.
In a digitalized and constantly developing world, you need to keep up and open up to new possibilities to try to improve and keep your business under control. In the course you will find everything you need to be able to work efficiently and at the highest level in the world of e-commerce, with all the right skills to become a leader in your sector.
