Differentiating through quality

Our customers have a strong need for quality assortment and experiences. Together we’re raising the bar on quality with you: That means raising the bar on sustainability; on relevant assortment that speaks to the diversity of our customer base; and on the experience customers have with your brand on our platform, from discovery to transaction and beyond.

We see quality being more important than ever as today we’re in an increasingly messy world of choices in fashion and lifestyle. For us, quality means customer experience, brands, products and fit. It is equally about the perceived quality when shopping, and receiving your package at home.

We take a multidimensional lens on quality across the customer journey starting from assortment, digital experience across the customer journey, sustainability and convenience. 

Data shows us we have almost 90% customer satisfaction with ‘product quality’. We consider a high quality bar as an important north star both for consumers and for brands. When it comes to sustainability, 66% of customers are willing to pay more for good quality, 78% of Zalando customers and 85% of Gen Z prioritise value based brands, 43% of our customers purchased one or more items with sustainability related attributes in 2023.

Two major aspects of driving quality are: the sustainability of our products, and their relevance to our audience in terms of diversity & inclusion.

We are pushing for a more sustainable and inclusive industry by investing in better choices for our customers. We’re utilising our private labels and developing adaptive wear, with over 430 adaptive fashion styles launched. We are partnering with Ottobock, a leader in mobility solutions, and conducted a host of research and development rounds to empower our designers on their journey, ensuring the disability community is involved in every step of its creation. While we have room to grow in becoming more sustainable, the following drivers have been identified: Telling the stories behind products and brands. Customers want to hear more from Zalando on its social and environmental performance, delivery and packaging, and we will continue to push in these areas and further drive quality customer experience.

We are excited to introduce a significant new opportunity for you to engage with your customers in new ways. We are transitioning from a paid subscription model for loyalty rewards, to a free, points-based model available to all Zalando customers across all markets. Overall our new loyalty set up is designed to deepen customer relationships, increase engagement, and provide more personalised experiences.

We will introduce four distinct benefit levels, each offering a mix of benefits centred around value, convenience, service, and personalisation. Premium delivery, superior customer service, and priority access to Zalando’s Fashion Store and Lounge collections will continue. Additionally, we’ll introduce value-based benefits, such as bonus point days, birthday vouchers, and targeted coupons.

We are currently testing the new program in Spain, where initial feedback has been very positive. We plan to launch in France and Austria in early October, with a full rollout across all markets by 2025. In countries where the current subscription model is live, we will transition to the new setup over time. So watch this space!

By 2028, our customers will find only relevant assortment curated specifically for them and their needs. We will however continue to grow our customer base of around 50M across Europe, delivering quality products and experiences to this wide audience. That means we will continue to serve customers across almost all price points, but we are no longer competing on a European level on simply price, or convenience. What we are competing for is quality: Quality experience, quality of product and relevance of assortment.

With our focus on quality, we are moving away from offering one experience for millions. Together with you, we offer each of our almost 50M customers a uniquely tailored experience.