Delivery documentation

You must include the following documents in every package:

1. Delivery note

2. Return note

3. Return flyer

4. Return label

This article also explains when you must include a B2C invoice.

Each market or sales channel has its own ZIP file. For example, if you operate in the Belgium Zalando shop, you should use the BE-fr and BE-nl ZIP files. These ZIP files contain the necessary documents in various formats, including DOCX, PPTX, or PDF.

If you use your own fulfilment for returns and outbound, you'll need these documents. Be sure to use the correct return flyer for your approved carrier in each market.

If you use Zalando Return Solutions (ZRS) as a return service in addition to own fulfilment for outbound, please use the following:

1. Delivery note

2. Invoice

3. Return note

4. ZRS return flyer (pay attention to “ZRS” in the name of the template)

We strongly recommend that you use these templates to ensure full compliance with the Zalando requirements and to provide your customer with complete and accurate information.

A delivery note accompanies the goods, specifying their type and quantity. This document confirms which articles were delivered to the customer and provides additional information, such as Zalando customer care contact, Zalando order number, and Zalando bank details. We recommend separating it from the return note so the customer can keep it.

Below you’ll find our delivery note template for the DE sales channel. The red-marked components are our requirements and must be included correctly in your document.

The return note is the document the customer returns to you. It registers the returned article(s) and helps you evaluate the return reason(s) to continuously improve customer experience.

Below you’ll find our return note template for the DE sales channel. The red-marked components are our requirements and must be included correctly in your document.

The return flyer provides the customer with full information on the partner-specific return and reimbursement process. It must always be included in the parcel. We strongly recommend separating it from the return note so it can remain with the customer.

Below you’ll find our return flyer template for the DE sales channel.

Each package must contain a prepaid and pre-printed return label to allow customers to return articles easily and free of charge. The provided return label must be from an approved carrier and align with the return instructions on the return note or return flyer.

To make it easy for the customer to affix it to the package, we strongly recommend you provide self-adhesive return labels.

Below you’ll find an example of a return label for the DE sales channel:

B2C invoicing rules, as well as other related indirect tax obligations, are determined by the Council Directive 2006/112/EC, the Council Implementing Regulation No. 282/2011 and the respective national legislations.

These requirements regulate but are not limited to:

• The issuance of B2C invoices

• The deadlines to issue a B2C invoice

• The applicable VAT rate

• The mandatory elements of a formally correct invoice

• Archivation requirements for the invoices issued, etc.

In general, B2C invoicing is mandatory for sales performed through Zalando marketplace.

It will depend on multiple factors whether the B2C invoicing obligation lies with you, as the partner, or with Zalando. These factors include but are not limited to: the partner’s place of establishment, the warehouse location the partner is selling from, or the market the partner is selling to (i.e. the country of the B2C customer). 

Since 1 July 2021, it is Zalando’s obligation to raise a B2C invoice towards the final customers whenever Zalando is the deemed supplier of these B2C sales. For further details on the deemed supplier cases, please refer to this article. 

It is the partner’s obligation to understand their indirect tax related obligations (including potential B2C invoicing) and to comply with these. This can be done either internally with the help of the partner’s own tax team, or externally with the help of third-party service providers or the respective tax authorities. 

If the partner fails to comply with the invoicing and/or other indirect tax obligations, the local tax authorities may discover these during targeted tax audits. In such cases, the partners may face serious tax penalties, late payment interest and further (tax) consequences, depending on the local regulations. This is the partner’s risk and we recommend taking this seriously.

If the B2C invoicing is your responsibility, you can forward your invoices to the customers through Zalando’s Invoister service. Should you be interested in this solution, feel free to reach out to your usual contact at Zalando or via the contact form here. Please select the topic: Account support, and then request type: Order transmission issues.

Please note that the scope of our invoice check is limited to the delivery documentation requirements outlined in the order quality assurance list of requirements. This includes

• Zalando order number must be present and correct.

• Zalando FAQ link must be present and correct.

• Zalando bank information must be correct.

• Delivery documents must be written in the correct language throughout.

• Delivery documents must be provided in undamaged, clean and proper condition.

• Gender specific salutation shall not be used in the documentation included in the parcel.

You’re fully responsible for complying with all applicable country-specific B2C invoicing requirements, including providing invoices to the end-customer and filling in the correct VAT percentage rate.

Below you’ll find our invoice template for the DE sales channel. If you include an invoice in the package, you must fulfil the Zalando requirements marked in red.