Delivery documentation

You must include the following documents in every parcel:

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 parcel 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 parcel, we strongly recommend you provide self-adhesive return labels.

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

It’s your duty as a partner to understand and comply with your indirect tax  obligations, including B2C invoicing. These rules are set out by the Council Directive 2006/112/EC, the Council Implementing Regulation No. 282/2011 and relevant national laws. 

These regulations cover various requirements, such as:

• Issuing B2C invoices.

• Deadlines for B2C invoices.

• The correct VAT rate.

• What a formally correct invoice must include.

• Keeping an archive of the invoices you’ve issued.

You can handle this yourself with your own tax team or with a third-party service provider or the relevant tax authorities. If you don’t comply with the invoicing or other indirect tax obligations, local tax authorities may find out during an audit. This could lead to serious tax penalties, late payment interest, and other consequences. Please take this seriously as it's your responsibility.

In general, B2C invoicing is mandatory for sales on Zalando marketplace. There might be exceptions, for example, if you are registered for VAT One Stop Shop under applicable EU law, it may not be mandatory for you. 

Zalando is the deemed supplier and is obligated to issue a B2C invoice to the end-customer in certain cases. It’s up to multiple factors whether the obligation lies with us or with you. For more details on the deemed supplier cases, please see this article. In all other cases, you're responsible for B2C invoicing.

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

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 parcel, you must fulfil the Zalando requirements marked in red below.