Delivery documentation

 The following documents must be included in the package:

1. Delivery note

2. Return note

3. Return flyer

4. Return label

This article also contains information about the B2C invoice, and explains in what circumstances the B2C invoice is also a mandatory document to be included.

Please click here to find all the delivery document templates. 

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

 A delivery note accompanies the delivery of goods, specifying their type and quantity. This document serves as confirmation of the articles delivered to the end-customer and provides additional information (e. g. customer care contact, order number, bank details).

We recommend you to separate it from the return note, so that it can remain with the end-customer.

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

Please note: If you print two order numbers on your delivery note (i. e. the Zalando order number and your own order number), please instruct the end-customer to use only the Zalando order number for Customer Care contact or payments.

 The return note is the document which is returned to you by the customer. This document registers the returned article(s) and allows you to evaluate the return reason(s) to continuously improve customer experience.

Below you will find our return note template for the DE sales channel.

 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 you to separate it from the return note so that it can remain with the customer.

Each package must contain a prepaid and pre-printed return label to enable the customer to return easily and free of charge.

The provided return label must be from the correct carrier and in line with the return instructions on the return note / return flyer.

The customer should be able to easily affix it to the package being returned, so we strongly recommend you to provide customers with self-adhesive return labels.

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 are fully responsible to comply with all applicable country-specific requirements for invoices, including the provision of invoices to the end-customer, VAT information, etc.

Below you will find our invoice template for the DE sales channel. If an invoice is included in the delivery package, regardless of the reason why, the following Zalando requirements, marked in red below, must be fulfilled: