How to place a test order
his article will explain what a test order is, what kinds of test orders you can perform and how they work. Further it will show you what the results of the test order mean.
What is a test order?
A test order is a live order shipped to a test customer, placed via your integrator or directly on the Zalando website.
Test orders are used to check whether partners comply with the established order quality requirements, and to identify any issues that may have a negative impact on a customer’s experience.
What are the different kinds of test orders?
There are two distinct types of test order:
Option one: The test order is placed by your technical integrator and you will ship it to the test order address provided (see details below).
This option is possible only with these third party integrators: Tradebyte, Channel Advisor, Neteven, Anatwine, Lengow.
Option two: The SKU is put online by the onboarding manager and then you are asked to buy and to ship it to the test order address provided.
This option is available to Direct Integration partners and those using integrators that are not: Tradebyte, Channel Advisor, Neteven, Anatwine, Lengow.
How do these two different kinds of test orders work?
Test order option 1 step-by-step:
(when using specific integrators, i.e. Tradebyte, Channel Advisor, Neteven, Anatwine, Lengow)
1. If a test order is required, your onboarding manager will contact you via email during the Article Onboarding stage.
2. Your onboarding manager will provide you and your integrator with the tester’s address.
3. Provide your onboarding manager with the SKU you want to use for the test order
4. Your integrator will place the order and provide all needed information to Zalando.
5. After coordinating with your integrator on the shipment preparation and fulfilment, provide Zalando with the tracking link.
6. You’re done! A few days after the test customer has received the test order, Zalando’s QA team will check the parcel and documents included therein, and create a QA report with the outcome of the delivery test, which will be sent directly to you via email
7. Once the test customer has received and evaluated the order, it will be returned to you automatically, without any action required on your part.
Test order option 2 step-by-step:
(when using direct integration or another integrator - not Tradebyte, Channel Advisor, Neteven, Anatwine, Lengow)
1. If a test order is needed, your onboarding manager will reach out via email during the Article Onboarding stage, typically after at least one of your articles has been approved (status ZABLO_13).
2. Your onboarding manager will provide you with the article number (SKU) to be tested and the tester’s address. You’ll also agree on a specific date and time to perform the test with your onboarding manager.
3. On the agreed-upon day and time, the article will be available on the Zalando website.
4. Create an account on Zalando’s website (unless you already have one and want to use your existing account) depending on the channel where the test order needs to be placed (in this case, since the test order is placed for the DE platform, the website is zalando.de).
Good to know
You can use your account for all channels, without the need to create a new one for each country.
5. Log in with your credentials.
6. Look for the test order on the search bar using the Article ID (SKU) shared by your onboarding manager (e.g., 2LA22O00B-A11).
7. Add the article to the bag. Your onboarding manager might ask you to order a specific size for the test order (e.g., XXL, 48).
8. Ensure that the article is sold and shipped by you before proceeding to check out.
9. During the checkout process, add the tester's name and address as the delivery address. (This information is provided by your onboarding manager.)
10. Confirm the correct billing and payment details, if necessary, before finalising the purchase. Please note that for orders less than €25 in certain countries (FR, IT, ES, UK, IE, the Nordics), delivery costs may apply.
10. Complete the order and provide the order number and tracking link to your onboarding manager for tracking purposes.
11. Make sure to send the order number and the tracking link to your onboarding manager, so they can track the status of your order.
12. You are done! Following the receipt of the test order by the test customer, Zalando’s QA team will inspect the parcel and accompanying documents, and generate a QA report detailing the delivery test outcome, which will be emailed to you directly.
13. Once the test customer has received and evaluated the order, it will be returned to you automatically, without any action required on your part.
Test order Quality Check Results (QA Report)
A few days after the test customer has received the test order, Zalando’s Quality Assurance (QA) team will check the parcel and documentation enclosed within, and create a QA report with the outcome of the delivery test, which will then be sent directly to you via email.
The test order QA results can consist of the following:
Go Live with No Consequences: There were no QA issues with the test order.
Go Live with risk of Low Visibility: Some downsorting QA issues were reported. You can go live with normal visibility. After the due date for corrections has expired the QA team initiates a new test. If the down sorting finding was corrected you stay in normal visibility. If not we implement low visibility.
No Go Live:. You are not allowed to go live and the test order needs to be repeated.
List of Order Quality Assurance Requirements
Zalando order number must be present and correct.
Zalando FAQ link must be present & correct (customer care contact details, e. g. hotlines, email addresses, availability hours shall not be used)
Zalando bank information must be correct.
Delivery documents must be written in the correct and consistent language.
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 and shall not be used on the carrier labels
Return instructions must be present, correct and complete.
Article information must be pre-printed (e. g. article number, article name, size, color, etc.).
Return Label: Return label must be present & correct.
Packaging: Outer packaging must be a cardboard box (= NOT a plastic or a paper bag).
Article: Price on the article hang tag must be in line with the Zalando shop price and the delivery documents.
Shipping Label: Customer name and address must be printed correctly and completely (incl. c/o information).
Advertisement: Call-for-action advertisement shall not be used / included in the parcel.
Outbound Tracking Link: Working delivery tracking link must be provided to the customer.
Return Tracking Number: Correct return tracking number must be provided to the customer and to Zalando.
Carrier: Partners must cooperate with the Zalando approved logistics providers for outbound and return.
Please refer to our article on delivery documentation for more information about the documents you need to include in the package:
