Integration options

Integration is how you technically connect with Zalando. It lets you create articles, set prices, provide stock levels, and manage and fulfil your orders.

You can connect to Zalando platform using one of these four technical solutions:

• Approved third-party integrator

• Direct Integration (DI)

• zDirect User Interface (UI)

You can choose to use a third party integrator to set up an API connection. This links their system, such as your ERP or inventory management software, directly to Zalando.

Once the API connection is set up, the integrator enables real-time synchronisation of data. This means that any updates you make to your product listings, stock levels in their system automatically appear on Zalando without manual work. The integrator is responsible for connecting your system and ours, and for giving you an interface to manage your stock, prices, and orders. They efficiently route orders placed on Zalando back to your system, enabling you to handle fulfilment and inventory management without delay.

We recommend Tradebyte, our certified and preferred integrator. We've worked closely with them for over ten years. They offer you full coverage of all active Partner Program markets and services, and you'll get access to new Zalando markets and services ahead of other integrators.

• Real-time data synchronisation: It ensures seamless, real-time data synchronisation.

• Reduced manual workload: The integrator manages the API connection, reducing your manual workload.

• Flexibility and customisation: It provides flexibility in customising the service level.

• First to launch: As our preferred integrator, Tradebyte is first to access new markets and services when they launch.

You can choose to develop a direct connection between your stock and our API. This integration has two types:

1. Through an approved third-party integrator using an API.

2. Through your in-house technical team using an API.

Your technical team develops a custom API integration using JSON payloads to structure and transmit data in real-time. This links your internal systems (such as inventory management, order management, and ERP systems) directly with Zalando. 

Once the API connection is set up, product information (e.g., descriptions, prices, images) and inventory information about stock levels are automatically sent to Zalando. Orders placed on Zalando are routed directly to your system through the API.

• Real-time data synchronisation: Product information and inventory details about stock levels are automatically transmitted in real-time.

• Direct system linkage: It directly links your internal systems (such as inventory management, order management, and ERP systems) with Zalando platform.

• Direct order routing: Orders placed on Zalando are routed directly to your system through the API.

• Real-time status and adjustments: Get the real-time status of your onboarded products and make real-time price and stock adjustments.

• Cost-effective: There are zero licensing fees and zero set up fees.

• Technical team: Your in-house technical team is responsible for maintaining the API and must have the expertise and resources to build, manage, and troubleshoot the API independently.

• Approval: This solution needs our prior approval via a Direct Integration assessment.

• Resources needed: Requires approximately 2 Rest API developers for development and setup. For large projects, one integration project manager and one integration tester are also recommended.

You can onboard and manage your articles and prices using the zDirect UI. 

• No technical knowledge required: This setup doesn't require technical knowledge to start.

• Cost-effective: You oversee it completely, with no additional cost from us.

• Real-time status and adjustments: Get the real-time status of your onboarded articles and prices, fix any problems reported, and quickly bring them online. You can also make real-time price adjustments.

• Simple management: You can create your articles and set your prices directly with the zDirect UI at your own speed.

Learn more about it here:

• • Article

  Onboarding via zDirect User Interface (UI)

• Fulfilment method: This solution is exclusive to partners using Zalando Fulfilment Services (ZFS).

• Assortment recommendation: It’s recommended for an assortment of up to 200 articles per season.

• Time estimate: It takes approximately 5 minutes to enter the information for a standard article with three colour variants.

• Order monitoring: ZFS receives and manages your orders. You can monitor your order data in a view-only mode using the zDirect Orders module.