Logistics providers per country

To provide our customers with a frictionless delivery and returns experience, we require you to use one of our approved Last Mile Carriers (LMCs) in each country. This article explains why the LMC is crucial for customer experience, outlines the rules for carrier selection and ensures you know what to check with your own logistics provider. Please consult the attached list of authorised carriers to confirm your setup is compliant.

To ensure your customers continue to receive the seamless delivery and returns experience they expect, you need to align your logistics setup with our approved Last Mile Carriers (LMCs).

The approved carriers listed below are the LMCs authorised for each shop country. LMCs are the customer-facing carriers responsible for the final stage of delivery (e.g. to home or pick-up point/PuP shops) and for collecting returns from PuP drop-off points.

• One carrier per country: You can only enable one last mile delivery carrier (LMC) per shop country, due to technical integration constraints. Using multiple delivery carriers in a single country is not allowed.

• Local and international carriers: If you use a local First Mile Carrier (FMC) or an international carrier (e.g. DHL International), they must use an LMC from the authorised list for the final delivery and return in the customer's country.

  • Example 1: Permitted. A partner shipping from Austria can use PostAT to ship to customers in Germany because PostAT uses DHL Paket as their LMC in Germany.

  • Example 2: Not permitted. The same partner shipping from Austria may not use PostAT to ship to customers in Norway if PostAT does not use PostNord as their LMC in Norway.

• Returns responsibility: Certain carriers are authorised only for delivery. If your chosen delivery LMC is not approved for returns in that country, you are responsible for enabling an authorised return carrier. You can also check if Zalando Return Solutions (ZRS) or Zalando Shipping Solutions (ZSS) are available in the respective country.

• Return flyer information: Where a local or international carrier has been used, the return flyer included in the delivery must clearly state the authorised LMC(s) to which the customer can drop off their return parcel. Please use your own return flyer or the templates we offer to include this information.

• Pick-up point (PuP) delivery: The PuP delivery indicated in the attached table includes both parcel shops and parcel lockers. Both options must be enabled with the respective carrier. Only in the case of PackStation are parcel shops excluded.

DHL restrictions: For DHL, only DHL Parcel (Paket) and DHL eCommerce are approved. DHL Express and DHL Economy Select are not approved. Please note the restrictions on DHL International as described above.

The setup for your first-mile carrier (FMC) and international linehaul (the transport between the first-mile and final-mile carrier) is entirely your decision. 

• Carrier negotiation: Partners are responsible for all negotiation and agreement with the carrier regarding pricing, service and terms and conditions. This excludes partners who have opted for  Zalando Fulfilment Solutions (ZFS), Zalando Return Solutions (ZRS) or Zalando Shipping Solutions (ZSS).

• Carrier list updates: Zalando is entitled to nominate other logistic providers and update this carrier list (in the image above and attached to this article) at its discretion, with 90 days advance notice.

Reach out to your local or international carrier directly to validate if they work with the approved LMCs listed below. For further information on ZFS, ZRS, or ZSS, please refer to the relevant ZPU articles.

If you wish to switch carriers, implement additional services (e.g. PuP) or have any further questions, please reach out via our support form. Select the Topic: Customer Experience Model and then the Request type: Change of delivery and/or return carrier.