Order Quality Assurance FAQs

In this short video you’ll learn about Quality Assurance and what this means for you as a Zalando partner.

The requirements are classified into blockers and downsorting requirements. Below you will find the consequences in case of non-compliance with blocker and downsorting requirement(s) identified during a test order check and the actions needed from you to end the consequences.

The blocker requirements have a strong impact on customer satisfaction and Zalando. Not fulfilling these requirements means that customers need to contact Customer Care far more often. 

Non-compliance with one of these requirements will prevent the partner from going live in the affected Zalando sales channel.

Your articles will be sorted down, meaning that your articles will have lower visibility in the affected Zalando sales channel so that we can mitigate the negative impact on customer experience. If the requirement(s) still are not corrected by the due date of 15 days upon receipt of the test order report, your articles will be deactivated on the affected Zalando sales channel.

The downsorting requirements can have a high impact on the customer experience and satisfaction. The non-fulfillment of these requirements can result in an increased number of customer care contacts.

Your articles can go live on the affected Zalando sales channel with normal visibility. However, if the finding remains uncorrected by the due date of 30 days upon receipt of the test order report, your articles will be sorted down in the affected Zalando sales channel. 

If your articles are already online, they will be sorted down or will remain downsorted in the affected Zalando sales channel. That means they will have less visibility.

In order to gain normal visibility for your articles in the affected Zalando sales channel, you will need to correct all findings identified in the test order report and request a follow-up test order check via your Daily performance overview in zDirect by clicking the arrow next to the visibility of the country's sales channel. 

Once you click the Initiate Test Order On ZPU button you will be redirected to the Contact Us module on ZPU. Then select the topic Customer Experience Model (CXM), and submit your request under the request type Initiate test orders.

If the evaluation of this test order proves that all issues have been resolved, your articles will gain normal visibility in the affected Zalando sales channel.

• If your affected Zalando sales channel has low visibility with risk of deactivation due to non-compliance with a blocker requirement, you need to correct all findings identified within the due date mentioned in the test order report. You will then need to request a follow-up test order check via your Daily performance overview in zDirect by clicking the arrow next to the visibility of the country's sales channel. Once you click the Initiate Test Order On ZPU button, you will be redirected to the Contact Us module on ZPU. Then select the topic Customer Experience Model (CXM), and submit your request under the request type Initiate test orders. If the evaluation of the test order proves that all issues were resolved, your articles will gain normal visibility in the affected Zalando sales channel.

• If your affected Zalando sales channel is deactivated due to non-compliance with repeating blocker requirement, you need to correct all findings identified in the test order report. Then request a follow-up test order check via your Daily performance overview in zDirect and following the same steps outlined above. If the evaluation of the test order proves successful correction of all findings, your articles will be reactivated in the affected Zalando sales channel.

In case we have identified one or more blocker(s) and one or more downsorting finding(s), please make sure to correct all of the findings in a sustainable manner to avoid a switching from one negative consequence to another, for example from low visibility to deactivation, or from deactivation to reactivation with low visibility.

Zalando checks your compliance with the Zalando order quality requirements and provides you with detailed test order reports. Test order reports are provided only, if a change in the visibility of your articles has occurred  (e. g. normal visibility, low visibility, reactivation, deactivation, etc.). 

The test order report contains the following information: 

• All order quality requirements checked and the results

• The consequences depending on the results (e.g. low visibility, deactivation, normal visibility, reactivation, etc.) Please note that the final visibility of your sales channel is determined by both your Customer experience model KPI performance and QA consequences. 

• The description of findings 

• The recommendations for corrective actions

• The photo(s) demonstrating the findings identified in the test order check

If blocker requirements are not fulfilled in the relevant sales channel (i. e. low visibility with deactivation risk), or if you go live in a new sales channel with downsorting findings (i. e. go live with low visibility risk), you will additionally find the due date for corrections in the test order report 

The reports are automatically generated and sent to you by email. Please note that you will not be able to reply to the automated email. If you have any questions, please go to the ZPU contact form, select the topic Customer Experience Model (CXM) and submit your request under the request type Question about my QA Test Order report.