Zalando to end its Connected Retail program

Zalando is discontinuing its Connected Retail program, which allows physical stores to sell their products online. The system will be replaced by a more integrated solution.

Better data analysis

The Connected Retail partner program enables brick-and-mortar retailers to easily and seamlessly list their inventory online and make products available to all Zalando customers. The system was launched in 2018.

Now Zalando is discontinuing the program. However, the platform emphasizes that it will continue to support physical stores: “We are only upgrading the technical foundation and replacing the outdated Connected Retail tools with a more modern, integrated solution,” a spokesperson told the German trade magazine Textilwirtschaft. The partner solution zDirect is designed to streamline operational processes and enable better data analysis. Physical stores can therefore remain active online in the 27 European markets where Zalando operates.

Connected Retail will be phased out and will be discontinued permanently in June 2017. Retailers will receive the necessary support to make the transition. However, the new system will come with higher service costs, stricter requirements, and less flexibility, according to the fashion trade magazine.