Zalando opens its app to other online shops' products

The most important news for other retailers in Zalando's third-quarter update was not the growth figure. It was the decision to show products it does not sell inside its own app and, from 2027, to let its own AI agent buy them for shoppers.

In its Q3 2026 results release, Zalando said it "introduces Zalando Extended, adding products from other online shops". The company said that "From 2027, Zalando's own AI agent will check out on behalf of customers, who will never have to leave the trusted Zalando app". The first pilot partner is Westwing, which the release called "Europe's number one premium destination for home and living". Zalando said partner shops would "gain new sales without complex technical integration or changes to their logistics".

What the quarter showed

Group gross merchandise volume grew 7.5% to €4.5 billion in the quarter. Revenue grew 5.1%, which Zalando said reflected "the lapping of the ABOUT YOU inclusion" (Zalando). Adjusted EBIT rose 10.6% year-on-year to €107 million, and the adjusted EBIT margin widened by 0.2 percentage points to 3.4%. Active customers reached a new high of 63.2 million, up 2.9%.

Zalando's B2B business grew faster than the consumer business. B2B revenue reached €354 million, up almost 28% year-on-year, which the company described as a further acceleration from the previous quarter. In the consumer business, the partner share rose by 2.9 percentage points to 33.6% of B2C GMV. Separately, Zalando said retail media revenue "grew nearly 18% year-on-year, reaching 2% of B2C GMV" (Zalando).

Zalando confirmed its full-year outlook. It still expects GMV and revenue growth in the lower half of its 12% to 17% range, and adjusted EBIT of €680 million to €720 million. Chief financial officer Anna Dimitrova said in the release that "One year in, the ABOUT YOU integration is progressing well and we kept our momentum in delivering synergies".

Why it matters for other retailers

Zalando Extended is a different offer to the usual marketplace deal. Under its existing partner model, brands list their stock on Zalando. Here, Zalando's agent goes out and buys from another retailer's shop. For a mid-sized online retailer, that could mean extra reach "without complex technical integration". The price is that the customer browses, decides and pays inside Zalando's app, so the retailer has less direct contact with the buyer.

For Zalando, the release suggests a wider catalogue, including categories such as home, without holding the stock. It also gives partners another reason to advertise, since Zalando says they can promote themselves through its retail media business. That fits a pattern in the quarter's figures: the partner share and retail media are growing as a proportion of the business.

There are clear limits. Agent checkout does not start until 2027, and only one pilot partner has been named. The release gave no commission or fee terms, no expected volumes, and no detail on who handles returns or customer service for products bought this way. What would show real value is how many shops sign up, how many customers complete purchases through the agent, and whether shoppers are happy to let an AI buy from a retailer they may not know.