Resale at Scale 

Thanks to the partnership between Zalando and Vestiaire Collective, Vestiaire Collective’s certified selection of pre-owned luxury fashion has recently become directly accessible to millions of Zalando customers. Three questions, three answers.  

How is the partnership with Vestiaire Collective changing Zalando's strategy in the pre-owned segment—particularly with regard to scaling and brand positioning in Europe? 

This partnership does not change our strategy; rather, it drives it forward. We remain focused on expanding our selection of secondhand items across Europe and are continuously broadening our pre-owned assortment to meet the high demand for high-quality secondhand fashion—following our addition of children’s clothing and accessories to our lineup earlier this year to expand our offerings. The partnership with Vestiaire Collective strengthens our market position by expanding our platform to include verified luxury items and offering millions of customers even more choices. 

The data shows that 40% of consumers routinely combine pre-owned items with new ones. What does this say about today’s shopping behavior, and how do you use this insight to further develop the shopping experience on Zalando? 

Today’s shopping habits are very flexible: We’ve noticed that many customers combine brand-new products with secondhand finds in a single order. Demand for secondhand clothing is growing: 62% of our secondhand items—and for premium brands, even more than 95%—are sold within just one week. The sales pace of our secondhand selection has doubled in recent years, and we’re leveraging this momentum to encourage even more people to try secondhand fashion for the first time. 

What lessons can traditional “First Circle” concepts learn from the ever-increasing importance of pre-loved fashion? 

The rise of secondhand fashion shows that customers still prioritize high quality even when they have to watch their budget. Traditional retailers can learn from this that people expect the same high-quality and convenient shopping experience, regardless of whether an item is new or used. By offering high-quality, durable products and building trust in the purchasing process, brands can better cater to today’s highly flexible consumers, who enjoy shopping across various categories.