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  • June 2022
  • Case
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Zalando: Becoming the Starting Point for Fashion

By: Antonio Moreno, Leela Nageswaran, Emilie Billaud and Federica Gabrieli
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:34
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Abstract

Born in 2008 as a small startup selling flip flops, by mid-2021 Zalando had turned into an online fashion company with an assortment of more than 4,500 international brands, 45 million active customers, and a presence in 23 European markets. An essential component in the company's ambition to become Europe’s “starting point for fashion” was the ongoing transition from an online retailer to a platform business. The management team grappled with numerous strategic decisions. How could Zalando accelerate its transformation? Which new markets and novel customer propositions should the company invest into? And how should it balance the needs of consumers and partners?

Keywords

Transition; Customer Value and Value Chain; Digital Platforms; Distribution; Order Taking and Fulfillment; Infrastructure; Logistics; Service Operations; Strategy; Business Strategy; Fashion Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Beauty and Cosmetics Industry; Distribution Industry; Retail Industry; Service Industry; Shipping Industry; Technology Industry; Europe

Citation

Moreno, Antonio, Leela Nageswaran, Emilie Billaud, and Federica Gabrieli. "Zalando: Becoming the Starting Point for Fashion." Harvard Business School Case 622-070, June 2022.
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About The Author

Antonio Moreno

Technology and Operations Management
→More Publications

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More from the Authors
  • Doing Business in Athens, Greece By: Alan D. MacCormack, Carlota Moniz and Emilie Billaud
  • Adyen: Reshaping the Payment Ecosystem By: Marco Di Maggio, Antonio Moreno and Elena Corsi
  • Italy: Between Technocracy and Democracy By: Sophus A. Reinert, Dante Roscini, Emilie Billaud and Elena Corsi
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