For luxury fashion retailers, for instance, the best way to ensure near-term return on investment (ROI) is to identify online marketplaces that:

• Specialize in clothing, footwear and accessories, where consumers are actively browsing for products like yours.
• Has established a proven track record in driving traffic and engagement with consumers
• Offers partnership programs with reasonable terms and enticing seller benefits.

Asos and Zalando: Two specialists in online fashion sales

Asos and Zalando are perfect examples of digital destinations that meet these criteria. Both have attracted a considerable number of sellers and  have successfully expanded their portfolios in order to satisfy consumer demand.

While it’s possible to integrate with multiple marketplaces simultaneously, many eCommerce strategies involve starting with one. That way you can test the waters in terms of how you promote products on a third-party marketplace and adapt to any rules that have been put in place.

With that in mind, here’s a rundown Asos vs Zalando and how they compare from an online  marketplace perspective:

Why choose Asos marketplace

For nearly 25 years, the name “Asos” has become almost synonymous with fast fashion, particularly among younger online shoppers. The company’s success with its own affordable but stylish apparel and accessories has led to several strategic acquisitions, such as Topshop.

At the same time, the Asos marketplace has allowed the brand to significantly expand the selection of products it offers. This not only includes new products but vintage collections, which can be appealing to those focused on sustainability through reuse.

These are the Asos marketplace numbers you need to know:

• Market share: 45% of Asos’s sales come from its home market in the U.K., followed by 30% of other European countries. It also has significant sales from the U.S.
• Average customer: More than 33% of Asos visitors are between the ages of 25 and 24.
• Brand scope: Asos manages 13 of its own brands and offers more than 900 others through the Asos marketplace.

Why choose Zalando marketplace

Selling shoes online was just the first step for the Zalando marketplace. Today the company is a viable online shopping destination for everything from evening gowns to handbags. It is also broadening the scope of its business model, investing in products and capabilities to support business-to-business (B2B) as well as its traditional consumer audience. Its more recent innovations include a digital tool to predict sizing based on photos submitted by its customers.

Here’s how Zalando stacks up by the numbers:

• Market share: Zalando commands about 12% of Europe’s overall sales for apparel products.
• Average customer: More than 27% of Zalando’s visitors fall between the ages of 25-34.
• Brand scope: More than 7,000 brands are available in the Zalando marketplace

Beyond these basic figures, it’s important to consider the policies online marketplace operators have in place to support sellers. Asos doesn’t charge a commission to list products, for instance, and you’re able to upload your entire catalog. Zalando, meanwhile, offers marketing services to help brands advertise on its marketplace as well as a distribution and fulfillment arm.

Asos vs Zalando: The bottom line

In the end, both the Asos marketplace and the Zalando marketplace create opportunities for growing brands to find new customers and increase their revenues. Getting started with either, however, depends on effectively managing your product feeds.

Once approved in each company’s partner program, you’ll need to be able to seamlessly transfer data from your product catalogs directly to either marketplace. As you make changes to pricing, product content or introduce new promotions, your feeds will need to remain accurate and up to date. That’s why Suvae.org offers marketplace integrations for Asos, Zalando and dozens of others.

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Influencers may inspire purchases via “Get Ready With Me” videos on TikTok or Instagram that link to a top online marketplace. When time is in short supply, consumers may also find it faster and easier to browse a top online marketplace for clothing and accessories rather than visit one dedicated brand site after another.

For sellers, meanwhile, online fashion marketplaces can be extremely valuable as they can help increase sales – as long as you choose the right ones to feature choice items from your product catalog. As a worldwide survey revealed, 70% of shopper see marketplaces as the most convenient way to buy and 66% prefer sites that have them.

Another recent research study found the USA, Europe and India are among areas where consumers show the greatest interest in online fashion marketplaces, but it’s truly a global phenomenon.

In this post, you will discover how sellers rely on online marketplace integrations to increase product visibility across marketplaces, to build a successful omnichannel strategy.

What Should You Know About Online Marketplaces in 2023

While many consumers are returning to physical stores, the experiences of the past few years have changed shopping experiences in lasting ways. Some of the biggest trends that will dominate online fashion marketplaces in 2023 include:

• Multimedia shopping options: Images and text are not going away, but some sellers are innovating with the use of video to display their products on marketplaces, as well as offering augmented reality (AR) to visualize products in your home.
• More ways to pay: Large brands like Apple and Samsung have already created their own digital wallets. Expect to see more from fintech startups and even options that make use of cryptocurrencies.
• Generative AI for customer service and search: The rise of tools such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT means consumers will experiment with new approaches to finding their next products, as well as getting answers to common questions more quickly and easily.

Top Online Marketplace Sites for Fashion Brands

If you’re a fashion brand looking to sell globally, here is a list of some of the top online marketplaces with considering today:

Zalando

Based in Berlin, Germany and focused on shoes, fashion and beauty, Zalando represents one of the largest online fashion marketplace options in Europe. The average median price on the site is $48 and it achieves an average of 380 million views per month. Though the competition could be considerable – Zalando carries more than 2,000 brands and men only account for 31% of the audience – it encourages visitors to shop across multiple categories as part of its Plus loyalty program. This has led to a 6% increase in customers to more than 5,100 as of March 2023.

Poshmark

Acquired by South Korean Internet company Naver in early 2023, Poshmark is an online fashion marketplace best known for its app, which makes it easy to buy as well as sell new or used clothing. Poshmark provides an ability to connect with customers across North America and is defined by a customer experience based on simple shipping and no listing fees.

That said, Poshmark raised its shipping rates in February 2023, which is on top of the 20% it takes off of every purchase. This could be offset by other benefits, such as Poshmark’s reputation for promoting sustainability and its customer support.

Amazon

The Seattle e-commerce pioneer has come a long way from its roots as a digital bookseller. Amazon now allows sellers to tap into a huge existing customer base with a digital experience known for being easy to navigate and use. This has made it a popular option for North American and European brands, albeit a highly saturated one with many white label and knockoff brands.

Sellers also need to consider Amazon’s reach alongside reports that its fees and other costs mean it now takes a 50% share of revenue on products sold through its marketplace.

Asos

Founded in London as the new millennium dawned, Asos focuses primarily on young adults and in 2010, it launched its ASOS Marketplace to showcase the best fashion startups. The ASOS Marketplace now includes more than 900 boutiques from more than 150 countries. This includes both independent brands and vintage clothing brands.

The average cost of clothing on Asos can be as low as $26, which means it is less known as a online fashion marketplace for luxury items. However the Asos name is becoming much better known outside the U.K. thanks to investments in its retail media network.

Farfetch

Headquartered in the U.K. but with a considerable presence in Portugal, Farfetch offers luxury shoppers products from more than 700 global boutiques on its marketplace. This includes apparel for all genders.

Farfetch may be in a more defined luxury niche, but it shows every intention of being a leader within it. Over the past year, for example, Farfetch went through an internal restructuring which led to the creation of a new role, Chief Marketplace Officer. This will provide a single point of accountability for sellers looking to grow on its platform, the company has said.

Harvey Nichols

This is an online fashion marketplace whose history stretches back to the 1830s, when Harvey Nichols was launched as a luxury department store in Britain.

Now owned by Hong Kong’s Dickson Concepts, Harvey Nichols is known for offering designer fashion for both men and women, as well as accessories. The caveat is that Harvey Nichols’ marketplace strategy is based on a partnership with Farfetch, rather than its on proprietary approach.

El Corte Ingles

It’s already the biggest department store chain in Spain (and the third largest worldwide. Now El Corte Ingles is quickly proving itself equally popular online. Its marketplace was recognized in a 2022 research study as one of the most popular platforms where Spaniards shop, alongside giants such as Amazon.

More recently El Corte Ingles announced a series of customer-facing enhancements to its digital shopping experience, including automation to reduce costs and artificial intelligence to present more relevant offers to fashion-conscious consumers.

Galeries Lafayette

In Paris, Galeries Lafayette Haussmann has been known as “the world’s department store.” For those shopping on their desktops and mobile devices, through, the company’s truly global presence is through its marketplace, which complements 30 physical stores across France. The company’s website attracts more than 5.4 million visits each month.

Since its launch several years ago, the Galaries Lafayette marketplace has offered shoppers more than 70 additional brands and more than 60,000 SKUs. In 2022 the company also expanded its digital presence by taking over the physical and online sales of La Redoute.

Rinascente

Though its move into omnichannel e-commerce only got underway in earnest about two years ago, Milan’s Rinascente started with a bang, featuring more than 15,000 products from approximately 650 brands. This was followed by its online fashion marketplace offering opportunities for third-party sellers. Rinascente is more focused on the Italian market, though its Rinascente On Demand service offers international access to its full assortment.

The Takeaway: Sell Everywhere With Marketplace Integration

The benefits of using online fashion marketplaces as part of your sales strategy couldn’t be clearer. You can gain access to millions of customers, accelerate your global expansion and use them as a place to A/B test your marketing strategies.

Featuring your products on marketplaces, however, can take up considerable in-house technical expertise, and requires understanding the unique needs of each one. A marketplace integrator addresses that by providing a single application interface as part of a more unified approach.

This is why top eCommerce brands trust Suvae.org marketplace integration service, as it helps them:

• Avoid processing and invoicing issues before they become problems with our experts in marketplace integration logistics
• Focus on selling what’s in stock by automatically synchronizing your online store inventory as you receive orders with our platform
• Ensure the right products are in the right categories with titles, descriptions, and other attributes using our product data optimization tools

Start Integrating your products with major marketplaces across the world. Get in touch with Suvae.org experts to discuss the best strategy to reach your marketing goals.

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How does Zalando Work and What Types of Businesses Sell on it?

Zalando Marketplace is a German-based, European eCommerce platform company that provides retail services for lifestyle and fashion brands. Though it began primarily with footwear, Zalando has since expanded into a wide range of clothing, accessories, and even toys.

Through Zalando Priivè, meanwhile, the company offers discounts to more than 2,500 other brands. Available through a mobile app, Zalando Priivè is intended to complement its core online store, which focuses on the newest and freshest assortment.

The company provides premium services for eCommerce companies interested in improving their ability to market themselves and connecting them with customers.

A data-backed approach allows Zalando to feature your products to the right customers, improving your sales performance with ZMS (Zalando Marketing Services) growth techniques, branding, and analytical insights.

Zalando’s custom API provides eCommerce integration to online retailers interested in using the platform to sell products. Zalando Marketplace also offers assistance with onboarding, product registration and uploading, and branding.

Selling premium and luxury fashion on Zalando marketplace

According to an article on FashionUnited, Zalando is prioritizing adding premium and luxury brands that its customers are searching for online. This has led to an increase of products in these categories from approximately 30,000 in 2020 to more than 90,000 in 2023. This could make Zalando marketplace integration a good idea if you want to be part of a fast-growing platform for luxury shoppers.

At the same time, however, Zalando is responding to increased pressure to stay profitable by being more selective and removing some brands from the Zalando Partner Program, which is how sellers become part of the Zalando marketplace. This means brands looking to sell on its platform moving forward may have to stand out, either by demonstrating strong online sales to date or by offering fashion and accessories that can’t easily be found elsewhere.

The benefit of using Zalando

Selling on Zalando marketplace means your brand will gain a foothold in 25 countries. This includes more than 50 million active customers with an average basket size of 56.2 euros, according to data from Statista.

While there is no Zalando U.S. yet, the company has announced a Zalando in USA expansion plan. This could bring a Zalando USA shipping option to American customers that want greater access to European brands.

In the meantime, Zalando’s size and scale offer brands a significant platform to increase their visibility among European customers. According to data from Cross-Border Europe, for example, Zalando was ahead of Amazon in terms of cross-border eCommerce sales in Europe, boasting an 11.7% share of total sales.

As with any decision to sell on marketplaces, of course, brands need to weigh the financial commitment and investments required. While it previously only charged sellers a commission, for example, ECommerce Times reported that Zalando has introduced a subscription fee of 480 euros (or 40 euros a month) for those participating in its marketplace. Commission rates for products sold exclusively on its platform will range from 7% to 25%. When products Zalando offers directly are sold out, partners may also offer those items and will be charged a commission ranging between 5% and 22%.

Besides its Partner Program, Zalando offers wholesale services as well as a program called Connected Retail, which links physical stores to its platform.

How to get started selling on Zalando marketplace

Like most online marketplaces, Zalando requires those applying to its Partner Program to have a registered business with an online store, products available in relevant fashion and footwear categories, as well as free delivery/returns, and a 100-day return policy.

The full checklist of Zalando marketplace eligibility criteria includes:

Zalando also offers marketing services to assist partners in selling on its marketplace. Before that, though, you need to make one of the most critical decisions of all: how you’ll integrate your warehouse inventory with Zalando marketplace.

How marketplace integration services streamline selling on Zalando

Zalando offers what it calls a ZDirect User Interface, which brands can use to upload products to its marketplace. However, choosing this approach requires committing to a manual process that takes up employee time and resources. It’s also only available to those who opt for Zalando Fulfillment Services (ZFS).

Working with a company specializing in marketplace integration, on the other hand, accelerates your time to market on Zalando marketplace. It also streamlines ongoing tasks like setting up promotions and updating inventory information.

Benefits of Zalando marketplace integration

How Suvae.org facilitates integration for fashion clients

Integrating your eCommerce products with marketplaces can be intimidating if you’re not familiar with all of the requirements. Working with Highstreet io gives you the benefit of deep technical expertise in Zalando marketplace integration.

How Zalando marketplace integration works:

Integrating your products with Zalando marketplace could be the beginning of a powerful new chapter in the story of your brand’s eCommerce growth. Contact Suvae.org and let us help you get started. 

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