Zalando Extended adds partner shops to its app; 2027 checkout planned

Zalando SE announced Zalando Extended on 3 November 2026, in the same release as its Q3 2026 results. It adds products from other online shops that Zalando does not sell itself to the Zalando app^1,2. Partner sellers keep their own online stores and checkouts for now, and shoppers are sent to the retailer to complete the purchase¹. Zalando plans to let its AI agent check out inside the app from 2027. That checkout is not available to shoppers today^2,4.

Zalando announces Zalando Extended with its Q3 2026 results

Zalando SE published its Q3 2026 results on 3 November 2026, and the release introduced Zalando Extended². Reuters reported that Zalando "unveiled its first AI shopping agent that will allow customers to buy products from other retailers through the Zalando app"³. Reuters describes agentic commerce as a model in which AI agents can handle the whole purchase, from comparing prices across retailers to completing payment³.

The model differs from Zalando's existing partner programme. Sellers in Zalando Extended do not sell directly on the platform. They sell through their own online stores, and Zalando makes their products discoverable in its app¹. The partner benefits Zalando lists are its own statements in the results release, and the sources do not show independent testing of them.

Who is affected and what changes for partner shops

Westwing, a home and living retailer, is the pilot partner^1,4. Under the current arrangement, Zalando makes the products discoverable and then redirects customers to the retailer to complete the purchase¹. Techbooky says the appeal for shoppers is a broader selection in one discovery journey⁴.

The diagram below shows the purchase flow today and the planned 2027 flow.

1. Customer finds partner product in the Zalando app¹
2. Customer is redirected to the retailer's own store to buy (today)¹
3. From 2027, Zalando's AI agent completes checkout in the app (planned)^2,4

Zalando says the range will widen over time, starting with complex categories such as bulky home goods¹. It also says partner shops "reach Zalando's customers and gain new sales without complex technical integration or changes to their logistics"¹. Partners can also advertise their products on Zalando through its retail media business¹.

Zalando plans to earn commissions on purchases made at external online stores, according to CFO Anna Dimitrova on the earnings call. The commission rates have not been disclosed¹.

Timing: what is available now and what is planned for 2027

Zalando's release says that from 2027 its own AI agent will check out on behalf of customers, who will never have to leave the Zalando app². Techbooky reports that agent-assisted checkout is planned from 2027, not available to shoppers today⁴.

The sources give only the year, not a month or launch date^2,4. Zalando operates its platform in 28 countries, with Bulgaria the latest addition¹. The sources do not say whether Zalando Extended will reach any of these markets¹.

What small sellers should do now

We recommend the following steps. These are our own suggestions, not guidance from Zalando.

• Do not plan around a listing route yet. Participation requirements have not been disclosed, so there is no published application process to follow¹.
• Keep your own product data complete. Customers still complete purchases on the retailer's own store until the 2027 change¹. Accurate prices, stock and delivery information on your store matter for that reason.
• Check which categories you sell. Zalando says it will start with complex categories such as bulky home goods¹. If your range is in those categories, it is the area to watch first.
• Review your own capacity. Check your checkout, stock sync and order handling so that you can measure any future commission or advertising terms against your real costs. Our guide on landed cost before fees and margin sets out the method.
• Wait for official terms. Read Zalando's own announcements on participation and integration before committing time or budget.

What is not yet known

• Commission rates and participation requirements have not been published¹.
• Technical integration steps. Zalando says no complex integration is needed, but it does not describe what a simple one involves¹.
• International rollout terms have not been disclosed¹.
• Commercial terms. Techbooky says Zalando has not disclosed every term of the proposed model. It names the key open questions as who controls the customer relationship, payment, returns and the data generated by a recommendation⁴.
• Whether shops beyond the pilot will be accepted. The sources do not say whether small retailers beyond Westwing can join, or on what basis^1,4.

Techbooky adds that the company "has not yet demonstrated that this works at scale"⁴. The test, in its view, is whether shoppers trust the ranking, merchants see worthwhile sales, and the 2027 checkout turns a conversation into a reliable order⁴. Readers who want to compare with other AI shopping approaches can read our piece on how Meta, Walmart and Amazon differ for sellers.