Zalando grows customer numbers to record level
Zalando has revealed that a record number of 31 million customers ordered from its website in 2019.
This helped the online fashion retailer to grow its gross merchandise volume by 23.6% to €8.2 billion in the year.
Revenues climbed by 20.3% to €6.5 billion while adjusted EBIT rose to €224.9 million from €173.4 million in the previous year.
Growth was especially strong in the retailer’s fourth quarter.
Zalando chief financial officer David Schröder said: “We look back at a very successful year. We achieved strong financial results in every single quarter,” says “While delivering those results, we have made strong progress on our strategic agenda.”
In 2020, the company is planning to extend its premium segment to include luxury brands. It has recently added Moschino Couture and Alberta Ferretti to its offering.
David Schneider, Zalando co-chief executive, said: “Younger customers like to mix and match high-street fashion brands with sports and designer pieces. Premium has been our fastest-growing category in the past months, and we see a huge potential to build on that.”
In addition, the company will expand its pre-owned fashion pilot and launch it as a new category on the Zalando site. From the third quarter of 2020, customers will be able to order pre-owned fashion and also sell their own pre-owned clothing items to Zalando on the platform.