Online retailer Zalando is expanding its European logistics activities by piloting an innovative pick-up and drop-off service in Denmark in collaboration with PostNord and building a fulfilment centre in the Netherlands.
The new pilot service will be operated by private persons to offer Danish Zalando customers more convenience. People who spend a large part of their day at home will be earning a small extra amount of income by providing pick-up and drop-off points located in residential areas in Aarhus and Copenhagen.
Zalando’s Dutch partner Homerr will manage the private points network with up to 50 service points, typically located in the customer’s neighbourhood. Opening hours will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Customers can choose their preferred pick-up point during the checkout process on Zalando’s website.
PostNord, already a carrier of Zalando in the Nordic region, is supporting the project by delivering parcels to the new service points, for example by providing IT systems and communicating with end users. For instance, the recipient can receive an e-mail or a text message from PostNord when the parcel is ready for collection.
The added private pick-up points will broaden PostNord’s existing nation-wide network with around 1,300 manned service points as well as parcel lockers spread throughout the country.
Moreover, Zalando hopes the concept will contribute to reducing environmental impact by up to 50 grams per package. It is expected to result from the bundling to fewer addresses and more efficient delivery routes.
Remko Bakker, Lead Zalando Logistics Platform Services, explained: “Testing is part of Zalando’s DNA. We continuously innovate and rethink our services to offer our customers more flexibility and variety. Complementing the existing network with private pick-up and drop-off points could add tremendous value and customer convenience, since they offer a win-win situation for both the private operators and customers. People who are at home can help their community by accepting parcels for their neighbours and in return they receive a small compensation.”
Stine Sander, Head of E-Commerce and Communication, PostNord Denmark, added: “PostNord is always ready to test new initiatives and to contribute to the development and growth of e-commerce. We are very delighted to work on this test with our partner, Zalando. Customer demand is key to us, and we are now curious to see whether the Danish consumers take on this new concept.”
Meanwhile, to enable further growth in Western Europe, Zalando has also announced plans to build a fulfilment centre in the Netherlands. Construction of the 140,000 sqm facility in an existing business park in Bleiswijk, near Rotterdam, will start this summer.
Set to start operation in summer 2021, the centre will have the highest level of automation within Zalando’s network. Furthermore, the expansion is supposed to set the ground for the company’s 2023/24 growth target. It is also expected to create 1,500 jobs in the mid-term and deliver to customers in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain and the United Kingdom. The development is being undertaken by a joint venture of Somerset Capital Partners and USAA Realco-Europe.
Jan Bartels, SVP Customer Fulfilment, said: “A strong logistics network is the foundation for realizing our growth strategy and the vision of becoming the Starting Point for Fashion. By constructing a new state-of-the-art fulfilment centre in Bleiswijk, we are confident that this is an important step forward in building the infrastructure to achieve 20 billion euros in Gross Merchandise Volume by 2023/2024.”
Kenneth Melchior, Director Northern Europe, added: "The Benelux markets play an integral role in the growth ambition of Zalando. Over the next five years we aim to more than double revenues in this region, thereby strengthening our position as market leader. The opening of our fulfilment centre in Bleiswijk is crucial in enabling this growth. We look forward to enhancing our customer proposition by reducing delivery lead times in the Benelux area and introducing services like next and same-day delivery once Bleiswijk is fully operational."
Justin Hildebrandt, Managing Director of USAA Realco-Europe, explained: “We are excited and honoured to realize this fulfilment centre for Zalando. The building’s innovative and forward-looking design and scale as one of the largest single occupier logistics developments in the Netherlands was the vision that we have had for this project, and Zalando was the ideal occupier to complete this vision.”
Tim Beckmann, partner Somerset Capital Partners: “We are very pleased that Zalando has chosen us for this great logistics development. This fulfilment centre will be unique for its kind. The whole development will be done to the highest standards of sustainability and it will revitalize the business park that previously housed Royal FloraHolland’s flower auction activities. It provides us with a unique opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities in the area of logistics real estate (re)development.”
