Explore Zalando’s AR Fulfilment Tour to See How Fashion Orders Flow Through Our High-Tech Warehouse

Explore Zalando’s AR Fulfilment Tour to See How Fashion Orders Flow Through Our High-Tech Warehouse

(IN BRIEF) Zalando and ZEOS have launched an AR app that transports users through every phase of Zalando’s fulfilment process—from receiving and stowing to picking, sorting, packing, and handling returns. Powered by ZalOS software, AI routing, and TORU robots, the centre processes millions of items sustainably, using recycled packaging and machine-learning–driven packing rules. The interactive tour highlights ergonomic workstations, dynamic storage, high-capacity sorting, and a refurbishment workshop, offering an unprecedented inside look at how Zalando delivers fashion across 25 European markets.

(PRESS RELEASE) BERLIN, 8-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Today, Zalando and ZEOS unveil an immersive augmented-reality tour that pulls back the curtain on our Oceanium-sized fulfilment operation. From the moment a shipment arrives to its final dispatch or return, visitors can now explore every step of the journey through our new AR mobile app—no safety vest required.

Step 1: Receive
Deliveries from around the globe land in our receive zone, where goods are unloaded by forklifts, inspected for accuracy and quality, and assigned a unique “quality label” barcode. Ergonomic, automated workstations speed this process while recycled cardboard boxes ensure minimal waste.

Step 2: Stow
Next, products ascend to the pick tower—the beating heart of our warehouse—where smart handheld scanners, powered by our in-house ZalOS software, guide associates to the nearest available slot. This dynamic storage system adapts in real time, enabling seamless stowing of millions of items and paving the way for efficient retrieval.

Step 3: Pick
When an order comes in, our team uses ZalOS-driven scanners and AI-optimized routing to collect items along the quickest path. Automation further enhances productivity: TORU robots handle heavy shoe cartons, moving up to 35,000 boxes daily and sparing our colleagues from repetitive strain.

Step 4: Sort
Picked items enter our high-capacity bag sorter—now repurposed as temporary storage for fast-moving styles—holding up to 700,000 bags. Conveyor belts and sorting machines then ferry individual orders to packing stations.

Step 5: Pack
We leverage machine learning to determine the most sustainable packaging for each item—our “bag before box” rule maximizes trailer load and minimizes material use. Packed parcels slide down country-specific chutes and are loaded onto trailers from over 40 logistics partners, ensuring speedy delivery across Europe.

Step 6: Returns
Returned items undergo barcode verification and condition checks. Pristine pieces return to outbound inventory, while those needing attention go to our refurbishment workshop—equipped with stain-removal bays and sewing stations—before being reassigned to the optimal site for resale.

Scan the QR code to embark on this virtual tour and discover how Zalando combines cutting-edge technology, sustainability, and human expertise to bring fashion to doorsteps across 25 markets.

About Zalando

Founded in Berlin in 2008, Zalando is Europe’s leading online multi-brand fashion destination. We are building a pan-European ecosystem for fashion and lifestyle e-commerce, along two growth vectors: Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B). In B2C, we provide an inspiring, high-quality multi-brand shopping experience for fashion and lifestyle products to more than 52 million active customers across 25 markets. In B2B, we leverage our logistics infrastructure, software, and service capabilities to support brands and retailers in managing and scaling their entire e-commerce business, both on and off the Zalando platform. Through our ecosystem vision, Zalando aims to enable positive change in the fashion and lifestyle industry.

Media Contact:

Corporate Communications
press@zalando.com

SOURCE: Zalando