Marks & Spencer has stepped up its partnership with German online retailer Zalando to fulfill customer orders across 22 markets in continental Europe.
The British High Street retailer is working with Zeos, the logistics division of German company Zalando, to supply all of its online customers across the region.
Under the new logistics system, M&S has cut its logistics costs by up to a half. Customer demand in Poland increased by 22 per cent in the first week of using the new arrangement.
The partnership has also reduced customer delivery times across continental markets and cut product return times from up to 35 days down to eight days.
Logistics overhaul and international expansion
"We have a clear ambition to grow our International business by bringing the best of M&S to more customers around the world," said Mark Lemming, managing director of international at M&S.
"As demand for our fashion products grows across Europe, it's vital that we offer a seamless online shopping experience that matches the quality of our product," Lemming said.
Marks & Spencer is aiming to attract more online shoppers abroad, with its largest continental e-commerce markets including France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain. Zalando operates as one of Europe's largest online fashion platforms, with its Zeos division handling multi-channel logistics for brand partners.
Retail turnaround and financial performance
The online push follows a turnaround at M&S led by chief executive Stuart Machin and chairman Archie Norman. The management team has won over younger shoppers, boosting sales across its fashion, homeware, and beauty division.
The retailer has also recovered from a cyber attack last year that disabled its online shopping platform for almost two months, causing damage to fashion sales.
M&S is seeking to rebuild momentum overseas after international sales fell 7.2 per cent over the year to 28 March. The company stated that the drop was partially caused by shipment delays to the Middle East following the outbreak of war in February.
