datawebotZalando product data: Config SKUs, size offers and access
Map Zalando Config SKU and Simple SKU identities, size-level merchant selection, partner logistics and market-specific offer limits.
Join article content to a merchant offer at the selected size
Zalando Platform Rules version 13, effective 1 July 2026, define an Article as the Config SKU sold to a customer. A Config SKU differs between colors; a Simple SKU differs between colors and sizes. Offer selection then chooses a designated merchant for a Simple SKU at size level. Keep these source identifiers and offer dimensions separate rather than joining on a translated title.
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| Source identity or offer | Preserve | Why it stays separate |
|---|---|---|
| Article / Config SKU | Zalando article reference, product URL, color configuration and displayed article content | The Platform Rules define the Article as the Config SKU sold to a customer; a Config SKU differs by color. |
| Simple SKU | Exact source identifier for the product/color/size variant when exposed by an authorized record | Zalando defines a Simple SKU as differing across colors and sizes; title alone is not a variant key. |
| Size-level selected offer | Selected size, market, designated merchant, displayed price and availability state | Zalando selects a merchant at Simple SKU/size level; another size may have a different seller. |
| Article content | Description, brand, color, materials, sizing and images when provided | Partner onboarding lists these as article content; they do not identify the seller or fulfillment path. |
| Observation context | Country storefront URL, exact size label, currency and observation timestamp | Do not join a different market or size by a localized product name alone. |
Do not confuse the seller model with the fulfillment path
Zalando describes distinct Wholesale, Partner Program and Connected Retail models. Germany's consumer terms also distinguish Zalando merchandise, partner merchandise and pre-owned merchandise. These labels answer different questions from where an item is stored or shipped.
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| Model or label | Published description | Record rule |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale | Zalando buys assortments and acts as legal stock owner, handling order, payment, logistics and service | Record this as the wholesale model when the source explicitly identifies it; do not infer it from a Zalando-branded page. |
| Partner Program | Partners control assortment and pricing and can use their own logistics or Zalando logistics services | Keep the partner merchant and partner price separate from the article record. |
| Connected Retail | Partners bring brick-and-mortar stock online and control article prices. When a partner's stores list different prices for the same Simple SKU, Zalando represents the partner offer at the lowest store price; order allocation then selects a specific store. | Keep the customer-visible partner price distinct from per-store location and inventory; the represented price is not each store’s individual offer. |
| ZFS | Zalando Fulfilment Solutions stores and fulfills partner goods through Zalando’s network; the partner retains ownership and control of its stock. | Record the fulfillment service separately from seller identity and stock ownership. |
| Pre-owned | Zalando Germany's consumer terms identify pre-owned items separately and mark them as used merchandise | Keep pre-owned condition and offer provenance separate from new article/merchant offers. |
| ZEOS Fulfilment | A multi-channel logistics service that can fulfill orders from one stock pool across sales channels and markets, including partner storefronts and a retailer’s own ecommerce. | Keep sales channel and fulfillment pool distinct; the service description does not identify the merchant selected for a Zalando offer. |
Keep country, currency and size convention on every offer
Zalando's Partner Program requires partners to submit local-currency prices for each country. Its market guidance lists country-specific onboarding and logistics requirements, and availability can vary by market and category. A translated title is not a reliable key for joining price or size observations across countries.
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| Market field | Preserve | Cross-market check |
|---|---|---|
| Storefront | Country-domain product URL and the market observed | Keep market identity even when article content is shared across stores. |
| Price | Amount, currency, price label and offer timestamp | Convert only in a separate analytical field; retain the original local amount and currency. |
| Size | The exact size string presented for the market | Do not map a local size to another standard without an explicit size-conversion rule. |
| Assortment | Article and selected merchant offer available in that country | A partner-market list or product found in one store does not prove availability in every Zalando country. |
| Delivery context | Market-specific shipping/fulfillment setup when authorized data supplies it | A delivery option does not establish exact stock across all warehouses or stores. |
| Category scope | Partner Program market and category support as listed in Zalando's current market overview | Beauty is offered only in select Partner Program markets; a market list does not prove a particular product or offer is available there. |
The documented API is for approved partners' own catalog and inventory
Zalando's Partner University documents direct and integrator connections for onboarded Partner Program sellers. Those connections send partner product descriptions, prices, images and stock information to Zalando and route orders back to the seller. Direct Integration requires a prior assessment and approval; the documentation does not present this as an open API for collecting any public Zalando listing.
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| Partner path | Documented use | Access boundary |
|---|---|---|
| Approved integrator | Connect a partner's ERP or inventory system to send listings, stock, prices and orders | The partner selects an integrator and is responsible for the technical and contractual arrangement. |
| Direct Integration API | Transmit partner product, price and stock data; route marketplace orders to the partner system | Requires prior Zalando approval through a Direct Integration assessment. |
| zDirect | Partner portal for onboarding articles, managing prices and viewing status | Access belongs to an onboarded partner account; the UI is not public product data. |
| Partner eligibility | Zalando says its Partner Program is curated and it invites brands rather than accepting direct applications | Do not present partner API credentials as available to any visitor or data customer. |
| Partner article ownership | A partner remains owner until the article is handed to the customer; ownership returns if it is returned | Keep partner-owned inventory distinct from public article descriptions and Zalando warehouse fulfillment. |
A selected offer is not a stock count or the full merchant set
Platform Rules version 13 (effective 1 July 2026) says the designated merchant is chosen for a Simple SKU at size level and only available offers are considered. Wholesale mode is the default in Zalando International Online Shops; Zalando may use price mode flexibly, while New Default replaces price mode in Switzerland and combines offer price with signals such as delivery lead time, cancellation rate, customer-care contacts and return lead time. The rules note that experiments can show alternate behavior, so a visible offer does not expose the selection mode or full inventory ledger.
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| Observed signal | Reasonable interpretation | Do not infer |
|---|---|---|
| Size option visible | This size can be selected in the observed storefront at that time | A stable stock count or future order acceptance. |
| Selected merchant | The designated merchant for the selected article/size under the applicable platform rules | That the same merchant supplies other sizes or markets. |
| Displayed price | The selected local offer's price at capture time | The lowest price across all partner inventory or the final price in another market. |
| No visible offer | The size or article is not currently presented as an available offer in that context | A known stockout count or proof that every partner is out of stock. |
| Partner API stock field | Inventory information the approved partner integration sends for that partner's own article | Public access to a retailer or other partner's warehouse quantities. |
| Market selection rule | For Switzerland, retain the market and capture date alongside the displayed offer; current Platform Rules describe New Default there. | Do not infer the active merchant-selection mode from price alone; customer experiments may vary presentation. |
Read the consumer order rule narrowly and check the relevant market terms
The English Germany consumer terms reserve the right to refuse or cancel orders placed using software, robots, crawlers, spiders or automated/scripted behavior. That provision addresses orders, not every type of page access. Partner APIs are separately limited to approved partner integrations; do not infer permission to collect data from a public page or use an automated purchase flow from these sources.
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| Source boundary | What the reviewed terms say | How to apply it |
|---|---|---|
| Automated ordering | Germany consumer terms allow Zalando to refuse or cancel orders generated through automated systems or scripted behavior | Do not automate consumer order placement or checkout. |
| Product-page data access | The cited consumer clause does not state a blanket rule for all page-data collection | Check the current country-specific terms and obtain the applicable permission before collection or reuse. |
| Partner access | Partner APIs and zDirect are described for approved, onboarded businesses and partner-owned records | Use the partner route only within its approved scope; it is not a competitor-data shortcut. |
| Public availability | Product visibility does not establish an API grant, license or stock quantity | Keep page observations, partner inventory and customer orders in separate evidence classes. |
Content reviewed 2026-10-07.