What do you mean TikTok Shop helped Zalando recover?

After a 2024 marked by significant losses and an unfavorable context for digital retailers — between the decline of grey markets and a growing disaffection from consumers toward online shopping — Zalando enters 2025 showing clear signs of recovery. Yesterday, the German e-commerce giant reported that the first quarter closed with 7.9% revenue growth, reaching 2.4 billion euros. Retail sales also rose to 2.18 billion euros, up from 2.02 billion during the same period in 2024, driven by strong end-of-season promotions. Active users increased by 2.9 million, reaching 52.4 million — an all-time high for Zalando — while GMV (gross merchandise volume) rose by 6.5%, reaching 3.5 billion euros. As stated by David Schroeder, co-CEO of the company, the rebound was made possible thanks to the new ecosystem strategy, an integrated development model focused on expanding its offerings and enhancing services for brands and customers: “our strategy is delivering concrete results: customers and partners are enthusiastically embracing the evolution of our platform.” The company also reported that one of the main growth drivers for the online retailer was its partnership with the new TikTok Shop feature, the e-commerce platform integrated into the Chinese app. In key markets such as Germany, France, and Italy, the logistics partnership between the two brands enabled a revenue increase of 11.6%, reaching 240 million euros.

A collaboration that comes at a pivotal moment for the sector, as many online retailers struggle to regain momentum after years of decelerated growth. The success of TikTok Shop suggests a real paradigm shift: it’s no longer enough to offer a well-organized online catalog — retailers must capture consumer attention at the very moment desire is generated. The model proposed by TikTok, where entertainment and transaction happen in a continuous flow, has the potential to revitalize the struggling e-commerce segment, bringing it back to the center of purchasing habits, especially among younger consumers. This is precisely why the logistics partnership becomes a strategic asset: the implementation of ZEOS, selected by TikTok Shop as its official partner for fashion and lifestyle, allows the company to offer a smoother and faster shopping experience, further strengthening its role in the B2B segment. Confirming its positive trajectory, Zalando has maintained its growth forecasts for 2025, estimating revenue growth between 4% and 9% compared to the previous year, with adjusted EBIT between 530 and 590 million euros. Furthermore, the company has announced plans to expand its platform into new markets such as Portugal, Greece, and Bulgaria — a sign of renewed confidence in the strength of its operational model.

Just as Vinted continues to grow — perhaps disproportionately compared to its structure — and MyTheresa opens a new chapter of its story, Zalando seems determined to capture that segment of the market positioned right at the crossroads of what should be its main competitors. The lesson major digital retailers appear to have learned after a year of heavy contractions is clear: diversification is now the only way to stay afloat in an increasingly fragmented and fast-evolving landscape. While some have fully embraced the second-hand segment and others double down on ultra-luxury and exclusivity, Zalando continues to take a more horizontal and accessible approach, focusing on a broad audience with particular attention to younger generations. It is in this context that the partnership with TikTok Shop becomes strategically essential — not because it speaks directly to the end consumer, but because it allows the Zalando ecosystem to plug into the new circuits of the attention economy in a structured way. Social commerce, although still uncertain, remains a real testing ground to redefine the relationship between content, platform, and purchase. It may not be an immediate revolution, but it could be the signal of a new paradigm: platforms that no longer just sell products, but create consumption contexts. The question now is which brand will be next to invest in TikTok Shop.