Zalando has launched an initiative that allows small local stores to integrate into its marketplace. The German ecommerce business has said that the future of the industry will involve a seamless link between online and offline stores. The new system means that local retailers who sign up to Zalando's Integrated Commerce system can receive orders from online customers and accept them if the item is currently in stock. Jan Bartels, Vice President Logistics Products at Zalando, said that by using this approach, “Zalando can be a digital solution for smaller retailers who are facing the challenges of digitalisation and offer them a further sales channel”. Currently, the idea is in a test phase, with only ten local shops taking part in the experiment. However, it is expected to be successful if the positive results of a similar test in June 2016 are anything to go by, which led to two larger Adidas stores in Berlin becoming fully digitised with an online presence on Zalando.Â
