Zalando Adds AI Agent Shopping for Third-Party Shops
Online sellers using marketplaces should assess how AI agents could redirect shopper purchases across other online stores.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Retail
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Berlin-based online fashion retailer Zalando reported third-quarter revenue of €3.17 billion, up 5.1% year-on-year and slightly above the €3.15 billion analysts expected. The company also launched Zalando Extended, a platform that lets shoppers use AI agents on the Zalando app to buy from other online shops.
Why it matters
Growth in gross merchandise value of 7.5% and a rise in quarterly adjusted operating profit to €106.5 million show the marketplace model still scaling for the platform. For retailers that sell through third-party channels, the launch signals that AI agents may increasingly become an intermediary between shoppers and their storefronts.
Zalando's third-quarter revenue reached €3.17 billion, up 5.1% from a year earlier and above the €3.15 billion analysts polled by LSEG expected. Gross merchandise value rose 7.5% to €4.54 billion, while B2B revenue grew almost 28%.
The players
Zalando
A Berlin-based online fashion retailer that sells clothes, shoes and accessories from thousands of brands, including Nike, Hugo Boss and Coach, and operates a marketplace and retail media business for partners.
Westwing
A home furnishings retailer that served as the initial pilot partner for Zalando Extended.
The details
Zalando Extended lets users buy products from other online shops through AI agents operating inside the Zalando app. The feature began as a pilot with home retailer Westwing. Zalando attributed strong demand for its business-to-business services to its use of AI agents for third-party sales, and its partner business and retail media also grew at a double-digit rate.
Timeline
Third quarter of 2026: Zalando reported its quarterly revenue and profit results.
November 3, 2026: Zalando reported the quarterly results on Tuesday.
Market Landscape
Zalando is extending its marketplace model by routing purchases from other online shops through AI agents in its own app, a move that positions the platform as an intermediary. The launch follows the growth of its partner business and retail media, which the company says also expanded at a double-digit rate.
Retailers that sell through third-party marketplaces should evaluate how AI-agent purchasing could change how shoppers find and buy their products. Finance and marketing teams should track whether marketplace and partner revenue keeps growing faster than direct sales.
The takeaway
Growth in B2B and partner revenue suggests that marketplace intermediation is becoming a larger revenue line for platforms like Zalando. Operators should monitor whether AI-agent shopping channels begin to send meaningful traffic to their storefronts.
Further reading
For broader context on how shifting purchasing channels affect sellers, explore the Retail section.
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Would you use an AI agent to buy products from other online shops?
