Marketplace data is finally no longer an export. It's becoming a live source for running the business.
In recent months, Zalando has opened up a topic that will be crucial for European e-commerce: Direct Data Sharing. In practice, it's a shift away from emailed reports, downloaded CSV files and manual data merging towards direct, secure and scalable access to data that partners can plug straight into their analytics tools.
For Exportio, this is an important moment. We've implemented Zalando's new DDS feature in our upcoming Marketplace Intelligence tool. We'll soon introduce it as a tool for complete management analytics in omnichannel e-commerce: from marketplace performance through assortment and pricing to stock, logistics and operational decision-making.
Why Direct Data Sharing matters
E-commerce managers know the problem well. The data exists, but it's scattered. Some is in the marketplace portal, some in an export, some in an advertising tool, some in the warehouse, some in BI and part of it is still in spreadsheets. The result isn't a lack of data, but a lack of a usable picture.
Zalando describes exactly this reality in its engineering blog. Partners had to combine SFTP transfers, CSV exports, self-service reports and API calls to get a coherent view of their business performance. That's too slow for modern marketplace management. If a company needs to make decisions on price, availability, listings, seasonality or the performance of a specific range, it needs data faster and in an analytics-ready form.
Direct Data Sharing changes this logic. Data no longer has to be constantly copied and moved. The partner, or their analytics tool, connects securely to the data source and can work with it directly. In management practice, this means less manual work, fewer delays and less risk of different teams working with different versions of the truth.
What we've added to Exportio Marketplace Intelligence
We've integrated DDS into our upcoming Marketplace Intelligence tool as one of the key data layers for Zalando. The goal isn't just to display another report. The goal is to put marketplace data into a wider business context.
A manager won't just ask “how much did we sell on Zalando?” They'll look at the connections: how performance differs by market, category, SKU or size; where stock availability is holding back sales; how the assortment behaves in relation to price, campaigns and seasonality; where problems arise in returns or fulfilment; and how marketplace results feed into overall omnichannel performance.
That's the difference between reporting and intelligence. Reporting shows what happened. Intelligence helps you understand why it happened and what to do about it.
From isolated marketplace data to omnichannel analytics
A marketplace is no longer an isolated channel. For many brands, it's part of a wider commercial architecture in which their own online shop, Zalando, other marketplaces, retail partners, warehouses and sometimes physical stores all run side by side. Management decisions therefore need to connect several layers at once.
If a brand sells well in one market but has low availability of key sizes, it's not just a marketplace problem. If revenue grows but returns grow too, it's not just a marketing success. If one marketplace shows demand for a particular category earlier than other channels, it can be a signal for purchasing, pricing and local expansion.
This is where direct data access makes the most sense. The faster marketplace signals reach the management view, the faster teams can adjust the assortment, allocate stock, change prices or tackle operational weak spots.
Why this is good news for brands and retailers
For large and mid-sized e-commerce companies, DDS means less work around data and more room for decision-making. Platform data can become part of everyday management rather than a special project for analysts. Commercial, category, pricing, supply chain and marketplace teams can all work from the same picture of performance.
The advantage isn't just technical. It's managerial. Companies that can read marketplace signals faster can respond better to demand, uncover untapped assortment potential, improve availability and manage profitability across channels. In an environment where margins are shrinking and competition is accelerating, the ability to make decisions from quality data is one of the few truly scalable advantages.
What comes next
We'll be launching Exportio Marketplace Intelligence soon. The Zalando DDS implementation is one of the first examples of where the tool is heading: towards complete management analytics for omnichannel e-commerce that brings marketplace data, commercial performance and operational reality together in one usable view.
Our goal is a simple principle: data, processes and logistics should come together in decisions that drive growth. Zalando DDS is another port through which this data flows into running the business.
Want to prepare your marketplace business for data-driven management? Watch out for the launch of Exportio Marketplace Intelligence. We'll soon show how an omnichannel e-commerce team can manage Zalando and other channels from a single management view.