Ljubljana - Zalando, an e-commerce company offering fashion and lifestyle products, launched its new online platform in Slovenia today. Speaking at an online press conference, Zalando's representative Lisa Miczaika said this was also an opportunity for Slovenian brands to sell their products across Europe via the platform.

Slovenia, Lithuania and Slovakia are the latest countries to be added to the list of the 20 European countries where the platform is now present, offering clothing, footwear, accessories and cosmetics.

More than 1400 brands are currently available to Zalando's customers. In addition to established brands, the platform also has a partnership programme that enables local brands to sell their products in other European countries.

At the launch within a new marketplace, Zalando first sets up a fashion store and later introduces the possibility to sell and buy second-hand products, said Miczaika, Zalando's Vice President for Central Europe, adding that customers would receive ordered goods within three to five days and would be able to return them free of charge within 30 days.

The platform will cooperate with the Slovenian national postal company in the delivery of goods, with the options of home delivery or collecting purchased goods via the network of pick-up points, which include more than 450 post offices and 150 Petrol service stations across Slovenia.

Zalando currently has 11 logistics centres across Europe, with the two closest to Slovenia located in northern Italy. The platform's technical centre is based in Berlin.

Zalando plans to expand its network also to Croatia, Estonia and Latvia in July, and the Hungarian and Romanian markets next year. According to Miczaika, Zalando's goal is a 10% market share in Europe by 2025.