DHL

Leveraging the right returns solution

DHL recognised the importance of returns early. Already offering outstanding outbound e-commerce solutions for some of biggest retailers in the world, the logistics company wanted to do the same for inbound. Rather than spend more time and resource building a returns platform itself, DHL scanned the market for potential partners and decided the best course of actions was to continue developing its existing relationship with ZigZag.

“DHL was looking for a flexible provider with an existing base of local and international return options. Our strategy was and has continued to be a focus on our core logistics offerings, looking for the right partners, especially in the SaaS and software space to join forces. Rather than building on our own, the approach was to leverage the scale of a platform without compromising service quality, branding, and achieving a tailored solution that fits our aspirations as a leading global logistics provider.”

A strong cultural fit signals the perfect relationship

Having a good product alone is not enough. For a white-label partnership to succeed, both companies must share the same values. This includes a strong work ethic, genuine care for customers and their experiences and a shared drive to keep innovating.

“Due to first pilot projects, first integration of key DHL services were available to build on. We had an established and growing relationship with ZigZag as one of the core carriers offered to retailers on its returns platform.

“We developed a clear roadmap and commitment to extend these integrations for the mutual benefit of both partners. From the very beginning, there has been a willingness and commitment to truly work together as a team, with a small team pushing ahead jointly to create an MVP version ready for customers to start.”

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A robust and collaborative implementation

“The implementation progressed steadily, ultimately delivering a successful rollout of our new service on the ZigZag platform. Weekly check-in calls with the ZigZag Account Management, Finance, Tech, and Product teams ensured clear communication, aligned priorities, and smooth progress throughout the implementation.

“The end-to-end experience has been smooth and collaborative – from initial scoping and development through implementation, testing, and now ongoing optimisation of the service.”

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Onboarding retailers quickly

In just 8 weeks, a cross functional team of ZigZag and DHL experts, onboarded an unprecedented number of merchants.

Retailers can often spend months waiting to be onboarded with a returns solution provider; however, with ZigZag’s solution, around 120 of DHL’s customers were through the process in a matter of hours with no disruption to operations and subsequent access to an improved customer journey, enhanced client communications and the ability to provide all the latest returns features, such as paid returns and product exchanges.

“The onboarding team has been highly attentive to retailers’ needs, providing close follow-up and hands-on support to ensure a complete and confident onboarding journey.”

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Fully branded solution

The partnership allows DHL’s to offer ZigZag's returns portal under its own brand. This not only elevates brand visibility but also fosters trust among retailers and end consumers. By providing a branded returns experience, DHL now creates a more cohesive and reassuring customer journey. This brand continuity is crucial for building loyalty, as customers and retailers feel more secure and confident in the returns process, knowing it's managed by a trusted partner.

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The key features of DHL’s returns platform

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Interview highlights with DHL

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Hassle-free returns experience

“Having a robust returns solution is critical for any Ecommerce merchant, and the development of the DHL Returns portal with ZigZag fills exactly that gap. With DHL’s industry-leading Label-Free pickup and drop off solution available in >70 countries, supported by our global cross-border network of 220 countries, the DHL Returns portal aims to offer a seamless, hassle-free returns experience for our customers.”

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Faster development time

“We can now offer customers a streamlined solution that removes a major barrier in their returns flow, opening up a new level of convenience for their own customers. By integrating with ZigZag, customers benefit from significantly reduced development time while still achieving a gold-standard returns experience.”

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Reducing paper wastage

“The Label-Free service delivers clear sustainability benefits by replacing printed labels with a digital QR code for DHL handover, reducing paper use across every return. As more customers adopt the service, the cumulative reduction in paper waste grows, supporting an eco-friendlier and resource-efficient returns journey.”

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