Zalando is an originally German webshop for shoes, clothing and fashion accessories. The company is based in Berlin and operates in dozens of European countries. Zalando was founded in 2008 by David Schneider and Robert Gentz, who were inspired by the American Zappos. In 2009, the market area was expanded to include Austria, followed in 2010 by the Netherlands and France. In 2010 fashion and clothing were added to the assortment. Meanwhile, Zalando developed its own collection and became the market leader for online shoe sales in 2010. In 2011 it expanded to Great Britain and Switzerland and in 2012 further to Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, Finland and Poland. In 2021, the number of countries in which Zalando operates rose to 23