Italy in COD: couriers, delivery fees, confirmation, and what Italians expect on the call

Priscila Alencar · 2026-10-07

Couriers: delivery time and fee

BRT: Delivery in 3-5 business days, average cost between €8 and €12, depending on the product weight.

GLS: Delivery in 2-4 business days, delivery fee is around €9 to €15, depending on the region.

Poste Italiane: Delivery time of 5-7 business days, with costs starting at €6, ideal for lower-priced products.

SDA: Delivery time is 3-5 business days, with fees ranging from €7 to €11, depending on size and weight.

Phone confirmation in italian

Italians expect a professional and friendly approach during delivery confirmation. It’s essential that the call is made in Italian, using a clear and polite tone. Prepare a script that includes:

Order confirmation (number, product).
Expected delivery date.
Ask for their preferred delivery time, if applicable.

Typical aov and CPA

Average order value: In nutra and dropshipping e-commerce, the average order value in Italy ranges from €30 to €70.
CPA (Cost per Acquisition): Typical CPA for paid ads campaigns is around 20% of the average order value, or €6 to €14 per sale.

Regions with high return rates

Returns tend to be more frequent in regions like:

Lombardy: Mainly in Milan, due to high competition and expectations around quality.
Lazio: Rome has high return rates due to sizing and fit issues in fashion.
Campania: Naples is an area where dissatisfaction with products can lead to higher return rates.

Holidays and seasonality

Holidays: Christmas (December 25) and Easter (March/April) are critical periods, when demand increases but logistics can be affected. Plan ahead to avoid delays.

Seasonality: Summer (June to August) brings a slight drop in sales, while winter (November to January) is strong due to Christmas shopping. Keep an eye out for promotions specific to these periods.

Logistics and understanding Italian consumer behavior are crucial to optimizing your COD operations. How have you been handling delivery fees and returns in your operation in Italy? Share your numbers!