Ukraine's largest postal operator, Nova Poshta, has officially announced a change in customer service rules, reducing the free storage period for shipments at its branches from seven to five days. The new regulation came into effect on October 1 and applies to the vast majority of shipment categories, including standard parcels, documents, heavy cargo, as well as car tires and wheels.
Reasons for the new rules
The company's management attributes this decision primarily to security considerations amid ongoing military actions. Analysts and operator representatives emphasize that minimizing the time civilian cargo spends in logistics centers and branches significantly reduces the risk of damage or destruction as a result of potential missile and drone strikes on infrastructure.
Who will be affected by the changes
According to the company's internal statistics, these changes will not pose a critical problem for the overwhelming majority of service users. About 97% of customers traditionally collect their shipments within the first five days of arrival at the branch. Starting from the sixth day of storage, parcels become subject to standard storage fees. Meanwhile, delivery rates remain unchanged, and the rules for pallets stay the same—their free storage period remains three days.
Related changes in the operator's operations
It is worth noting that the reduction in storage periods coincides with other important changes in the company's operational regulations. Previously, Nova Poshta tightened security protocols during air raid alerts: branches and parcel lockers immediately suspend operations, and staff and visitors must evacuate to shelters. In addition, users recently experienced temporary technical glitches in the mobile application and the express waybill creation system, prompting the company to stabilize its digital services.
