Logistics landscape for e-commerce in Greece
Greece presents unique logistics challenges that distinguish it from other EU markets. The country's geography – a mainland with a mountainous interior plus over 200 inhabited islands – creates complex delivery networks. Despite this, the Greek courier industry has developed efficient solutions, and consumers increasingly expect fast, reliable delivery even to remote destinations.
Major carriers in Greece
- ACS Courier: The market leader in Greek e-commerce logistics. ACS offers next-day delivery across mainland Greece and 1-2 day delivery to most islands. They operate extensive networks of collection points (ACS Smart Points) and have strong integration capabilities for e-commerce platforms. ACS is also the primary carrier for Skroutz Marketplace orders, making them essential for any serious Greek e-commerce operation
- Speedex Courier: A strong competitor with competitive pricing and reliable mainland coverage. Speedex offers COD (cash on delivery) services and is popular with smaller e-commerce businesses due to flexible contract terms
- ELTA Courier (Hellenic Post): The courier arm of ELTA (Ελληνικά Ταχυδρομεία) offers the most comprehensive geographic coverage, reaching even the most remote islands. Their economy service is cost-effective for non-urgent deliveries. ELTA Courier also handles international parcels efficiently through the Universal Postal Union network
- Geniki Taxydromiki: One of Greece's largest private courier companies, known for reliability and broad coverage. They offer both standard and express services with competitive B2B rates and strong support for high-volume shippers
Shipping costs overview
Mainland Greece: Standard delivery (next-day) costs approximately €2.50-4.50 for parcels up to 2 kg with contract rates, or €5-8 at retail rates. Island delivery adds a surcharge of €1-3 depending on the island and carrier. Remote islands may have longer delivery times of 2-4 business days. Cash on delivery service typically adds €1-2 to the shipping cost. International shipping from Greece to EU destinations ranges from €8-15 for standard parcels.
Island logistics
Delivering to Greek islands is one of the unique challenges of operating in this market. Ferries serve as the primary transport link for most islands, with frequency varying by season. During summer, daily ferries connect major islands like Crete, Rhodes, Corfu and the popular Cycladic islands. In winter, some smaller islands may only have 2-3 connections per week. This seasonality impacts delivery times and should be factored into shipping promises and customer communication. For the most remote islands, ELTA often provides the most reliable service.
Fulfillment strategy
Athens (Attica region) is the optimal location for a central warehouse, as it serves both mainland Greece and is the hub for island ferry connections from Piraeus port. Approximately 35% of Greece's population lives in the greater Athens area, and the major carrier hubs are concentrated there. Thessaloniki serves as a secondary hub for Northern Greece. For sellers using multiple carriers, a multi-carrier shipping strategy helps optimize cost and coverage across the diverse Greek geography, with different carriers excelling in different regions.
Zunapro coordinates the entire logistics chain for the Greek market, from carrier integration to returns management, optimizing costs and delivery performance across mainland and islands.
