Italy Carrier Comparison: GLS, BRT, Poste, Amazon

The Italian carrier landscape in 2026

Italy's ecommerce shipping market is one of the most complex in Europe. The country's geography, stretching from the Alps to Sicily, with two major islands and extensive mountainous terrain, creates logistical challenges that no single carrier solves perfectly. Add regional economic disparities that affect payment preferences, and you have a market where carrier selection directly impacts customer satisfaction, refusal rates, and profitability.

According to Italy's communications authority (AGCOM), carriers delivered 1,198.6 million parcels in Italy in 2025, counting all parcels, not only ecommerce ones, and including those to and from abroad. For B2C ecommerce alone, the Delivery Index compiled by Netcomm (the Italian ecommerce consortium) and Poste Italiane (Italy's postal service) counts 440 million parcels in the first half of 2026, 11.6% more than a year earlier. In AGCOM's parcel market shares, the top three operators are Amazon, the Poste Italiane group, and BRT, followed by DHL, UPS, and GLS.

This guide compares four carriers that Italian D2C brands use for home delivery: GLS Italy, BRT (Bartolini, part of Geopost, the European group that also owns DPD), Poste Italiane (operating through SDA and Poste Delivery Business), and Amazon Shipping. A handful of other carriers (DHL Express, UPS, FedEx/TNT, and InPost for locker delivery) serve specific needs and are outside the scope of this comparison.

The comparison is based on what the carriers publish as of October 2026. Business rates are agreed with each carrier based on volumes, weights, and zones, so the only reliable price comparison is a quote based on your own shipping profile.

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Warehouse in Campania, shipping across Italy

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GLS Italy: nationwide coverage and add-on services

GLS Italy is part of the GLS Group, which covers more than 50 countries through its own companies and partners and is a subsidiary of International Distribution Services (formerly Royal Mail Group). In Italy, GLS lists 163 depots and 13 hubs, plus more than 11,700 GLS Points for pickup.

Delivery speed: GLS states that delivery is normally made within 24/48 hours throughout Italy. For minor islands and remote locations, check transit times with the local GLS depot. Delivery by noon and Saturday delivery are available as add-on services.

Pricing: Rates are agreed with GLS based on volumes, weights, and zones. Ask for a quote based on your shipping profile that includes the add-on services you need (cash on delivery, depot pickup, and Saturday delivery) and any fuel surcharge.

COD handling: COD is offered as an add-on service. Ask for the remittance timeline in your quote. COD shipments require specific labeling and documentation.

Tracking: GLS provides the standard tracking events (picked up, in transit, out for delivery, delivered).

Strengths: Nationwide coverage, with cash on delivery, depot pickup, delivery by noon, and Saturday delivery as add-on services.

Weaknesses: Transit times to minor islands and remote locations have to be checked with the local depot. Saturday delivery is an add-on service.

Best for: Mid-volume D2C brands that need a nationwide carrier with COD support.

BRT (Bartolini, Geopost group): over 200 branches across Italy

BRT (still universally known as "Bartolini" in Italy, and part of Geopost, the European group that also owns DPD) has over 200 local branches (filiali) and more than 12,400 BRT-fermopoint pickup points, which BRT says reach every Italian municipality. In AGCOM's parcel market shares, it ranks third, after Amazon and the Poste Italiane group.

Delivery speed: For ecommerce, BRT states 24/48-hour delivery in southern Italy and on the islands, and offers Express, Priority, and 10:30 services for faster deliveries.

Pricing: Rates are agreed with BRT based on volumes, weights, and zones. Ask for a quote based on your shipping profile that includes the add-on services you need (cash on delivery, held parcels, and returns) and any fuel surcharge.

COD handling: Cash on delivery is among BRT's add-on services. Ask for the remittance timeline in your quote.

Tracking: Check which notifications your customers receive with a real test shipment.

Strengths: Coverage of every Italian municipality (as stated by BRT), cash on delivery among its add-on services, Express, Priority, and 10:30 services, extensive network of branches and pickup points.

Weaknesses: Service runs through the local delivery branch, so test transit times on the postcodes where you sell most.

Best for: Brands with customers across Italy, including the smallest towns.

Poste Italiane (SDA / Poste Delivery Business): near-universal reach

Poste Italiane is Italy's postal service. Its business parcel network covers the whole country, including the most remote mountain villages and the smallest islands, with a few exceptions listed by Poste (Livigno-Trepalle and Campione d'Italia). Its ecommerce delivery services operate under the SDA and Poste Delivery Business brands.

Delivery speed: Poste gives indicative delivery times of 1-2 business days for Poste Delivery Business Express (excluding Saturdays and holidays) and up to 4 business days from pickup for Poste Delivery Business Standard, in most locations. Times vary with origin and destination.

Pricing: Rates are agreed with Poste. Its product sheets list surcharges for Sicily, Calabria, and Sardinia, for the "hard-to-reach" and "peripheral" postcodes listed on its website, for fuel, and, in contracts billed in arrears, for the peak season.

COD handling: Poste Italiane supports COD, and its product sheet states that COD amounts are remitted within 5 business days of delivery.

Tracking: Send a test shipment to see which updates your customers receive.

Strengths: Nationwide coverage with very few exceptions, COD remittance within 5 business days, more than 12,000 participating post offices and more than 19,000 Punto Poste pickup points (tobacconists, supermarkets, and lockers).

Weaknesses: Longer delivery times with the Standard service, surcharges for the islands, Calabria, and hard-to-reach postcodes, evening and Saturday delivery only as add-on services.

Best for: Deliveries to remote areas (after comparing each carrier's surcharges), non-urgent orders with the Standard service, and a second carrier so you do not depend on a single one.

Amazon Shipping: stated 24-48-hour delivery

Amazon Shipping is Amazon's carrier service for third-party merchants, distinct from FBA. You ship from your own warehouse, and Amazon handles last-mile delivery using its Italian delivery network.

Delivery speed: Amazon says it delivers within 24-48 hours across Italy, in the locations served by the Amazon Logistics network, with pickups and deliveries seven days a week and no extra charge for weekend delivery. Its service charter describes a Premium shipping method with delivery in one or two business days.

Pricing: Rates depend on the delivery address and the parcel size, and get cheaper as volumes grow, according to Amazon. Abroad, Amazon Shipping Italy only ships to France and Spain, in 2-5 days, for eligible shippers (October 2026).

COD handling: Cash on delivery is not listed among Amazon Shipping's services (FAQ and service charter, October 2026). For merchants who rely heavily on COD, this is a real limitation: plan another carrier for those orders, or check with Amazon first.

Tracking: Amazon lists SMS and email updates, predicted delivery times, photo proof of delivery, one-time passcodes, and, for products sold outside Amazon.it, the option to add your company's logo to tracking emails. Recipients can also set a preferred delivery location or reschedule.

Strengths: 24-48-hour delivery seven days a week (as stated by Amazon), detailed tracking notifications, no extra charge for weekend delivery, rates that get cheaper as volumes grow (according to Amazon), up to three delivery attempts on the Amazon Logistics network, photo proof of delivery.

Weaknesses: COD not listed among its services (a limitation for COD-heavy brands), service tiers starting at 40 parcels a day (Amazon says it is still working to meet the needs of smaller shippers), packaging guidelines to follow, scheduled pickups only (no drop-off), parcels limited to 15 kg and 70x50x50 cm, dangerous goods accepted only in some authorized categories and only on the Italian mainland.

Best for: Prepaid D2C orders where delivery speed is a competitive priority, brands with 40+ daily shipments (or through a 3PL that aggregates volume), products up to 15 kg and 70x50x50 cm.

Head-to-head comparison table

Feature	GLS Italy	BRT	Poste Italiane	Amazon Shipping
Stated delivery time	24/48h nationwide	24/48h in the south and islands	Express 1-2 business days, Standard up to 4	24-48h, 7 days a week
Pricing	By quote	By quote	By quote, with zone surcharges	By address and parcel size
Island surcharge	Check your quote	Check your quote	Yes (Sicily, Calabria, Sardinia)	Rate depends on the address
COD support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Not listed
COD remittance	Check your quote	Check your quote	Within 5 business days	N/A
Saturday delivery	Add-on service	Available	Add-on service	Included, 7 days a week
Min. volume	Negotiable	Negotiable	Negotiable	Tiers from 40/day
Max weight (standard)	Ask the carrier	Ask the carrier	70 kg with pickup	15 kg
Coverage depth	Nationwide	All municipalities (per BRT)	Nationwide, few exceptions	Amazon Logistics network

Why a multi-carrier strategy makes sense

The comparison above makes one thing clear. No single carrier wins across every dimension. Amazon Shipping is fast but does not list COD among its services. Poste Italiane reaches almost everywhere, but its Standard service is slower. GLS, BRT, and Poste Italiane all offer cash on delivery, with remittance times to check in your quote.

A multi-carrier strategy sends each shipment to the carrier that fits the order, based on its characteristics.

Routing logic for a typical Italian D2C brand:

Prepaid orders, standard size, mainland: Amazon Shipping (24-48h delivery, as stated by Amazon)
COD orders: a carrier that offers cash on delivery, such as GLS or Poste Italiane
Orders to Sicily, Sardinia, and remote areas: Poste Italiane (near-universal coverage; compare its island surcharge with those of other carriers in your quotes)
Heavy/oversized orders (above Amazon Shipping's 15 kg limit): a carrier that takes heavier parcels (check the weight limits in your quote)
Lightweight orders: the carrier with the lowest quote for light parcels on your profile

You can turn this logic into clear rules (payment method, zone, weight, cost). Ask your 3PL which rules it uses to choose the carrier.

Illustrative scenario: optimizing carrier mix for a beauty brand

This is an illustrative example with hypothetical figures, not real rates or measured results. A Korean beauty brand expanding to Italy launches with BRT as their sole carrier. Monthly volume: 4,500 orders, 35% COD, average parcel weight 0.8 kg. After three months, they analyze their delivery performance:

Average delivery time: 2.8 days
Customer satisfaction (delivery): 3.5/5
Shipping cost per order: €5.10 average
Island deliveries: 8% of orders, average 4.2 days, island surcharge costing €540/month

They switch to a multi-carrier strategy:

Prepaid orders (65%): Amazon Shipping, 24-48h delivery, €4.40 average
COD orders mainland (27%): the same carrier as before, €5.20 average
Island orders (8%): Poste Italiane, €0.70 surcharge in their contract vs. €1.50 with BRT

Results after 90 days:

Average delivery time: 1.6 days (from 2.8)
Customer satisfaction (delivery): 4.3/5 (from 3.5)
Shipping cost per order: €4.75 average (from €5.10)
Island surcharge savings: €290/month

In this hypothetical example, average delivery time falls by 43%, customer satisfaction rises, and shipping costs drop. Your own figures will differ: measure them before and after any change.

How to evaluate carriers: the questions that matter

When negotiating carrier contracts or evaluating a 3PL's carrier offering, these are the questions worth asking.

What delivery times should I expect to my top destination areas, and how do you check them? Then turn those times into the date you show at checkout, as explained in our guide to the estimated delivery date.
What is the carrier's COD refusal handling process? How many delivery attempts? What happens to refused packages? How long until the package returns to the warehouse?
What are the real surcharges? Fuel surcharges, residential delivery surcharges, island surcharges, oversized surcharges, peak season surcharges. Get a complete list.
What is the driver density in my key delivery areas? More drivers per zone means tighter delivery windows and more flexible rescheduling.
How do tracking updates reach my store, and how quickly?
What happens during peak season (Black Friday, Christmas)? Guaranteed capacity? Priority pickup? Or are you deprioritized in favor of larger clients? For 2026, the key dates are in our ecommerce holiday calendar for Italy, and carrier closures and cutoffs in our guide to Christmas shipping deadlines in Italy.
What are the real COD remittance timelines? Not the contractual maximum but the actual average.

Let Tissquad manage your multi-carrier strategy

Building and managing a multi-carrier strategy in-house requires carrier contract negotiations, API integrations with each carrier, routing logic development, performance monitoring, and ongoing optimization. For most D2C brands, this operational overhead is not where they should be spending their time and resources.

With Tissquad, choosing the carrier is part of the fulfillment service. In Italy we ship with GLS, BRT, Poste Italiane, and Amazon Shipping, and abroad with GLS, FedEx, DHL, and UPS, and we choose the carrier for each order based on weight, zone, and cost.

Want to know which carriers fit your orders in Italy? Contact Tissquad to request a call or a quote.