E-commerce growth in Europe rarely stalls because of demand. More often, it slows when logistics is no longer able to support expansion. As online stores enter new markets, inventory becomes harder to control, delivery times drift, and customer experience starts to vary from country to country.
A fulfillment structure that works for one market does not automatically scale across many. The brands that grow sustainably are those that design their logistics for multi-country operations from the start, with visibility, consistency, and control built into every stage.
The real challenge of scaling across European markets
Selling into several European countries introduces operational pressure that is not always visible from the outside.
E-commerce teams face challenges such as:
- Longer delivery times when orders ship from a single location
- Rising transport and handling costs as volumes increase
- Stock distributed across locations without real-time visibility
- Difficulty maintaining the same service level in every market
In Central and Eastern Europe, logistics complexity is compounded by Cash on Delivery, which remains a major driver of conversion in countries such as Hungary, Romania, and Poland. COD requires local carrier relationships, strong reconciliation processes, and reliable returns handling to remain profitable.
Without the right fulfillment structure, these factors begin to limit growth rather than support it.
Why centralisation enables scale
Scaling e-commerce does not mean adding more providers, more systems, or more operational layers. It means building a structure that allows growth without losing oversight.
Centralising fulfillment in regional hubs allows one operational backbone to serve multiple countries. From a single, well-positioned location, businesses can:
- Hold stock closer to customers across several markets
- Maintain fast and predictable delivery times
- Serve multiple countries through one technical integration
- Track inventory, orders, and returns in real time
Instead of logistics becoming more complex as volumes grow, it becomes more efficient.
Hungary as a strategic gateway to Central and Eastern Europe
A well-located fulfillment hub determines how quickly and cost-effectively markets can be served. Hungary sits at the centre of Central and Eastern Europe, providing direct access to key e-commerce markets including Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Croatia.
From a single hub in Hungary, businesses can:
- Offer competitive 24 to 48 hour delivery across the region
- Reduce cross-border shipping costs
- Support COD in local markets without managing separate country setups
- Keep stock consolidated while still delivering locally
This model gives e-commerce brands the reach of a multi-warehouse network without the complexity that usually comes with it.
Fulfillment designed for how e-commerce actually works
A logistics structure built for e-commerce covers more than storage and shipping. It supports the full commercial cycle.
A scalable fulfillment model includes:
- Inbounding of Inventory with real-time visibility of available Stock
- Fast, reliable pick and pack workflows
- Last-mile delivery optimised for each local market
- Returns handled as part of the core operation, not an afterthought
When these elements operate within a single system, teams gain visibility over what is selling, what is returning, and what needs to be replenished. This directly impacts conversion, availability, and customer satisfaction.
Scaling efficiently is a strategic decision
E-commerce businesses that succeed across Europe do not rely on improvised logistics. They invest in structures that can absorb volume, seasonal demand, and multi-country complexity without losing control.
A well-designed fulfillment network makes growth predictable rather than fragile. It allows new markets to be added without disrupting existing operations, while protecting service levels and profit margins.
Conclusion
Logistics is no longer a background function in European e-commerce. It is one of the strongest drivers of customer experience, operational efficiency, and long-term scalability.
BIZ Courier & Logistics S.A. operates a European fulfillment network designed specifically for multi-market e-commerce, with centralised control, regional hubs, COD expertise, and integrated delivery flows.
📦 Discover how BIZ turns logistics into a competitive advantage, contact us to get started.
