Poland’s largest online marketplace, Allegro, has officially begun selling directly to customers in Ukraine, according to Spider’s Web. The platform launched the service on 13 October with more than one million product listings from several hundred Polish sellers, opening access to a potential market of nearly 12 million Ukrainian buyers.
Unlike previous international expansions to the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary, Allegro has not created a separate Ukrainian platform. Instead, Ukrainian customers shop through the existing allegro.pl website, which now features a Ukrainian-language interface with automatic translation of product descriptions.
Winter essentials and war-related goods
The initial product range has been carefully selected to meet urgent needs in Ukraine, particularly as winter approaches. Available items include power generators, portable power stations, tools, gas heaters and hygiene products – all crucial for a country that has faced full-scale Russian invasion for over four years.
Access to electricity and heating remains one of the most pressing concerns for Ukrainians ahead of winter, making the ability to order power and heating equipment directly from Polish businesses more than just ordinary online shopping.
Participation in the pilot programme is currently limited to a selected group of sellers whilst Allegro tests the entire system. The company plans to eventually open the service to all Polish businesses on its platform that meet programme requirements.
Simplified customs and logistics
One of the biggest challenges in selling outside the European Union involves not just transport costs but customs formalities. Allegro has designed a solution to minimise the burden on sellers by automatically generating export documents, helping select tariff codes for goods, and assisting with verification of EORI numbers used to identify businesses in customs operations.
Customs clearance is handled by One Customs, an agency working with Allegro. Sellers still must meet export requirements and provide accurate product information, but the platform manages much of the paperwork.
The delivery system splits responsibility between two operators. In Poland, Allegro One Kurier collects parcels, which then pass to Nova Post after crossing the border. The Ukrainian firm, which operates an extensive network of branches and parcel lockers, handles the final stage of delivery to customers. Buyers can choose courier delivery to an address, collection at a point, or pickup from a parcel locker.
This arrangement allows Allegro to enter a new market without investing in warehouses, sorting facilities and collection points from scratch. The new delivery method is called Allegro International Ukraina and is not covered by the Allegro Smart programme, meaning buyers must pay separately for shipping.
Pricing and protection
According to rules prepared for sellers, the maximum delivery charge is 16.99 zł for courier service or 5.99 zł for collection at a point or locker. These are upper limits that sellers can set, not guaranteed prices for every order. Sellers also pay a customs handling fee of 7.50 zł net per parcel.
All transactions are settled in Polish złoty, so sellers need not handle currency conversion for payments from foreign customers. Until the end of December 2026, Allegro is offering free parcel protection for declared values up to 20,000 zł, with coverage that includes damage from military action under terms set out in the regulations.
The company first announced plans to launch sales to Ukraine in the summer, with an initial target of a summer 2026 start. The pilot finally began in October, and Allegro has now released specific figures on the number of available offers and participating sellers.
What this means for Poles in the UK
For Polish businesses operating in the UK, Allegro’s move into Ukraine demonstrates how e-commerce platforms can simplify cross-border sales outside the EU by managing customs paperwork and logistics. British-based Polish entrepreneurs looking to export to non-EU markets face similar challenges with customs documentation and EORI registration, which is also required for UK businesses trading internationally post-Brexit.
The model may be of interest to Polish business owners in Britain who maintain ties with suppliers or customers in Poland and Ukraine, particularly those in sectors such as power equipment, tools and seasonal goods. Understanding how platforms can automate customs processes and partner with local delivery networks offers lessons for anyone navigating post-Brexit export requirements.
For Poles in the UK with family or business connections in Ukraine, the service provides a new channel to send goods, though parcels must be ordered by Ukrainian recipients through the Polish platform. Official information about the service is available on allegro.pl under the International Ukraina delivery option.
