The delivery options for online vendors were significantly improved in Russia as Woolman and RusPostExpress announced their partnership. As of June, Woolman's Nordic Shipping App will contain RusPostExpress' delivery methods into Russia.
RusPostExpress is a logistics service provided jointly by wCargo and the Russian Post. RusPostExpress delivers packages anywhere in Russia at the same price – whether the destination is Saint Petersburg or Vladivostok. The official status of the Russian Post speeds up border formalities and their additional services provide real added value for both the sender and the recipient.
According to a study conducted by the Russian research agency Insight Data, the choice of logistics provider matters: the results show that the Russian Post is the most popular choice for package deliveries among Russians.
– We are glad that our cooperation with Woolman grants Shopify vendors effortless access to the Russian market. We have over 16 years of experience in international online deliveries to Russia. Now, as partners, we can provide a smoother service for all Shopify vendors at a competitive price, says Olga Wegelius, the CEO of RusPostExpress.
– Many corporate decision-makers have the impression that entering the Russian market is difficult. On the contrary: selling directly to consumers is effortless.
Wegelius states that thus far uncertainty has been the largest obstacle standing in the way of companies expanding into Russia. There is the idea that Russian bureaucracy is difficult and that deliveries are expensive and unreliable. However, the bureaucracy that is deemed difficult does not concern D2C sales.
Direct-to-consumer sales are easy for the following reasons:
- Product-specific certifications are not required
- Russian translations are not required on the product or its packaging
- International trade agreements are not required
- Sanctions do not apply to direct purchases made by consumers
- Deliveries can be made directly to the consumer without any intermediaries
- Cross-border online shopping is tax free for Russian consumers up to 200 euros or 31 kilograms and the costs for deliveries exceeding this are the responsibility of the Russian buyer (postal charges do not count towards the 200 euro limit)
- The consumer is responsible for the taxes and the process is handled entirely on the Russian side; the vendor doesn't have to do anything
- Because of the tax exemption, buying products cross-border is actually more affordable for consumers than buying them locally, which makes it popular
– We want to be involved in creating a gateway to Russia for Shopify vendors together with RusPostExpress. RusPostExpress is an official representative of the Russian Post and we believe that when an online customer sees a known operator at the checkout it supports their purchase decision. The direct integration of RusPostExpress's services into the Nordic Shipping App provides vendors a competitive new alternative for deliveries into Russia, says Woolman's Product Manager Mareena Löfgrén.
Woolman's Nordic Shipping App enables the display of pickup points and the printing of address cards for online Shopify orders. Over 200 online stores already rely on the app. In addition to RusPostExpress, the Nordic Shipping App supports many other reliable delivery methods popular among vendors and consumers alike.
Woolman helps European brands succeed in global markets with growth-promoting online store solutions and the Nordic Shipping App, a comprehensive delivery method application.
Take a closer look at the Nordic Shipping App here
Take a closer look at the services of RusPostExpress here
