Who sets the rules when you're a player yourself?

Bol is an important sales channel for many Dutch online stores. The platform has given business owners access to a huge audience and has made a significant contribution to the growth of e-commerce.

Precisely because of that position, I believe we should also take a critical look at the rules of the game.

Since July 27, 2026, bol has distinguished between different shipping methods under the “On-Time Delivery” service standard. If you use “Ship via bol” (Vvb), the penalty system checks whether the package was handed over to the carrier on time. If you arrange shipping yourself—for example, through an independent fulfillment company—the system checks whether the package was actually delivered to the customer on time.

And that's where the discussion begins for me.

Who bears the risk after the transfer?

Suppose an online store has outsourced its logistics to a fulfillment company. The order is processed correctly and handed over to the carrier on time. From that point on, the online store and the fulfillment company have virtually no influence over the physical delivery.

If the carrier is delayed, this can still affect the seller’s rating when the seller ships the item themselves. With Vvb, the situation is different. Bol itself states that the seller is responsible for the timely handover. After that, Bol assumes a large part of the responsibility for delivery.

Why does an online store that handles its own shipping bear the risk for the carrier's performance, while Bol largely assumes that risk when using its own shipping service?

The carrier can be shown to be the cause

The fact that this is not merely a theoretical discussion is evident from Bol’s own communications. Bol has temporarily adjusted its service standards when carriers’ performance fell short of expectations due to high demand or disruptions. For example, the standard was relaxed in week 22 of 2026 due to lower carrier performance around Pentecost.

I think that's correct in and of itself. But it also shows that a late delivery can occur even after the online store has shipped the package correctly and on time.

Why is the final outcome of the delivery taken into account when shipping in-house, whereas with Vvb, the timely handover is the point of measurement for the strike system?

Bol sets the rules and handles logistics itself

Let me be clear: I have no problem with bol offering “Shipping via bol.” For many online stores, it can be an excellent solution, and thanks to its scale, bol is able to offer attractive services.

However, Bol does play two roles here. The platform sets the criteria for evaluating sellers and, at the same time, offers its own logistics service in which responsibility for delivery performance is distributed differently.

Does this mean that the platform’s logistics solution is indirectly at a greater advantage than the logistics solution a business owner chooses on their own?

What about the independent fulfillment company?

An online store may deliberately choose an independent fulfillment provider because of a late cutoff time, inventory management, international capabilities, or the freedom to use multiple carriers.

That fulfillment company can carry out its work exactly as agreed. The package is ready on time and is handed over to the carrier on time. If a delay then occurs on the carrier’s end, this can still affect the online store’s rating when it handles shipping in-house.

Why should responsibility for those same last few kilometers depend on who the transportation was purchased from?

Responsibility Where Influence Lies

As far as I’m concerned, the basic principle could be simpler. If an online store or its fulfillment partner can demonstrate that the package was handed over to the carrier correctly and on time, then from that moment on, responsibility for the actual delivery should lie with the carrier—regardless of whether the shipping label was purchased directly, through a fulfillment company, or through Bol.

The online store and the fulfillment company, of course, remain responsible for their respective parts of the supply chain: accurate inventory, order processing, delivery promises, and timely handoffs.

But as far as I'm concerned, responsibility lies with the party that actually has influence over that part of the supply chain.

Who Sets the Rules of the Game

I'm not suggesting that Bol deliberately favors its own services. But we can certainly ask a fundamental question:

How do you ensure a level playing field when you simultaneously manage the platform, set the rules, and offer a logistics solution yourself?

As far as I’m concerned, shipping through bol should be able to compete with any other logistics solution. But let that competition be based on price, quality, service, and innovation—not on a difference in responsibility for a shipping service over which the online store has virtually no control once the shipment has been handed over.

That’s why I have a question for bol, online stores, carriers, and fulfillment companies:

If a package can be proven to have been handed over to the carrier on time, why should the online store then be judged differently depending on the logistics route it chose?

Sources & Factual Basis

1. bol Partner Platform – On-Time Delivery
   Bol explains that for in-house shipping, both strikes and the quality score are assessed based on “Delivered on Time.” At Vvb, the strike system is based on “Handed Over on Time”; for the quality score, a combined delivery score is used because Bol is responsible for thebezorging.partnerplatform.bol.com/nl/idp/artikelen-op-tijd
2. bol Partner Platform – “On-Time Delivery” Service Standard Changes, July 10, 2026
   Starting July 27, 2026, the standard will be split into “Handed Over on Time” for Vvb and “Delivered on Time” for in-house shipping. The Vvb target is 95%; for in-house shipping, the target remains 93%.partnerplatform.bol.com/nl/nadp/servicenorm-artikelen-op-tijd-verandert
3. bol Partner Platform – Getting Started with Shipping via bol
   Bol states that a Vvb partner is responsible for timely transfer and will not receive a penalty if an order that was delivered on time is subsequently delivered late. Bol also notes that the delivery service’s performance can affect theprestatiescore.partnerplatform.bol.com/nl/idp/aan-de-slag-met-verzenden-via-bol
4. bol Partner Platform – Revised Service Standards for Week 22 – 2026, June 9, 2026
   Bol reported that carriers in the Netherlands and Belgium underperformed relative to expectations around Pentecost and therefore temporarily relaxed the “On-Time Delivery” standard.partnerplatform.bol.com/nl/nadp/aangepasteservicenormenweek22-2026
5. Bol Partner Platform – Strike Process and Quality Score
   Bol describes the consequences of strikes and the relationship between service standards and the quality score. The quality score can also grant access to benefits such as Select deals and growth incentives.Strike Process | Quality Score

Editor's Note

This blog is an opinion piece. The factual descriptions of the service standards are based on the publicly available information from bol mentioned above. The questions regarding responsibility and a level playing field reflect the author’s views; it is not claimed that bol deliberately favors its own logistics services.

Sources verified on September 2, 2026.