Bol Logistics: LVB, Costs, Pros & Cons

What is logistics via bol?

Logistics via Bol (LVB) is the fulfillment service of bol.com where you, as a seller, send your stock to bol.com's warehouse. Once a customer places an order, bol.com takes care of storage, packaging, shipping, and the return process. This means you can focus entirely on purchasing, marketing, and growing your business - while bol.com handles the logistics via bol. In this article, you'll read all about the costs, benefits, drawbacks, and practical tips to determine if LVB is right for your situation.

How does logistics via bol work exactly?

The LVB process consists of four steps:

1. Stock submission: You send your products in boxes to the bol.com warehouse in Waalwijk. You create a submission yourself via the partner platform with the correct quantities and EAN codes.
2. Storage: Bol.com stores your products in their warehouse. You pay storage costs per cubic meter per month.
3. Shipping: Once a customer orders, bol.com packs the product, attaches the shipping label, and sends it. The customer receives the package in a recognizable bol.com box.
4. Returns: If a customer returns the product, bol.com processes the return and adds the product (if in good condition) back to your stock.

Benefits of logistics via bol

1. Huge time savings

Without LVB, you spend hours a day processing orders: printing labels, packing, driving to the post office, and answering customer questions. With logistics via bol, all of this disappears. Sellers with 50+ orders per day save an average of 3-4 hours per working day.

2. Faster delivery and late cut-off time

LVB orders are delivered the next day - even if the customer orders before 23:00. This is a huge advantage compared to shipping yourself, where your cut-off time is often around 15:00-16:00. The late cut-off time is crucial because many consumers order in the evening after dinner.

3. Higher conversion and the buy block

More than 97% of sales on bol.com go through the buy block. Delivery speed is an important factor in assigning the buy block. With LVB, you have a better chance of winning the buy block, even if your price is slightly higher than that of a competitor without LVB. Sellers report an average conversion increase of 25-35% after switching to LVB.

4. Professional packaging and reliability

Customers receive their order in a recognizable bol.com box, which builds trust. This leads to a better customer experience, fewer complaints, and a higher chance of positive reviews.

5. No responsibility for shipping problems

When shipping yourself, you are responsible for delays, lost packages, and damage - with corresponding penalties. With LVB, bol.com bears this responsibility. This protects your sales performance and service standard.

6. Easier scaling

With LVB, you can triple your revenue without hiring extra staff. Bol.com's warehouse automatically scales with your growth. This makes LVB particularly suitable for seasonal peaks like Sinterklaas and Black Friday.

Costs of logistics via bol: overview

The costs of logistics via bol consist of several components. Below, you'll find an overview of the most important rates (2026):

Use the Zoloo profit calculator to exactly calculate whether LVB is profitable for your products, including commission, shipping costs, and storage costs.

LVB vs VVB: which bol logistics do you choose?

In addition to LVB, bol.com also offers VVB (Shipping via Bol). With VVB, you ship yourself, but use bol.com's shipping network at reduced rates. Here's a comparison:

For most sellers with consistently selling products, LVB is the best choice. VVB is interesting if you want to maintain control over packaging or if you have products that require special handling.

Disadvantages and risks of bol logistics

1. Losing stock

It happens that bol.com loses products in the warehouse. Although this is compensated, it can be annoying if it's about limited or seasonal stock. Always keep a reserve stock of your best-selling products.

2. Limited control over returns

Bol.com itself assesses whether a returned product is resellable. With products that have a seal (such as electronics), this can cause problems: an opened product is sometimes put back as 'new', which leads to complaints from the next buyer.

3. Costs for slow-moving items

Products that have been in the warehouse for more than 180 days will receive an increased storage rate. This can completely eat into the margins of slow-moving products. Therefore, focus on bestsellers with a high turnover rate.

4. Incorrect invoices and wrong dimensions

It often happens that bol.com places a product in the wrong shipping category, which means you pay too much. With the Zoloo LVB box-size checker, you can automatically check if the correct packaging dimensions are being used. Sellers save an average of €200-500 per month with this.

5. No own branding

All products are shipped in a standard bol.com box. If you want to build a premium brand with your own packaging and a unique unboxing experience, LVB is not suitable.

6. Dependence on one fulfillment partner

In case of problems in the bol.com warehouse (such as during the coronavirus pandemic), you have no alternative. Large sellers therefore sometimes combine LVB with an external 3PL party as a backup.

Step-by-step: getting started with logistics via bol

1. Activate LVB: Go to your partner platform and activate the LVB option under "Logistics".
2. Select products: Start with your 5-10 best-selling products. These are products with at least 2-3 sales per week.
3. Create a submission: Create a new submission in the partner platform with the correct quantities and EAN codes.
4. Package and label: Package your products according to the LVB packaging guidelines and attach the submission labels to the boxes.
5. Ship to bol.com: Send the boxes to the bol.com warehouse. The submission will be processed within 3-5 working days.
6. Monitor performance: Track via your Zoloo dashboard how your conversion, revenue, and costs develop after switching.

When is logistics via bol suitable or not?

LVB is ideal for:

• Products that sell at least 2-3 times a week (best-sellers)
• Small to medium-sized products that fit in standard shipping packaging
• Sellers who want to scale without additional personnel
• Products with strong competition on the shopping block
• Seasonal products with predictable peaks

LVB is less suitable for:

• Products larger than 175 x 78 x 58 cm or heavier than 23 kg
• Products with a very low turnover rate (less than 1x per month)
• Fragile products that require special packaging
• Products where own branding is crucial
• Perishable products or products with a limited shelf life

7 tips to lower your LVB costs

1. Use the LVB box-size checker: Check with the Zoloo LVB box-size checker if you're not paying too much due to incorrect packaging categories.
2. Optimize your packaging dimensions: Smaller packaging = lower shipping costs. Invest in custom-made boxes if that yields a lower category.
3. Avoid long-term storage: Monitor your inventory levels and retrieve slow movers before they fall into the higher storage rate.
4. Bundle submissions: Larger submissions are more efficient than frequent small shipments. Plan your submissions every 2-4 weeks.
5. Use product data for inventory planning: Predict your sales rate accurately so you don't send in too much or too little.
6. Choose the right products: Focus LVB on best-sellers and use VVB or your own shipping for slow movers.
7. Check your invoices monthly: Compare the invoiced dimensions with your actual product dimensions and request remeasurements in case of errors.

Common mistakes in logistics via bol

Calculating LVB costs: example

Let's say you sell a product for €29,95 with a purchase price of €8,00. This is what the costs look like with and without LVB:

• With LVB: Selling price €29,95 - Commission (€4,49) - LVB shipping (€3,29) - Storage (€0,15/piece/month) - Purchase price (€8,00) = €14,02 profit
• Without LVB: Selling price €29,95 - Commission (€4,49) - Your own shipping (€4,50) - Packaging material (€0,50) - Labor (€1,50) - Purchase price (€8,00) = €10,96 profit

Despite the higher direct shipping costs with LVB, the profit per product is higher due to lower labor costs and a conversion increase of 25-35%. Calculate your own situation with the profit calculator.

Frequently asked questions about logistics via bol

What are the costs of logistics via bol per product?

The costs of logistics via bol vary from €2,99 to €8,99 per shipment, depending on the dimensions and weight. Additionally, you pay storage costs of €20-30 per cubic meter per month.

Can I combine LVB with my own shipping?

Yes, you can choose per product whether to use LVB or your own shipping (VVB). Many sellers use LVB for fast movers and VVB for niche products with a lower turnover rate.

How long does it take for my shipment to be processed?

On average, it takes 3-5 working days for your stock to be available after receipt in the warehouse. During peak periods (Black Friday, Sinterklaas) this can take up to 7-10 days.

What happens if bol.com loses my stock?

Bol.com compensates for lost products based on the selling price. This happens automatically, but check your stock levels regularly to detect discrepancies in time.

Is LVB available for sellers in Belgium?

Yes, Belgian sellers can also use LVB. You send your products to the same warehouse in the Netherlands. The shipping costs for customers in Belgium are slightly higher than for Dutch deliveries.

How do I request a remeasurement if the dimensions are incorrect?

You can request a remeasurement via the partner platform if you think your product is in the wrong category. Use the LVB box-size checker to automatically detect errors.

Conclusion: is logistics via bol the right choice?

For most serious bol.com sellers, logistics via bol is a no-brainer for their best-selling products. The combination of faster delivery, higher conversion, time savings, and less responsibility far outweighs the costs. Start with your top 5-10 products, monitor the results via your dashboard, and gradually expand. Use the LVB box-size checker to prevent billing errors and your profit calculator to calculate the profitability per product. With the right strategy, LVB is the driving force behind a scalable and profitable bol.com business.