Peak Readiness Guide 2026

As your delivery partner, we're here to help you navigate the busiest shopping period of the year. Whether you're sending to businesses or consumers, within New Zealand or overseas, this guide offers practical tips to help you prepare for peak and deliver a great customer experience.

Peak Readiness Guide 2026

As your delivery partner, we're here to help you navigate the busiest shopping period of the year. Whether you're sending to businesses or consumers, within New Zealand or overseas, this guide offers practical tips to help you prepare for peak and deliver a great customer experience.

1. Plan ahead for peak

Planning ahead helps us support you during Peak. If you have a Business Manager share your operational plans with us as early as possible.
Not sure what information to share? Consider things like:

  • Are you expecting inbound supply chain delays that could affect stock levels and promotions?
  • Are you planning to send more Dangerous Goods than usual?
  • Will you need extra parcel collections?
  • Will you need to order more consumables (labels, tickets, packaging) than usual?
  • What are your volume forecasts, and are there changes to operating hours, output capacity, or contingency plans?
  • Will there be changes to physical handover processes e.g. scanning, sortation, labelling, collection times

Planning to send large volumes internationally?

Let us know your projected international volumes so we can secure airline capacity and ensure a smooth process.
Delivery timeframes may be impacted by international network conditions and local processing requirements. Check our latest international delivery updates and sending cut-off dates before sending. See international sending cut off dates.

Running promotions?

Share your promotional calendar and expected sales lift with your Business Manager. This helps us to plan your pickups and resources to match your needs. Provide volume forecasts for November and December to help us plan ahead.

Talk to us about weekend pickups

Share your promotional calendar and expected sales lift with your Business Manager. This helps us to plan your pickups and resources to match your needs. Provide volume forecasts for November and December to help us plan ahead.

Prioritise forward freight parcels

If you have multiple pickups, hand over parcels destined outside your local area earlier in the day to help us move them faster.

2. Prepare your parcels for success

Accurate addressing is one of the simplest ways to avoid delivery delays, misdirected parcels, and unnecessary investigations during peak.

  • Include complete address details, including business names and unit numbers where applicable.
  • Provide a recipient phone number so we can quickly resolve any delivery issues.
  • Validate addresses before sending using our Address and Postcode Finder or ParcelAddress API.
  • Make labels easy to scan by avoiding tape over labels and removing old shipping labels.
  • Package items correctly and avoid strapping multiple parcels together unless each item is individually labelled.
  • Follow our addressing guidelines and data injection standards to help ensure successful first-time delivery.

    More about addressing standards

Using the right packaging and ensuring parcels meet service requirements can help avoid delays, additional charges, and unnecessary handling.

  • Choose suitable packaging and use the correct Courier Pack label for your item.
  • Check size and weight limits before sending.
  • Be aware of dangerous goods and prohibited or restricted items.
  • For international shipments, ensure accurate dimensions and weight are provided, as limits can vary by destination.

    More about sending standards

3. Keep customers informed

Parcel Notifications are a simple way to enhance your customers' delivery experience while reducing your own support workload and cost. By sending timely updates at key points in the parcel journey, you give your customers peace of mind and more control over their deliveries.

Your customers can track their parcels, request the courier to leave the parcel in a safe place, redirect deliveries, and receive a photo proof of delivery if using our photo on delivery service. If you haven't enrolled in parcel notifications yet, talk to your Business Manager to get started, it's a simple setup that'll deliver trust and satisfaction for your business. Encourage your customers to download our mobile app for push notifications and keep them updated of their parcel's journey on the go.

 

 

 

4. Use NZ Post brand assets

Promote your partnership with New Zealand's most trusted courier by using approved NZ Post branding across your website, checkout and customer communications.

Find guidelines and downloads in our brand assets hub.

  Learn more

5. Sending parcels to New Zealand? Know the Customs requirements

Providing accurate shipment information helps avoid delays and ensures your parcels can be processed by New Zealand Customs as quickly as possible.

Customs requirements
When creating your shipment manifest:

  • Ensure the value of the goods matches the commercial invoice, including the correct currency.
  • Include the recipient's full name (first and last name) and delivery address.
  • Provide the seller's company name and address as the consignor details.
  • Accurately declare the weight of the goods.
  • Provide a clear description of the contents, including the item's purpose and key materials.
  • Include the correct Incoterms for the shipment.

GST requirements
If you sell more than NZD $60,000 per year to New Zealand customers, you must:

  • Declare that GST has been prepaid.
  • Include your New Zealand Inland Revenue (IRD) number in the shipment manifest.

Formal Customs clearance

Shipments valued over NZD $1,000 require formal clearance through New Zealand Customs and a Customs Client Code. Find out more on the New Zealand Customs website.

New Border Levy

Learn more about the New Zealand Border Clearance Levy that came into effect this year and how it may apply to your shipments. Read more about the Border Levy.

6. Sending parcels overseas?

When sending parcels overseas, accurate shipping and customs declaration information is essential to help avoid delays, support customs clearance, and ensure a better delivery experience for your customers

  • Provide complete customs information: To help ensure your parcels clear customs, make sure all required information is included when creating shipping labels and customs documentation. For more information, visit our global customs clearance requirements
  • Check destination requirements: Customs and border requirements vary between countries and can change over time. Before sending, make sure you're aware of any destination-specific requirements that may apply. View our customs and duties updates page for the latest information.
  • Consider using DDP for eligible destinations: Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) allows duties and taxes to be paid upfront, helping recipients avoid unexpected charges at delivery and reducing the likelihood of customs delays. Learn more about DDP and eligible destinations.