Ozon launches BYN 3,500 awards for parcel collection points in Belarus

Ozon has announced its first awards programme for owners of parcel collection points across Belarus. As Smartpress reported on 23 October 2026, the programme is called ‘Outstanding Collection Points’ (‘ПВЗ что надо’). The organisers plan to select 15 winners, each receiving 3,500 Belarusian roubles (BYN) to develop their business. Entries will be assessed on the outlet’s development story, involvement in the local community and the owner’s own promotional efforts.

Who can enter and when to apply

Applications are open from 23 October to 23 November. The programme is available to owners of collection points operating under two formats: ‘Maximum Brand’ (‘Максимум бренда’) and ‘Ozon Corner’ (‘Уголок Ozon’). To enter, owners must complete an application on the programme’s webpage.

Winners will be announced from 3 December. In addition to the cash award, winning outlets will receive a special Ozon sticker. The award therefore offers both funding for business development and a visible sign of recognition from the marketplace.

Owners may enter one or several categories. If they win in more than one, the awards are cumulative. This is an important condition for entrepreneurs with relevant experience in several areas: for example, a distinctive story of establishing their outlet alongside a record of organising neighbourhood events.

However, submitting an application does not guarantee a payment. This is a competitive awards programme, not guaranteed support for every operating collection point. When planning expenditure, owners should treat the award as a potential competition prize rather than assured funding.

Three categories: business story, community and promotion

The first category, ‘How It All Began’, focuses on an outlet’s distinctive development journey, from the decision to start a business to the results achieved. The emphasis is on the story of the individual outlet and its owner, rather than simply operating under a well-known brand.

For entrepreneurs, this is an opportunity to set out their experience clearly: why they decided to open a collection point, how it developed and what it has achieved. This approach reflects the category’s stated theme. When preparing an application, it is sensible to distinguish actual achievements from plans that have yet to be realised.

The second category, ‘Heart of the Neighbourhood’, recognises a collection point’s contribution to local life. Examples given by the organisers include charity and other events, celebrations and community clean-ups. The focus here is on activities beyond the day-to-day handing over of parcels.

The third category, ‘A Local Draw’, will assess owners’ initiative in promoting their outlets independently and finding unconventional ways to raise awareness. The emphasis is on the entrepreneur’s own actions: how they attract attention to their outlet and make it more visible to potential customers.

These categories allow owners to present different aspects of the same business. The story of opening an outlet, community involvement and promotional activity are not interchangeable: it is worth preparing a separate, relevant account for each category entered.

How winners will be selected

The judging panel will include Ozon representatives and external, independent experts in e-commerce and entrepreneurship. Under the announced rules, collection points will be assessed against qualitative criteria across the three categories.

The programme’s stated aim is not simply to recognise the most successful entrepreneurs, but to support proactive owners and highlight outlets that matter to their customers. It would therefore be misleading to view the competition solely as a comparison of financial performance: the categories cover a much wider range of owners’ activities.

The announced award is BYN 3,500, with 15 winners to be selected. The possibility of receiving cumulative awards for success in several categories should be considered separately from this base amount. The organisers have described the prize money as funding for business development.

When preparing an application, owners should first match their experience to the categories. If entering several, each submission should highlight the actions and results relevant to that category, rather than repeat a general presentation of the outlet.

What this means for the partner network

For the franchising community in Belarus, the programme offers an example of support for entrepreneurial initiative within a branded partner network. However, the competition is specifically for owners of Ozon collection points: its terms should not be assumed to apply to other networks or partnership models.

The programme centres on the entrepreneur’s local role. Alongside business development, the marketplace is recognising owners’ ability to promote their outlets independently and take part in neighbourhood life. For participants, it is an opportunity to showcase work that goes beyond standard collection-point operations.

The practical takeaway: owners of ‘Maximum Brand’ and ‘Ozon Corner’ collection points should choose the relevant categories and apply by 23 November. Applications should focus on initiatives already delivered and tangible results, while any potential award should not be counted as guaranteed business income.