The Ministry of Communication and Digital (Komdigi) has officially restricted the implementation of free e-commerce delivery to a maximum of three days per month.
This provision concerning Commercial Postal Services is stipulated in Ministerial Regulation Number 8 of 2025.
The regulation aims to ensure fair competition between e-commerce platforms and commercial postal services. Director of Post and Broadcasting at the Ministry of Communication and Digital, Gunawan Hutagalung, explained the purpose behind the policy during a press statement in Jakarta on Friday, 16 May 2025.
“We want the competition (in the industry) to be healthy. There we will see and monitor so that the competition is fair and healthy,” said Gunawan.
The restriction specifically targets free shipping offers that bring postal service tariffs below the cost of goods sold (HPP) or the base cost of service.
Article 41 of the regulation outlines that commercial postal service rates must be calculated based on cost,, comprising operational or production costs plus a margin.
These include expenses related to labour, transportation, applications, technology, and collaborations for infrastructure and service delivery.
Extension Possible Upon Evaluation
Despite the three-day limit e-commerce delivery, Komdigi remains open to evaluating requests for extended promotional periods.
“Yes (limited), but the subject can be extended based on the evaluation results. For example, the main three days is applied but they ask for an extension, so we will evaluate it later,” Gunawan said, as quoted by Kompas.
He clarified that only promotions driving tariffs below the base cost will be affected. E-commerce platforms are allowed to apply for an extension, which will require detailed evaluation.
“So if for example later they (e-commerce) ask to extend the free shipping, we will evaluate and we will ask for your data and then we will compare it with the average industry price, so it can be extended but with evaluation,” Gunawan added.
Under Article 45 of the same regulation, discounts on shipping services can still be applied year-round, provided the final tariff remains equal to or higher than the basic cost of service.
“The certain period of time as referred to is carried out for a maximum of 3 days in one month,” states Article 45, paragraph 4.
