Xinhua News Agency, Shanghai, May 8 news, express delivery has arrived, it is not convenient to collect for the time being, it is a habit of many consumers to put it into the express cabinet by the courier. Especially during the epidemic, express cabinets are more popular because of their “non-contact” characteristics. It is for this reason that the recent announcement by Fengchao Express has caused continued concern over the overtime charging of users.


Overtime charge 0.5 yuan “free lunch” is over?

“Ordinary users will keep packages for free within 12 hours. After overtime, they will be charged 0.5 yuan every 12 hours and capped at 3 yuan. No charge during holidays. If the user With the opening of a 5-month monthly card or a 12-yuan season card, you can store it for free for a long time for 7 days. “On the eve of” May Day “, the news released by Fengchao Technology attracted the attention of many online shopping families.

Overtime charging in the express cabinet industry is not an example. Express delivery companies such as Courier Express, Rishun Lejia, etc. all implement overtime charging policies, but Fengchao has drawn attention this time “Body”.

Industry statistics show that the market share of Fengchao Express in 2019 is about 44%. On the evening of May 5, the listed company SF Holdings announced that SF Express’s shareholding company Fengchao Cayman plans to restructure with China Post Zhidi Technology Co., Ltd. The express courier cabinet of China Post Zhidi was originally one of Fengchao’s biggest competitors, with a market share of about 25%. After the two reorganizations, Fengchao’s market share in the express cabinet will increase to about 70%, and the leading position will become more stable.

For overtime charges, Fengchao customer service staff explained that the main purpose is to save grid resources, speed up express mail turnover, and ensure the efficiency and certainty of customers using smart cabinets.

This statement is supported by some couriers. A Zhongtong courier said that the grid is indeed valuable, and the annual “6 · 18” and “Double 11” online shopping Before and after the festival, there have even been disputes between couriers fighting for express cabinets.

However, in the opinion of the industry, Fengchao ’s overtime charges are related to the continuous loss of the express cabinet industry. According to financial data, Fengchao suffered a loss of 781 million yuan in 2019, China Post Zhidi suffered a loss of 517 million yuan in 2019, and the two major industry giants lost a total of nearly 1.3 billion yuan in 2019.

Although Fengchao ’s fees have a weathervane significance, there are also related companies that choose to continue to be free. For example, the Cainiao Inn of the Ali Department said that Cainiao was established in tens of thousands of communities in more than 100 cities across the countryThe site will continue to provide consumers with free storage services, will not induce or force consumers to pay.


Ten parcels are placed in a courier cabinet, what chain reaction will the charges trigger?

According to the “2019 China Express Development Index Report”, China ’s express delivery business volume in 2019 totaled 63.52 billion pieces, and smart express boxes were deployed in major cities 40.6 Ten thousand groups, the delivery rate of the express industry exceeds 10%, which is equivalent to one express cabinet for every ten parcels.

From a consumer ’s perspective, free services are of course the most “fragrant”. In a vote initiated by an online community for express cabinet charges, only 21% of users believed that Fengchao charges were reasonable.

Xu Wenhui, a Shanghai citizen, said that couriers generally do n’t say hello and put the parcel directly into the courier, and then the system sends a text message to notify the user, “In this case, you will be charged for overtime. Isn’t it a compulsory charge? “

Some people believe that the overtime charge of the express cabinet will urge consumers to pick up the parcel as soon as possible and empty the cabinet for others to use. But the 12-hour free time limit is too short. “Usually the work is relatively busy, and many couriers are picked up the next day. If it is set to be free for 24 hours, it is more reasonable.”

“I think the courier cabinet is a kind of ‘pocket bottom’ Resources, business trips, work, when there is really no time or inconvenience to use it. “Mr. Min Zhu from Shanghai said that if the express cabinet is free for a limited time, it will lead to excessive use, and the packages that are really in need will encounter the express cabinet full problem.

Zhongtong courier Yu Yong said that now he delivers nearly 300 pieces of courier every day, about 50% of them are in courier counters. “Originally put the express cabinet, because there is no charge, the user does not object. Now the overtime charge, the user may have an opinion. However, this also just asks the courier not to put the express directly in the express cabinet without saying hello to the user.”


The end delivery becomes a bottleneck in the industry, where is the “last 100 meters” express?

The controversy caused by Fengchao express cabinet charges highlights the fact that it is in contrast to the continuous growth of express delivery business and the decreasing cost of trunk transportation. The cost of delivery at the end of the express has remained stable. With the increase in labor costs, the end has become expressThe bottleneck of industry efficiency improvement.

In terms of business model, express cabinets belong to the heavy asset industry. In addition to the purchase of equipment, operations and electricity expenses, they must also pay a certain site rent to the settled community every year. Every year from 5,000 yuan to tens of thousands of yuan. “At present, domestic express cabinet companies are basically in a loss state, which is unsustainable.” Yang Daqing, a special researcher of the China Logistics Society, said.

Zhu Wei, deputy director of the Research Center for Communication Law of China University of Political Science and Law, said that in accordance with the “Management Measures for Intelligent Express Box Delivery Service”, express cabinet companies provide free services within a certain period Provide value-added services after the deadline, and overtime charging does not violate relevant laws. But whether the package is delivered through the express cabinet, the courier should respect the consumer’s right to choose.

How to further improve the express “last 100 meters” service? Experts put forward two opinions:

First, strengthen the construction of express terminal service facilities to give consumers more choices. At present, in the field of “last 100 meters” of express delivery, the pattern of coexistence and coexistence of the three types of courier-to-door + smart express box + service station / post has been gradually formed. “In the future, home, cabinet, and station will adapt to different customers and correspond to differentiated prices.” Xu Yong, chief consultant of express logistics consulting network.

The second is to include courier cabinets in the planning of community public service facilities and provide supporting measures such as land security. During the epidemic this year, the State Post Bureau stated that it would promote smart express boxes (letter boxes) and public service stations to be included in the scope of urban and rural public infrastructure construction and speed up planning and construction.

“The express cabinet solves the basic livelihood needs, but currently there are problems such as unreasonable investment and construction. The competent department should guide the investment and construction and standardize the service to avoid overuse of long-term reconstruction Many public resources. “Yang Daqing said.

Xu Yong said that in many countries such as Japan, the express cabinet in many communities is a property service. The property company provides venues, purchases equipment, and third-party companies provide technology, Operation and other services. “In this way, the express cabinet becomes a community public service. The user’s use of the express cabinet is included in the property fee, and there will be no problems such as overtime charges.”

(Originally titled “Where is the” Last 100 Meters of Express Delivery?-Focusing on Overtime Charges for Fengchao Express Cabinet Users “)