Logistics companies prepare for hectic shipping season

Logistics companies have upgraded their services to prepare for a surge of deliveries during the Spring Festival, and they're guaranteeing timely service throughout the busy holiday season.

Cainiao Network Technology Co Ltd, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, has announced its intention to work together with its logistics partners such as Alog Technology Co Ltd and Winshine Logistics to provide nonstop delivery service during the Chinese New Year.

To satisfy customers' needs, about 300,000 couriers will continue to work during the holiday, more than double the 120,000 couriers who worked last year.

According to Cainiao, Guangzhou, Jinhua and Shanghai have sent the largest number of goods, while Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen received more express parcels than other provinces.

Cainiao said the network aims to enable customers in rural areas to access a wide range of products including foods, home appliances, electronic devices and household supplies from home and abroad, as well as let urban residents easily obtain products from rural areas.

Its promotional campaigns during the Spring Festival are nationwide. Consumers have privileges to get a free order of up to 100 yuan ($15.9) if the goods fail to reach their destination on time.

With the world's largest logistics database, Cainiao has already made use of its big data analysis, intelligent algorithms and automation technologies to help merchants estimate sales, inventory and logistics operations during the Spring Festival and replenish or adjust their stocks.

The State Post Bureau expects China's express deliveries to exceed 36 billion in 2017, with about 100 million parcels handled each day on average.

"It is noteworthy that online retailers are aware of the significance of intelligent logistics," said Lu Zhenwang, CEO of Wanqing Consultancy in Shanghai, adding that retailers hope to gain an upper hand in the shopping spree through advanced and nonstop delivery service.

JD Logistics, the logistics unit of China's second-large e-commerce giant, will continue offering services during the Spring Festival. Consumers can order any products online during the holiday and the company promises same-as-usual delivery.

Currently, its logistics networks, which include the transport of small and medium-sized goods, large-sized goods, cold chain, business-to-business and cross-border, have covered nearly 300 cities and about 1,000 core districts and counties across the country. JD has been offering services including logistics and delivery during the Spring Festival holiday to satisfy consumers' needs since 2013.

The e-commerce giant is also promising to turn 100 percent of its delivery vans in Beijing into electric cars. This will be its contribution to solving Beijing's air pollution problem, said its founder and CEO Liu Qiangdong.

JD has invested heavily in advanced automation technologies, including robotics, drones and unmanned sorting centers to increase efficiency. It also opened a logistics transferring warehouse in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province, in December, in an effort to maintain a high level of punctual, stable deliveries.

Bai Yiran contributed to the story.