China had handled over 70 billion parcels as of Nov. 16, according to the country’s State Post Bureau. The figure has surpassed the total volume in 2019.
Over the past three months, parcels handled by the express delivery industry saw an average monthly growth of about 10 billion.
The gigantic number came from the vibrant online consumption, as well as China's super large market that features huge potential.
Statistics indicated that “Double 11,” the largest online shopping spree of China that falls on Nov. 11 each year, was joined by nearly 5 million merchants, 250,000 brands and hundreds of millions of consumers this year.
The rapid growth of the express delivery industry is a result of the vigorous development of e-commerce, said Yang Daqing, deputy head with the research office of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing. During the “Double 11,” promotions launched on e-commerce platforms significantly boosted the business volume of the express delivery industry, Yang explained.
A total of over 3.96 billion parcels were handled during this year's "Double 11", which was extended from a 24-hour event to a 11-day carnival that started from Nov. 1, according to statistics. Express delivery firms processed 675 million parcels on Nov. 11 alone, up 26.2 percent from a year ago and hitting a record high.
China’s efficient logistics system, as well as its express network that is currently going through accelerated digital and intelligent transformation, also contributed to the outstanding performance of the express delivery industry.
A man surnamed Li in Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, was surprised by how fast the delivery was. According to him, he received his order just 5 minutes after paying the balance on Nov. 11 this year, at 00:35.
Such speed comes from digitization and intellectualization of the industry. Almost all Chinese express delivery firms have digitalized their parcels this year, giving each parcel a “digital ID” that makes it recognizable, traceable and distributable.