China-Singapore Jingwei, July 3 (Chang Tao) Unlike most industries, the express delivery industry has raised prices, which is somewhat "blatant".
“Two links and one delivery” (Yuantong, Shentong, Yunda) saw a growth rate of over 20% in single-ticket revenue in May, indicating that the price war for express delivery that started in 2019 is now infinitely close to “failing.”
However, in contrast, the courier's delivery fee is "in place".
Why does this happen?
What impact will it have on the user experience?
Photo by Chang Tao, a courier from China-Singapore Jingwei
No more price wars?
The price war in the express delivery industry is largely caused by the entry of new players such as Jitu Express.
In Yiwu, Zhejiang, where the price war is the most "ruthless", there was a "slaughter price" of "eight hair per order, express delivery nationwide".
And such a price basically means "doing one thing and losing one".
However, if the price is not reduced, the market share will soon be occupied by other express delivery companies, and vicious competition will be opened.
In this context, the single-ticket revenue of express delivery companies has been declining.
Taking the single-ticket revenue of four express delivery companies, SF Express, Shentong Express, Yunda Express, and YTO Express in October 2020 as an example, the year-on-year decline was 20-30%.
In mid-2021, the state and various localities have successively issued policies to control the disorderly price war in the express delivery market, requiring express delivery operators not to provide express delivery services at prices below cost.
New latitude and longitude in the data map
The move quickly paid off.
From the second half of 2021, the express price war will slow down.
In July 2021, the single-ticket revenue of Shentong, YTO, and SF Express declined by about 10% year-on-year, far lower than the 20% and 30% declines in the same period in 2020.
In addition, Yunda's monthly single ticket revenue also increased by 1.49% year-on-year.
From November 2021, the single-ticket revenue of express delivery companies has increased year-on-year, which has become the norm.
In May 2022, the single-ticket revenue of Shentong, Yuantong, and Yunda express products were 2.55 yuan, 2.51 yuan, and 2.49 yuan, respectively, with a year-on-year growth rate of 23.19%, 23.24%, and 23.27%, respectively. The single-ticket revenue of SF Express logistics business in May It also increased by 3.55% year-on-year to 15.45 yuan.
Express expert Zhao Xiaomin said in an interview with a reporter from China-Singapore Jingwei that the single price war model in the express industry has ended and will not repeat itself in the future.
There may be some fluctuations in short-term express delivery prices, but in the long run, express delivery prices will not continue to decline and will enter an upward channel.
Fees "stand still"
The data shows that 2020 is the most "brutal" stage of the express price war.
In this regard, the courier also has a deep understanding.
A number of couriers once told reporters from Sino-Singapore Jingwei that their dispatch fees began to drop in 2020.
Liu Ming (pseudonym) started working as a courier in 2018. In 2020, the delivery fee of his outlet dropped by 0.1 yuan "without warning", from 0.9 yuan per order to 0.8 yuan per order.
What surprised him was that his counterparts from other courier companies in his usual delivery area were successively reduced their delivery fees during that time, "as if they were negotiated."
Zhou Xin (pseudonym), who works as a courier in Nanchang, Jiangxi, will also have his delivery fee reduced in 2020, from 0.75 yuan to 0.7 yuan per order.
The ZTO Express brother in Yunnan also reported that the delivery fee in his area has been falling since 2020.
"At the highest point, it was 1.2 yuan per order, and then it was only 0.7 yuan."
In fact, in the middle of 2021, among the many measures taken by the state to rectify the price war of express delivery, it is very important to do a good job in protecting the legitimate rights and interests of the courier group.
In response, at the end of August 2021, six courier companies, namely ZTO, YTO, Shentong, Best, Yunda, and Jitu, announced that they will increase the terminal delivery fee from September 1 to 0.1 yuan per ticket.
However, Sino-Singapore Jingwei reported at the time that the increase in distribution fees was not effectively implemented at the end.
In fact, a year has passed, and although the price of express delivery has risen, the delivery fee of the courier is still "in place".
A Zhongtong courier in Fangshan District, Beijing recently told a reporter from Sino-Singapore Jingwei that he currently pays 1.2 yuan per order, and "it has been in place for several years."
And this does not mean that he can earn 1.2 yuan for every order he sends.
"Some communities do not allow couriers to go upstairs, and users request to put them in Fengchao. At present, the price of Fengchao has increased. We have to pay 0.4 yuan for one piece. It must be closed now.”
A courier from Pudong, Shanghai said that he currently charges 1.4 yuan per order, and the outlet manages food and accommodation.
A courier who works at an outlet of Shentong in Yuhang, Hangzhou revealed that he charges 1 yuan per order.
Both couriers said, "The delivery fee was like this two or three years ago."
According to the observation of a reporter from China-Singapore Jingwei, in the above-mentioned first- and second-tier cities, the express delivery fee is relatively high, while in some low-tier cities, the delivery fee is generally less than 1 yuan.
A courier in a county in Guangdong said that he currently charges 0.7 yuan per order and has no basic salary.
Two couriers from Jiangsu and Yunnan revealed that their delivery fee is 0.8 yuan per order, with no basic salary, and "there will be no increase after the drop in 2020."
The recovery of express delivery, the price increase is not enough
Although the express delivery industry has bid farewell to the price war, the "sequelae" brought by bad competition to the industry has not been eliminated.
At present, the single ticket price of various express companies has not recovered to the level before the price war.
Secondly, eliminating the impact of epidemic prevention and control is also an important part of the recovery of express delivery.
What changes does the increase in express delivery prices bring to the user experience?
At present, due to the needs of epidemic prevention and control, express delivery and delivery are still limited, and the answer to this question is not clear.
However, industry insiders believe that increasing the delivery fee for couriers is an effective measure to improve the quality of terminal services.
Under the negative influence of the price war, the quality of express service has been unsatisfactory for a long time in the past.
For example, at the end, it has become the norm not to deliver to the door, not to call to notify, and the signer to display the "water meter room", which has been criticized by consumers.
New latitude and longitude in the data map
Zhao Xiaomin said that it is a fact that the delivery fee at the end of express delivery has not increased. For express delivery companies, with the increase in express delivery prices and the end of the price war, their original terminal incentive mechanisms need to be updated. Not sorted out clearly.
Zhao Xiaomin said, "The increase in price does not mean that the company's revenue will increase. Whether it is for B-end users or C-end users, price increases mean lower tolerance. If the quality of express delivery services is not improved, users will inevitably be lost."
"The reason why the courier dispatch fee has not increased now is because the courier company's positioning of terminal outlets is in a chaotic state. The courier outlet is equivalent to the channel of fast-moving consumer goods, which is the basis for ensuring the efficient operation of the courier company. Next, the courier company must Turn the headquarters-centered business strategy to market-centered, the headquarters should become smaller, the market should become larger, and the network should become larger." Zhao Xiaomin believes that the express delivery company should first "raise the salary" for the courier, otherwise It cannot solve the problem of poor experience and cannot meet the requirements of high-quality development.
(For more reporting clues, please contact Chang Tao, the author of this article: zxjwct@163.com) (Sino-Singapore Jingwei APP)
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