The China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing released the China E-commerce Logistics Index for September today (13th). The index rose slightly month-on-month, online consumer demand was concentrated, and e-commerce logistics operations maintained a positive trend.
China's e-commerce logistics index in September was 111.9 points, an increase of 0.4 points from the previous month. Among the nine sub-indexes, the total business volume index, rural business volume index, inventory turnover rate index, logistics timeliness index, fulfillment rate index, satisfaction rate index, personnel index, and load rate index all rose simultaneously, while the cost index fell slightly.
From the demand side, seasonal consumption and holiday consumption have combined to drive growth, and holiday gifts have become a new growth engine, driving the growth of online orders. The demand for autumn clothing and travel equipment is accelerating, sales of seasonal products are booming, and the consumer electronics market is heating up.
The total business volume in various regions across the country showed a gradient recovery, with the eastern region rebounding by 0.4 points and the central region by 0.9 points, ending the five consecutive months of decline; the western and northeastern regions rebounded even more, with increases of 3.4 points and 1.3 points respectively. The total business volume index reached 129.1 points, and the rural business volume index rose simultaneously. Both indices hit new highs during the year.
The service capabilities of the supply side have been improved simultaneously. The business rebounded and idle transportation capacity and manpower were revitalized. The personnel index and actual loading rate index rose simultaneously; the cost index fell by 0.4 points, and the operating pressure of the industry was eased.
He Hui, vice president of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, said that in September, e-commerce logistics showed the characteristics of simultaneous improvement in supply and demand, and business volume in urban markets and rural sinking markets both hit highs during the year. Supply-side distribution efficiency continues to be optimized, and corporate logistics costs have fallen, reflecting the steady increase in the vitality of online consumption.
E-commerce logistics rural business volume index rebounded month-on-month in September
Relying on the construction of a three-level delivery logistics system in counties and rural areas, the upward channels for agricultural products continue to be opened. The latest data shows that the e-commerce logistics rural business volume index in September was 128.4 points, an increase of 0.8 points from the previous month.
In the golden autumn of October, freshly baked mountain products have become "hot goods" in many online live broadcast rooms in Jinzhai County. The live broadcast room that helps farmers sells an average of seven to eight hundred orders a day. Shiitake mushrooms from the depths of the Dabie Mountains can be served on dining tables in Shanghai, more than 600 kilometers away, in less than 24 hours.
Since the beginning of this year, Jinzhai County has accelerated the construction of a three-level logistics system covering counties, townships, and villages. A three-level logistics network with the Jinzhai County Public Delivery Center as the hub, township sites as nodes, and village-level outlets as terminals has added a total of 14 unmanned express vehicles, enabling same-day delivery and receipt of express delivery.
After collecting the mountain goods, they will be sent to the nearest town for collection as soon as possible, and you can enter the Jinzhai County public distribution center for delivery on the same day. As the "central brain" of the three-level logistics system, the automated sorting line here operates at high speed and can sort more than 300 packages in one minute.
Li Qijie, person in charge of the three-level logistics system of Jinzhai County Branch of China Post: In the past, when we sent a bag of mushrooms, the shipping cost often exceeded its own value. Now we can send express delivery more than a day ahead of time, and the cost is reduced by more than 30%.
Rural logistics infrastructure continues to improve, and the foundation for the upward movement of agricultural products continues to be laid. The latest data shows that the e-commerce logistics rural business volume index in September was 128.4 points, an increase of 0.8 points from the previous month. Looking at different regions, the rural business volume index in the eastern and central regions rebounded by 0.6 and 0.7 points respectively; the western and northeastern regions have maintained a rebound trend for many consecutive months, and the growth momentum of rural e-commerce is improving.
He Hui, Vice President of China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing: The three-level delivery network in counties and rural areas continues to improve, and the potential of rural e-commerce continues to be released. The upward channel for agricultural products is smoother, which not only helps farmers expand income-increasing channels, but also drives the expansion of county consumption, further activating the vitality of two-way circulation between urban and rural areas.
Smart warehouse distribution improves efficiency, logistics companies prepare for peak season sales
Among the sub-indexes of the e-commerce logistics index: inventory turnover, delivery timeliness, order fulfillment and other data have been steadily improving for many consecutive months.
Smart logistics scenarios such as automated sorting and digital dispatch are being implemented at an accelerated pace, and logistics companies are upgrading their warehousing and distribution capabilities to prepare for the upcoming e-commerce promotion season.
As the weather gets cooler, orders for seasonal clothing increase. In a smart warehouse in Ningbo, Zhejiang, there is a 13-meter-high multi-layer shuttle car three-dimensional warehouse that can store more than 100,000 specifications of goods. All kinds of clothing flow along the automated assembly line and are shipped to all parts of the country.
Xu Bin, person in charge of the intelligent warehousing project of China Post Ningbo Branch: This is the Minion sorting system we just launched this year. It can accurately place orders based on orders from more than a thousand stores. It has increased the efficiency of our manual processing by more than 50%.
This smart warehouse is jointly built by the enterprise and the postal service. The enterprise provides the site and logistics, and the postal service invests in intelligent software and hardware to carry out professional operations, using the Internet of Things, big data and intelligent equipment to achieve intelligent management and control of the entire warehousing process.
Yang Gongyun, vice president of a clothing company in Ningbo, Zhejiang: We used to have limited information, high manual work intensity, and high error rates. Now these problems have been solved, reducing costs and increasing efficiency.
The application of intelligent technologies such as smart chip radio frequency identification, goods-to-person picking systems, and Minion sorting robots has improved the outbound efficiency by more than 30%, and the error rate is almost zero.
He Hui, Vice President of China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing: Currently, the implementation of smart logistics technology is accelerating, and automated sorting and digital dispatch continue to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The scope of online distribution of agricultural products continues to expand, and the actual load rate of trunk transportation has steadily increased. Multiple benefits have jointly supported the continuous improvement of e-commerce logistics supply capabilities.
Looking forward to the market outlook, as e-commerce consumer activities in the peak season begin to warm up, consumption-promoting policies are intensified and expanded, and consumer demand is gradually released. Logistics companies have deployed transportation capacity and warehousing resources in advance, and their contract performance guarantee capabilities have continued to improve. It is expected that the e-commerce logistics index is expected to continue its upward trend.
(Headquarters reporter Cong Weina, Chen Xi, Wang Shantao, Wu Jun, Zhang Guoliang)
