It's already October, and the countdown to this year’s “Double 11†has officially begun. Most of the otaku girls are already preparing their shopping lists and eagerly waiting for the big day on the 11th. As a result, logistics is expected to be busier than ever. However, there's no need to worry—this year, logistics robots will play a key role in helping manage the surge in orders, ensuring that more packages reach customers faster than ever before.
After the Golden Week holiday, it won’t be long until this year’s “Double 11†arrives. The express delivery industry is already in full preparation mode. According to the China Express Association, the total number of parcels handled during this year’s “Double 11†is expected to exceed 1 billion. With such a massive volume, how can the logistics sector ensure smooth, safe, and stable operations to provide an excellent customer experience?
**Big Data Forecast: Placing Products Closer to Consumers**
From 260,000 in 2006 to 657 million in 2016, Tmall’s “Double 11†has revolutionized the global express delivery industry. Historically, each peak in delivery volume has become the new normal for the following year. This year’s “Double 11†is still expected to be a major challenge.
Despite the rising number of packages, the speed of e-commerce deliveries through express services has improved significantly. The time required to deliver over 100 million packages dropped from 48 hours in 2013 to just 12 hours in 2016. This improvement is largely driven by information technology and big data analytics.
Lai Shiqiang, Vice President of Yunda Express, said, “This year, we’ve enhanced our digital systems, which have had a positive impact on the entire delivery process.†Compared to traditional methods, the use of electronic tracking across merchants, consumers, and logistics companies has increased delivery speed by more than 30%.
With richer data available, predicting product demand has become more accurate. Shi Miao, Vice President of the Rookie Network, highlighted that one of the key strategies for this year’s “Double 11†is the expansion of “front warehouses.â€
A front warehouse involves using big data to identify high-demand products and placing them in warehouses closest to the end consumer. For example, if a merchant and logistics provider know that a consumer in a southern province frequently buys a specific product, they can stock up in advance in a local warehouse, enabling timely delivery and reducing inter-provincial shipping distances and costs.
According to Alibaba’s plan, 2,000 pre-positioned warehouses will be built nationwide in the future. These facilities are expected to play an increasingly important role in fast-moving consumer goods and fresh food logistics.
**Robots Help Out: Logistics Becomes Smarter**
Smart algorithms, automated assembly lines, and AGV robots are now common in smart warehouses like those operated by the Rookie Network in Jiaxing, Zhejiang. Walking into these warehouses, it’s clear that automation is becoming more advanced every day.
From receiving goods to sorting and storing them, everything is handled efficiently. Smart devices can place or retrieve items from shelves as high as seven stories, maintaining stability and accuracy. During the delivery phase, after packages are picked, they are automatically labeled and sealed, then sent to high-speed sorters that can process over 20,000 packages per hour.
Yu Yan, Director of the Express Management Department at the State Post Bureau, said, “The improvements brought by smart logistics in receiving, sorting, and transportation have been significant, effectively preventing issues like delays and backlogs.â€
Shi Miao added that these smart warehouses are strategically located in key cities across the country. They are equipped with automated assembly lines, caching robots, picking robots, robotic arms, and AGVs. These systems have all been tested and integrated in preparation for the “Double 11†rush.
In addition to the Rookie Network, other logistics companies are also investing heavily in robot-based warehouses. For instance, STO Express has introduced the “Little Yellow Man†sorting system in many locations. JD.com, Suning, and Rishun have fully automated storage, picking, and delivery processes in their unmanned warehouses, especially for household appliances.
**Diversified Distribution: Resources Focus on the Last Mile**
Even with big data and smart technologies, the final step of delivering packages to consumers—the last mile—is crucial. Today’s last-mile delivery has never been more diverse. There are approximately 40,000 Rookie stations, nearly 200,000 intelligent parcel lockers, and hundreds of thousands of courier outlets. These points work together to offer convenient and secure delivery options.
However, around 90% of deliveries are still done manually by couriers. In recent years, reports of collapsing courier outlets and the transformation of delivery personnel have highlighted the vulnerability of human-driven services in the logistics sector.
Sun Kang, Secretary-General of the China Express Association, said, “Logistics during ‘Double 11’ is tough, and the most challenging part is at the grassroots level.†According to some estimates, in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, more than a quarter of express delivery outlets face intense pressure. Stabilizing these frontline operations remains a critical issue for the industry.
Lai Shiqiang of Yunda Express said that during “Double 11,†the company will rent additional warehouses, separate shipments, and improve delivery efficiency at the outlet level. Recruiting more staff is also essential to meet the demand.
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