Photo/SF

On October 10, SF Express ("SF") announced that its cross-border freight forwarding platform "SF Buy" has been fully upgraded to provide Hong Kong users with "door-to-door delivery across Hong Kong, with the fastest delivery on the same day."

Freight forwarding is a way of transportation that combines multiple packages into one for shipment, thereby reducing overall shipping costs. Compared with direct shipping, the biggest difference is that multiple packages are combined into one package, only charging one initial weight fee, which can save a lot of shipping costs.

SF said that packages ordered on online platforms in the Chinese mainland can be delivered on the same day if they are combined before 10:00 am on the same day. This means that Hong Kong users can receive their packages when they come home from work after combining the packages on their way to work. Packages combined after 10:00 am can also be delivered the next day, with the time limit being fully accelerated.

In addition, SF can provide door-to-door delivery services across Hong Kong without additional residential surcharges. Currently, SF has more than 1,500 outlets, SF stations, smart lockers, and cooperative convenience stores in Hong Kong, with various self-service points covering all residential and commercial areas.

Photo/Cainiao

Cainiao, which is about to go public, has also been active in Hong Kong since this year.

On July 19, Cainiao has launched a "next-day delivery, late delivery is compensated" service in Hong Kong. Packages shipped from Cainiao's freight forwarding warehouse in the Chinese mainland can be delivered to self-service points or users in Hong Kong at the latest the next day. If it is not delivered within the promised time, Cainiao will proactively compensate up to 60 yuan for each order.

Cainiao previously revealed that the number of orders in Hong Kong in July increased by double digits year-on-year. As of July 31, Cainiao has accumulated over 2.6 million users in Hong Kong, which means that one in three Hong Kong people has used Cainiao's e-commerce logistics services.

In addition to the competition in terms of timeliness, Cainiao is also upgrading its services in Hong Kong.

National Business Daily (NBD) learned from Cainiao that in September, Cainiao lowered the threshold for direct mail from Taobao Hong Kong and launched a 6 yuan shipping service to Hong Kong. It is understood that this promotion is only for light items weighing 500 grams or less. According to the adjusted shipping standards, when users shop on Taobao Hong Kong, the system will automatically calculate the weight of the package in the shopping cart. If the weight of the goods does not exceed 500 grams, users only need to pay 6 yuan to enjoy Cainiao's direct mail to Hong Kong self-pickup service.