China is still the biggest manufacturing power in the world, and it ships all kinds of goods all over the world, which shows that it has a strong logistics network. We’ve talked about common shipping options in the dropshipping business, like ePacket, Yanwen, YunExpress, Cainiao Shipping, and USPS.
In this blog, we’ll go into detail about how they came to be.
ePacket
In March 2012, the Global Express platform and China Postal Express & Logistics made it official that they would work together to help e-commerce sellers save money on small and light logistics services. Together, these people made ePacket. It’s a cheap international express service that meets the shipping and delivery needs of international e-commerce. With the help of postal channels and customs clearance, ePacket makes it possible to send small, light items.
ePacket uses full land transport, which makes it easier for e-commerce sellers in China, Hong Kong, and Korea to send packages to the US more quickly. EMS, which is also China’s national express postal service provider, charges a lot more than ePacket for almost the same delivery service. Countries like Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and others use this method of shipping a lot.
Yanwen
Yanwen was started in 1998 and used to be in the business of moving international freight. Now, Yanwen is one of the best third-party logistics (3PL) companies in China. It helps cross-border e-commerce sellers.
Yanwen’s cross-border logistics lines go through more than 200 countries and regions. Yanwen uses digital and smart information technology to combine global logistics resources and build an international logistics service network. This helps the company keep up with the growth of cross-border e-commerce. It’s also an international logistics service that eBay China, Dunhuang, Alibaba, and PayPal all recommend.
Yanwen has three types of shipping and delivery services: Yanwen economic products, Yanwen registered products, and Yanwen special line products. Yanwen is a bit pricey, and mostly European and American customers use it.
YunExpress
YunExpress was started in 2014 and is based in Shenzhen. It focuses on B2C e-commerce and provides high-quality global small parcel direct shipping services to international cross-border e-commerce businesses. YunExpress’s main services are express delivery (of letters or goods), freight transportation, logistics transportation, packaging of goods, shipping by sea, shipping by car, cargo storage, and other services.
YunExpress has more than 1,500 professional logistics service workers around the world, 30+ distribution and transfer centers, and more than 25+ branches in mainland China. It gets more than 1 million package orders every day, and it serves more than 220 countries and regions around the world.
Express delivery is what YunExpress is, and the average shipping time to any part of the world is about 10 days. This means that the shipping cost is pretty high. YunExpress sells mostly to people in Europe and the United States.
Cainiao Logistics
Cainiao Network Technology Co., Ltd. (also called “Cainiao Network”) was founded in 2013 by Alibaba Group. Cainiao is a company that uses the Internet to build a well-connected logistics network and offer smart supply chain services. It works with its partners (listed below) to improve logistics efficiency, lower logistics costs, improve logistics for consumers, and help the manufacturing industry make more money.
As of right now, the Cainiao network has 89 cross-border logistics partners, such as 4PX, Singapore Post, Royal Mail, EMS, Shunyou, etc. Cainiao’s logistics network now covers 224 countries and regions, and it has 231 cross-border warehouses. This is building a cross-border logistics network that can distribute goods around the world.
Most customers are familiar with the logistics of AliExpress, but in reality, Cainiao handles shipping and delivery for AliExpress, which doesn’t have its own logistics system. When customers see “AliExpress” as the shipping method on a product page, it really means “Cainiao”; the wording is just different.
USPS
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is a separate part of the federal government of the United States. USPS is in charge of mail delivery all over the United States. Its business range includes mail delivery, parcel delivery, cargo transportation, postal services, and a number of other businesses. It can also offer online services.
With 596,000 employees and 218,684 vehicles, the USPS is the largest civilian fleet in the world. It has been around since 1775. It handles 177 billion letters a year, which is 40% of all letters sent in the world. Through dedicated mailboxes and flat rates, the US Postal Service (USPS) sends mail to every part of the country.
The USPS does not charge taxes on its operating costs. Instead, it gets its money from the sales of postage, products, and services. The Postal Service handles 47 percent of the world’s mail. It has more than 31,600 retail locations and makes almost $69 billion a year.
The following are the international express services offered by USPS:
- Global Express offers fast international shipping, competitive shipping rates, and a money-back guarantee in more than 190 countries and regions; 1-3 business day delivery (including overnight international shipping to multiple Canadian destinations).
- Priority Mail Express International is a cheap and fast international delivery service that works in more than 190 countries and regions. It has a firm-date delivery service and a money-back guarantee at certain destinations, and it delivers within 3-5 business days and is free.
- Priority Mail International is a reliable and affordable way to send packages to more than 190 countries and regions. It takes between 6 and 10 business days.
- First-Class Mail International is the cheapest way to send postcards, letters, and flat mail to 190 countries and areas outside of the United States.
Bottom Line
Now that you know the stories behind these five shipping methods, you know how they work. In the next article, we’ll use stats to help you learn more about the shipping and delivery markets. Stay tuned for more information!