Hive Box, we want you "sealed"
With the continuous development of technology in modern society, people's lifestyles in cities have also undergone earth-shaking changes. In the construction of modern cities, the emergence of smart delivery boxes carries the final leg of online shopping goods from the courier to the user—couriers can place packages into the delivery boxes in residential communities for users to pick up at their convenience. Even though the delivery box is a new type of product, its essence as an intermediary service provider is still that of a merchant with the purpose of making a profit.
Fengchao is currently a popular brand of smart parcel lockers on the market, but for Fengchao, recent times have not been peaceful:
April: Fengchao announced that it would charge users for parcels stored beyond the time limit and released the charging standards;
May: Fengchao acquired Sudiyi, thereby increasing its presence in the 'last mile' delivery sector;
May Day holiday: A certain community dealt with Fengchao's power outage, resisting Fengchao;
On May 9th, Fengchao sent out a 'letter to users' encouraging everyone to pick up their packages in a timely manner.
According to incomplete statistics, currently more than a hundred communities in cities such as Hangzhou and Shanghai have announced the cessation of using Fengchao lockers. What exactly has caused Fengchao to be massively boycotted this time and pushed to the forefront of public opinion?
Fengchao under two-way charging
In order to survive, in April 2020, Fengchao issued the following announcement: ordinary users can store items for free for 12 hours, and if they exceed this time, a fee of 0.5 yuan per 12 hours will be charged, up to a maximum of 3 yuan; members can store items for up to 7 days. After the announcement was made, a residential community directly cut off the power to the smart delivery lockers — the property management stated that Fengchao's actions violated the rights of the residents.
Although Fengchao later issued a notice advising users to pick up their parcels promptly, this approach did not gain the understanding of the users.
In addition, Fengchao also "charges" courier workers. According to reports, each time a courier places a package in a Fengchao locker, they must pay a fee of 0.3-0.6 yuan per use to operate normally, with the specific charge varying depending on the size of the box.
This also means that every time the Fengchao delivery box is used, Fengchao will charge both the courier and the user.
Fundamental Issue: The Responsibility of Couriers
For users, the charging model of Fengchao is not the main issue; the fundamental problem is the responsibility of the couriers. Users complain that couriers put packages into Fengchao lockers without informing them, resulting in some items that cannot be placed in Fengchao being damaged or forcing users to carry heavy items upstairs themselves. Now, they are also more likely to bear additional overtime charges.
For couriers, on one hand, the emergence of Fengchao has made their work more convenient. Although couriers receive a 'communication allowance' every month, it is not enough to cover the expenses of daily communication, and delivering packages door-to-door obviously slows down the delivery speed. Therefore, to save time and effort, couriers often place packages in Fengchao without notifying the users. Whether the users receive the packages and when they receive them is not something couriers consider.
On the other hand, couriers also complain that Fee-Scanning's charges are not low; the profit for a single delivery is only 1 to 2 yuan, and Fee-Scanning may take at least a quarter of the profit. At the same time, it may also trigger complaints from users. E-commerce sellers have to bear the return risks caused by couriers placing packages into Fee-Scanning lockers without permission, which leads to buyer dissatisfaction.
In this situation where multiple parties are suffering losses, Fengchao itself is also having a hard time. Data shows that from January to March 2020, Fengchao had an unaudited net profit loss of approximately 245 million yuan, compared to a loss of about 781 million yuan in the same period last year.
Regulatory authorities: 'Express deliveries must be made according to the name and address to ensure consumers' right to know and right to choose.'
In a news report titled 'Who Pays for Fengchao's Overtime Charges? The Fujian Consumer Council Responds,' it is mentioned: The Fujian Consumer Council stated that, according to the 'Postal Law,' express deliveries must be delivered to the designated address. However, in reality, irregularities such as signing for packages arbitrarily or placing them in smart lockers without permission often occur. In many cases, using express lockers is not the proactive choice of every consumer. Instead, couriers directly place packages into lockers like Fengchao or Ririshun Lejia and then notify users via SMS. Cases where couriers communicate with consumers in advance about placing packages in lockers are very rare.
The Fujian Consumer Council stated: The use of delivery lockers does indeed make it more convenient for recipients and delivery personnel, but major courier companies must ensure consumers' right to be informed and to choose. When delivering, they must obtain the recipient's consent in advance before placing items in the locker for storage; otherwise, any resulting costs should be borne by the courier company itself.
