[photopress:logistics_taobao.jpg,full,alignright]The thought had not occurred that when buying through the Internet you are using online logistics. But it is, of course, true.
In 2001 Wu Tao, a resident near the third ring road of Haidian District, Beijing purchased six books online for the first time — RMB50 plus RMB10 delivery charges. It took him ten days to get the books.
Now, seven years later, it his major way of shopping. And books now come within two or three days of the order. Last week, he ordered a set of car mats in taobao.com and he paid over RMB20 for express delivery as the seller lived in Shanghai. It came within three days.
Cui Zhongfu, Vice-chairman of China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing, said, ‘In recent years, the development of China’s logistics industry has showed a fast speed and quality growth. In 2007, the added value in logistics industry occupied 17.6% of that in the whole service industry and the logistics industry has become a backbone industry supporting the whole service industry.’
Generally speaking, the delivery modes of online shopping come to two types: one is a unified delivery mode utilized in such websites as http://www.dangdang.com and http://www.joyo.net; the other type is an optional delivery mode utilized in such websites as http://www.taobao.com and http://www.eachnet.com.
It is not yet perfect. But Internet retailers have realized that logistics are one of the most important ways of keeping customers happy — and buying again.
Source: China Economic Net