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China Delivery Services 101; How to Send or Receive Packages

Nanjing Necessities

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China delivery is mega business these days, with a fast and efficient system streamlined for those whose business relies heavily on competent delivery. No more waiting for hours on end in a smoke-filled, cold and damp branch of China Post Office!

Here at the Nanjinger, we often get told by local expats that they “cannot” send packages either domestically or abroad by themselves because they don’t know how, or are convinced they “won’t” be able to. This simply is not the case. It indeed may be a little daunting at first, but like anything, if you’ve done it once, every other time is a breeze.

This guide is intended for those new to China and with limited Chinese, or for those who aren’t so new to China who might also find this useful.

The word ‘delivery’ in Chinese is kuàidì (快递).

China Delivery Companies

  • S.F.(顺丰速运) S.F. Express; Shùnfēng Sùyùn (known as Shùnfēng kuàidì) 025 – 95338

At present S.F. is by far superior to the rest. The company not only dominates the domestic industry but has also set up worldwide operations, offering fast access in and out of China. Being much cheaper, it is also a great alternative to the likes of DHL or Fedex for sending important documents home.

The following four services all have good reputations for domestic use, and are used frequently in Nanjing:

  • ZTO(中通快递) Zhongtong Express; Zhōng tōng kuàidì 025 – 95311
  • YTO(圆通速递) Yuantong Express; Yuántōng sùdì 025 – 95554
  • STO(申通快递) Shengtong Express; Shēntōng kuàidì 025 – 95543
  • BES(百世汇通) Best Express; Bǎishì huìtōng 400 956 5656

The following four are lesser known services:

  • UC Express(优速快递)Excellent Speed Courier; Yōu sù kuàidì 025 – 95349
  • TTK Express(天天快递)Daily Express; Tiāntiān kuàidì 400 188 8888
  • ZJS Express(宅急送快运)Home Delivery Express; Zháijísòng kuàiyùn 400 6789 000
  • Yunda Express(韵达快递)YunDa Delivery; Yùndá kuàidì 025 – 95546

Sending and Receiving Packages

Most small domestic packages should cost no more than ¥12 to send. A cross city package in Nanjing is often just ¥8. China delivery services also have a tracking service, which you can either use via the company’s own APP, or by using the APP “Càiniǎo Guǒ Guǒ” (菜鸟裹裹) that bundles many kuadi service providers together.

Tip: you can just enter a package’s tracking number into Baidu to get its status report.

Most people in China live in a “xiao qu” (gated community complex). While the communities vary from place to place, one can be certain that there will be an office of some sort, somewhere in the community, that is receiving everyone’s packages. In the bigger complexes, there may well be several. This office will also provide the service of sending your packages for you. If you are unsure of where yours is, the best person to ask is a security guard; he will lead the way.

Most of the time, your package will arrive at one of these offices for you to collect. You will just need to information as to which office to go to and which of the thousands of packages therein is yours. This may be sent to you in an SMS, or it can be found in the APP as outlined above, or, for online purchases, on the platform you used to make the purchase; Taobao etc.

Your package may also be sent to a self pick up package locker within complexes. Simply enter the password that has been sent to your phone and the locker will open.

Most companies have their own APP or mini program inside WeChat, it is advisable to familiarise yourself with these. Arranging everything you need for your packages can be done through the APPs. If you choose to send your delivery yourself, then you may need some basic Chinese, or ask a friend to help you do it. After you have summoned the delivery person to your address, the process is as easy as waiting for the knock on the door and paying the fee, which can be done using any type of payment.

If you are not so confident with your Chinese, it is suggested you find your community’s kuaidi office. Take your parcel down to the office; they will ask you what it is, after which they will weigh it. You will then be given a quote for how much it should cost. They will then print out a sticker to affix to your package on which will be all the relevant info plus the tracking number. It is suggested to take a photo of this which you can then send to the recipient to prove that the package has been send and so that they may track it themselves.

Another useful tip if your local office is unavailable is to just take your package outside with you when going on another errand. It won’t be long before a S.F. delivery buggy comes along, at which point you can simply flag it down. The driver will be more than happy to take care of sending your package. Just make sure you have the essential information:

  • Your name and address in Chinese
  • The recipient’s name and address in Chinese (this should be in a machine-readable format, beginning with province, city, address)
  • The recipient’s phone number
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