1. SF Airlines Launches "Ezhou = Incheon" International Cargo Route

On August 28th, SF Airlines launched the "Ezhou = Incheon" international cargo route with a B757-200 freighter taking off from Ezhou Huahu International Airport and arriving at Incheon International Airport in 2.5 hours. This marks the official opening of SF Airlines' first cargo route from Ezhou to South Korea. The route, serviced by a B757-200 freighter with a maximum payload of 28 tons, will operate five flights weekly, offering approximately 280 tons of cargo capacity per week. The main cargo includes express packages, e-commerce goods, general cargo, lithium batteries, and cosmetics.  

Source: Fengcai Yiyi

2. SHEIN Opens Semi-Managed Sites in Five European Countries  

On August 28th, SHEIN, a leading cross-border e-commerce platform, announced the opening of semi-managed sites in five European countries: Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain. This move is aimed at supporting Chinese sellers with local stocking and fulfillment capabilities to expand globally. Public market information indicates that SHEIN currently has over 45 million monthly active users in EU countries.  

Source: SHEIN

3. UPS to Strictly Inspect Certain Packages

On August 28th, UPS announced that packages using the SurePost Call label system must be directly handled by UPS. The UPS Ground Saver service emphasizes the management of lightweight e-commerce packages, and sellers are advised to take note to avoid losses. FedEx is also reportedly cracking down on issues like misclassification, weight discrepancies, and misuse of account information, with penalties varying based on the severity of the violation, similar to UPS.  

Source: Sohu

4. AliExpress Tops Download Charts

On August 28th, AliExpress, Alibaba's global retail marketplace, topped the UK iOS free download chart. As the fourth-largest e-commerce market in the world, the UK is a key focus for AliExpress, which is increasing its investment there and in other core Western markets. With initiatives like "Billion Dollar Brand Export" and "Large Furniture Export," the platform is expanding its supply chain to enhance its global presence. According to Alibaba's Q1 FY2025 financial report, AliExpress' international retail business grew by 38%, driven by the Choice program.  

Source: 36Kr

5. Amazon Announces Seller-Selected Carrier Option

On August 28th, Amazon announced that third-party sellers will have more autonomy by being able to choose carriers from a list of approved partners on the platform. Sellers will be able to view estimated pickup dates and shipping costs. If sellers do not make a selection, the system will default to the lowest-cost carrier. Amazon will also provide weekly updates on carrier performance data, including on-time delivery rates, to help sellers make more informed logistics decisions. This initiative aims to enhance seller flexibility and improve the overall efficiency and speed of Amazon's fulfillment network.  

Source: Amazon

6. Amazon to Increase FBA Fulfillment Fees

On August 28th, Amazon announced that it will increase Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) fees during the 2024 holiday peak season, starting from mid-October. The fee increase is similar to those of other major courier companies and is intended to cover the higher operational costs during the holiday season. The peak season fulfillment fee, which will remain consistent with last year for products priced below $10 in the U.S., will apply to all products from October 15th to January 14th. The fee will impact U.S. FBA, Canada FBA, North America Remote Fulfillment, U.S. Multi-Channel Fulfillment, and "Buy with Prime" services.  

Source: Amazon

7. 1688 Updates Cross-Border Transaction Dispute Resolution Guidelines

On August 27th, 1688 announced an update to its "Cross-Border Transaction Dispute Resolution Guidelines," which was published on August 23rd and will take effect on August 31st, 2024. The update aims to protect the rights and interests of both buyers and sellers, maintain market order, and enhance the buyer experience. It also seeks to provide a better business environment for sellers by helping resolve disputes during cross-border transactions.  

Source: Alibaba

8. Dianxiaomi Launches JIT Full/Semi-Managed Group Shipping Feature  

On August 28th, AliExpress recently introduced the "JIT Full/Semi-Managed Group Shipping" feature, which allows multiple stores and multiple orders to be consolidated and shipped in one package. Dianxiaomi ERP has also launched this feature, offering more streamlined management and further optimizing the fulfillment experience for full and semi-managed services. According to AliExpress, the "JIT Full/Semi-Managed Group Shipping" feature will be gradually rolled out from July 31st to the end of August, currently only supporting door-to-door pickup, with the self-delivery mode expected to be available by the end of August.  

Source: Dianxiaomi

9. Ozon to Support Pickup of Large Items  

On August 28th, Ozon announced a new service that allows customers to pick up large items, such as furniture and home appliances, at designated sorting centers for free, saving on delivery fees and allowing for flexible pickup times. The service is currently available in multiple regions across Russia, with 37 sorting centers offering this option, and plans to expand further in the future. Large items are defined as those with any dimension exceeding 200 cm, a weight over 35 kg, or a volume exceeding 500 liters. Ozon aims to enhance customer experience and boost sales of large items, particularly in remote areas.  

Source: Ozon

10. Guangzhou Airport Opens New International Cargo Route

On August 28th, Kenya's Astral Aviation launched its 8V530 flight from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to Nairobi International Airport, marking the official opening of the "Guangzhou-Nairobi" route. This is the airline's first cargo route operation in mainland China.  

Source: Air Cargo News Express

11. Maersk Adjusts E1W Route Peak Season Surcharge

On August 28th, Maersk announced that due to the current situation in the Red Sea/Aden Bay, it will adjust the E1W route peak season surcharge. The price change, driven by market developments and long-term additional costs, will take effect on September 15th, 2024.  

Source: Financial Headlines

12. China's Cross-Border E-Commerce Imports and Exports Reach 1.22 Trillion Yuan in H1

On August 28th, China's cross-border e-commerce imports and exports totaled 1.22 trillion yuan in the first half of this year, a 10.5% increase year-on-year, outpacing the overall foreign trade growth by 4.4 percentage points. Over the past five years, from 1.06 trillion yuan in 2018 to 2.38 trillion yuan in 2023, China's cross-border e-commerce imports and exports have grown 1.2 times. Customs authorities now oversee more than 7 billion cross-border e-commerce and express mail packages annually, averaging about 20 million items per day. Cross-border e-commerce has become a new driving force for China's foreign trade growth and a "new force" in global trade development.  

Source: General Administration of Customs

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Public WeChat Account: Cross-Border E-Commerce Logistics Baixiaosheng