Abstract:
The screen of the express cabinet showed "successful delivery", but was told that "the compartment is empty"; packages from different express companies were squeezed into the same compartment, and the package was taken away by others... Recently, many citizens reported to the People's Voice Express column of Liberation Daily and Shangguan News that Fengchao express cabinets have a phenomenon of "multiple deposits in one compartment", resulting in users' property losses and frequent obstacles when seeking official compensation.
Is it a system failure? Or improper operation?
Ms. Zhang, a citizen, told reporters that recently, the clothes she ordered on the e-commerce platform needed to be returned. As usual, she chooses the "return and exchange" service of Fengchao Express Cabinet at the entrance of the community to store the packages that need to be returned.
On the evening of September 5, she made an appointment to place an order through the Fengchao Express Cabinet’s mini program and came to the cabinet to send the parcel. The first time she tried to scan the code to open the cabinet, she heard a "click" but the cabinet door did not pop open. "The express cabinet in the community is a bit old, and the cabinet door often jams." The small screen of the express cabinet displayed two options: "Complete" and "Self-Service Compartment Replacement", so she clicked on the latter. With a "beep" sound, a small cabinet next to me was successfully opened. She put 300 yuan worth of clothes in it, closed the cabinet door, and clicked on the screen to complete the shipment. "That day, I had to send several orders. I was afraid that I would send them to the wrong address, so I checked them carefully."
The shipping process of Fengchao Express Cabinet.
The next day, she found that the Fengchao mini program did not push a notification of successful delivery, so she contacted the SF Express courier who was responsible for collecting returns. The other party said that they could see the system code generated by her shipment through Fengchao Express Cabinet, but failed to successfully generate a logistics order. After understanding the situation, the other party told her that a courier from STO Logistics opened the express cabinet where she sent the package and placed her return package on the ground. The item may have been mistakenly taken as garbage by community cleaning staff. Later, according to the STO Logistics courier, when he was delivering the package, he scanned the code and showed that the compartment where Ms. Zhang's package was located was vacant. After opening it, he found that there was a package in the compartment, but there was not enough space to put it, so he took out the package and placed it on the ground. Ms. Zhang was surprised: "There is already a courier package inside. How can the courier open it? How can he handle it casually after opening it?" When questioned, the other party revealed that this practice often happens.
After Ms. Zhang completed the shipment through Fengchao Express Cabinet, the shipment failed and she later discovered that the package had been lost. (Photo provided by interviewee)
Ms. Zhang contacted the official customer service many times, but the other party did not admit that it was a system failure in the express cabinet, and concluded that she had improperly operated and did not put the items in the express cabinet correctly. Ms. Zhang asked Fengchao officials to provide surveillance video evidence, but the other party has yet to provide it. During the negotiation, Fengchao was unwilling to compensate the corresponding amount and only promised to give her the membership rights of free mail collection.
The service agreement prohibits "multiple bets in one frame"
Recently, reporters came to Hesan Community in Pudong New Area, where Ms. Zhang lives. At the Fengchao express cabinet, the reporter saw the words "Pull when you hear a sound" marked with mosaic pens on some grated panels. There were also packages that were temporarily placed on the top of the cabinet because the compartments were not large enough, and the courier marked them with words on the cabinet. On the side of the counter, there is a poster that reads "Use Fengchao to return or exchange goods for online shopping, and ship them at any time 24 hours a day." It reminds Fengchao that Fengchao officially supports returns and exchanges on 6 e-commerce platforms and shipping and collection services of 7 mainstream express delivery companies. Some residents told reporters that they once discovered that there were two couriers in the compartment when sending mail. He immediately contacted the courier and informed him of several express parcels, and finally successfully sent the parcel. Some residents said that after finding express delivery in the compartment when returning goods, they would cancel the order and place a new order.
On the Fengchao express cabinets in Hesan Community, Pudong New District, some grid panels are marked with "Pull when you hear the sound" with a mosaic pen. There are also packages that are temporarily placed on the top of the cabinet because the compartment is not large enough. (Photo by Tang Zekai/Photo)
The reporter experienced the entire shipping process and found that if the user encounters the problem of opening the cabinet door that Ms. Zhang encountered, they can follow the on-screen prompts, select "Self-Service Compartment Changing", click to confirm the "not in the cabinet" status of the package, and then the new cabinet door can be opened. When the package is in the "cabinet" status, the sender cannot directly open the new cabinet door. Therefore, Fengchao officials believe that Ms. Zhang’s argument that she voted for the wrong person is untenable.
The "Courier Service Agreement" officially issued by Fengchao clearly mentions that "the express delivery criterion is that one express ticket corresponds to one compartment, and multiple tickets in one compartment are prohibited. During the period when the express is stored in the Fengchao express cabinet, Fengchao is responsible for ensuring the safety of the express and avoiding damage and loss." In this regard, Ms. Zhang proposed that the compartments where express parcels have been stored can be reopened. Does it provide operating space for "one compartment for multiple entries"? The resulting hidden danger of lost items, does Fengchao have any regulations and restrictions on couriers? Fengchao wants to give users a clear answer.
Express locker management needs to be optimized
ZTO courier Xiao Zhang told reporters that it is not new for couriers to open cabinets where express packages have been placed.
On August 29, Xiao Zhang delivered a perfume gift express package worth 570 yuan to the Fengchao express cabinet in an apartment building in Nanqiao Town, Fengxian District. Subsequently, a courier from another express company also opened the slot and delivered another express package. That night, a user took away all the packages in the cabinet, not only opened the perfume, but also threw away important gift cards. Mr. Kong, the recipient of the express delivery, was very surprised when he found that the package had been signed for but he had not received it. "Not only did I not receive the pickup code, but the contact person who signed for the package also changed to someone else." He found the property management company and obtained the surveillance video in the building. He immediately contacted Xiao Zhang and asked why couriers from other companies could open the express cabinet and demanded full compensation from Fengchao officials for the loss. In response, Fengchao responded that it could only compensate Mr. Kong 200 yuan. As the first person in charge of the express delivery, the courier Xiao Zhang also has to bear the remaining compensation costs. After further complaints, Fengchao said it could compensate Xiao Zhang for 120 yuan in coupons for placing express lockers, but Xiao Zhang did not accept it.
Mr. Kong, the recipient of the express delivery, discovered through surveillance video that the package had been taken away by others. (Photo courtesy of interviewee)
"The delivery system of Fengchao Express Cabinet is now shared by multiple express companies. Couriers from several companies can open the cabinet door and has been running for more than half a year. Every time the courier delivers an express, he will be charged a certain slot usage fee by Fengchao. Therefore, storing express in the slot where the express is already stored can improve delivery. Efficiency and saving delivery costs for couriers. For example, couriers can use this to put packages with the same recipient or mobile phone number into the same slot. Experienced couriers often do this. "Xiao Zhang admitted that there are loopholes in the design of the system, which will lead to the mixing of couriers from different recipients. "If you are a mature courier, you will take it out and take a look, or take it out and put it in other compartments. Some people may be in a hurry and not pay attention, so they will stuff it all in." Previously, I had many problems with lost items when doing this, and I had compensated customers for losses ranging from 30 to 50 yuan. I didn't expect that this time I would have to pay such a high fee because of other couriers' operations.
Xiao Li from SF Logistics revealed that different logistics companies have different charging methods. The cost of using their grids is borne by the company, and couriers from other express companies usually need to pay this usage fee themselves. In order to reduce costs, couriers will adopt the method of "multiple delivery in one box". For him, if he finds express delivery from other companies in the compartment, he will notify or take it away and give it to the courier in the corresponding area. Some couriers from different companies will also establish WeChat groups to communicate with each other in a timely manner.
A poster about the anytime return and exchange service for online purchases is posted on one side of the Fengchao express cabinet. (Photo by Tang Zekai/Photo)
Xiao Li believes that although there is a risk of losing the item by mistake, the probability of it happening is not high. Such problems generally occur in residential areas with dense population and insufficient number of express lockers. After all, most parcels are large in size and cannot be "multi-dropped in one box", so they still need to be delivered to your door.
Couriers use express cabinets to place express parcels. (Photo by Tang Zekai/Photo)
Industry insiders told reporters that after Fengchao's mail delivery business was opened to multiple express delivery companies, there may be situations where the system level cannot accurately verify whether there are packages from other companies at the grid, resulting in misjudgment or reuse of grid status. In actual operation, the system does not force verification of "one box per order" during the submission process. When couriers find other people's packages in the locker, the system cannot report an error or intercept them. They may choose to share the locker to save trouble, causing packages from different recipients to be mixed, mistakenly picked up, and lost. In this regard, it is recommended that Fengchao optimize and upgrade express cabinet grid status management and courier operating specifications to effectively ensure the safety of users' property.
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