China's instant delivery industry is expanding rapidly with flourishing new business models and evolving consumption landscape.
The country's labor market for workers engaged in new employment forms has continued to expand this year, which is attributed to the accelerated iteration of digital technologies by the country's platform enterprises, along with their active exploration of new patterns and new business models.
The booming industry has not only created millions of jobs for delivery riders but also contributed to a more flexible employment system.
Strolling down the streets of almost any city in China, one is sure to encounter a familiar sight: electric bike riders in bright colored uniform, threading amid cars and pedestrians with bags of meals strapped to their vehicles.
They are delivery workers, the backbone of China's new urban life and the world's largest online food delivery market -- a multi-billion-dollar industry that has evolved from a niche service to transform how millions of people work and dine. In recent days, a delivery center in Leiyang, a county-level city of southwest China's Hunan Province, has posted job advertisements seeking delivery riders, which brings a steady stream of applicants for interviews. The center currently employs 450 riders, but it plans to expand their workforce to over 500 employees this month due to increased demand.
The requirements for recruitment and selection are relatively broad regarding age and education, attracting numerous job seekers who had previously worked outside their hometowns.
"In terms of order volume, you typically handle approximately 30 to 50 orders in a workday," said a recruiter. The delivery station manager said that with the development of the county-level economy, Leiyang's instant delivery is rapidly expanding, leading to a substantial need for delivery riders.
"Non-food orders have increased by 30 percent, with nearly 60,000 orders placed per month and particularly strong growth in instant retail and digital products," said Chen Huiwen, e-commerce giant Meituan's city manager for Leiyang.
In Zhijin County of southwest China's Guizhou Province, part-time delivery work also appealed to many stay-at-home moms, who now have the option of working flexible hours to earn some extra income.
"I have been working as a delivery rider for over two years. I feel pretty good about it. My schedule is quite flexible, and I can also take care of things at home," said Li Ju, a local rider.
The latest data shows China now has over 12 million delivery workers, with food delivery riders servicing over 2,000 counties nationwide.
"In the first quarter of this year, lower-tier markets, represented by third-, fourth- and fifth-tier cities, saw an 8.5 percent increase in riders' income compared with the fourth quarter of last year," said Li Jiwei, executive director of Meituan Research Institute.
China's instant delivery industry thrives amid flourishing new business models
China's instant delivery industry thrives amid flourishing new business models
