This week, Alibaba’s parcel pick-up and delivery app Cainiao Guoguo attracts over 300 million users. Meanwhile, AliExpress opened its third physical store location in Spain to boost cross-border shopping in the region. We also explain how China’s secondhand online shopping market is taking off with the help of recycling apps like Alibaba’s Idle Fish.

Alibaba’s Courier Delivery App Exceeds 300 Million Users

Cainiao Guoguo, Alibaba’s parcel-delivery app, logged over 300 million users in China as of June, according to the company’s midyear logistics report released Monday. A slew of the app’s on-demand services, such as its free door-to-door pick-up, one-click order placement and express couriers, have spurred new logistics milestones. As a result, the number of parcels shipped during the first half of 2021 grew 150% compared to the same period last year. Additionally, over a third of Cainiao Guoguo users are below age 26 as China’s younger generations are quick to adopt e-commerce, relying heavily on the convenience of online delivery. Cainiao Guoguo has expanded rapidly to cover 2,800 counties including hard-to-reach and remote areas in China. Its one-hour pick-up service is also available in 349 Chinese cities.

Alibaba’s Global Marketplace AliExpress Lands in Spain with its Third Physical Flagship

Alibaba’s global marketplace AliExpress opened a physical store in Barcelona’s Gran Vía 2 shopping center last Thursday to cater to growing local demand for popular brands and products on its online platform. The integration of online and offline shopping will bring shoppers a mix of over 800 brands, including international computer, communication and consumer electronics brands such as Xiaomi, Intel and Apple, as well as digital innovations from local brands InnovaGoods and Cecotec. Shoppers can sync their records for online and offline purchases using their AliExpress account and enjoy the same discount benefits and after-sales services as online. The new location comes as Spain becomes one of the fastest-growing overseas markets for AliExpress outside of China. The Barcelona store is the third AliExpress outlet in the country since the first store launched in 2019.

China’s Secondhand Trading Market Takes off with Help of Apps

China’s secondhand shopping market is taking off post-pandemic as consumers look for a more sustainable lifestyle. Consumers’ uptake of decluttering has been turbo-charged by apps that make selling pre-owned items simpler, including Alibaba Group’s Idle Fish. The app has over 30 million members and forecasts it will generate over RMB500 billion (US$77 billion) in gross merchandise volume (GMV) by the end of this year. People’s need to optimize space while living at home during the coronavirus pandemic has also helped the trend gather momentum. Click here to find out more.

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This article has been updated to correct Cainiao Guoguo’s app user trajectory between 2020 to 2021