ATC Gets Ready for Aliexpress Sales on August 28

ATC group gets ready to provide logistics support for traditional sales on August 28 as the main Cainiao Smart Logistics Network partner in transportation of parcels from the Chinese Aliexpress site to Russia. We discussed the features of preparation with the General Director of ATC China Alexey Maltsev.

When does Aliexpress hold the sales?

The main annual Aliexpress site sale takes place on November 11. On top of that, sales take place on March 28, June 28 and August 28. It is our responsibility to ensure an uninterrupted packages delivery during these peak periods.

What amount of parcels is expected following the August 28 sales?

We expect a slight increase in our current volumes of about 13%. Thus, 2.6 million parcels will be delivered to the Russian Post channels. Of these, 1.3 million will be shipped from China to Vladivostok by sea and then transferred to the Russian Post. Small, inexpensive, so-called unrecorded packages are delivered by sea. Another 1.3 million will be delivered by charter cargo flights to Moscow for further transfer to the Russian Post distribution centers. Moreover, we transport express shipments for further delivery across Russia by such operators as DPD and 5Post. We plan to transport about 150,000 shipments of a kind during the sales period.

How long does it take to deliver a package?

ATC group performs packages long haul. In other words, parcels are collected and consolidated in China and then transferred to us. We perform their export customs clearance, deliver them to Russia and pass them to the last mile operators — the Russian Post or express carriers. For that reason, I am going to talk only about the timeline at the section that falls under our responsibility. Thus, we perform daily charter flights from Hong Kong and 5 flights per week from Hangzhou. Such flights frequency allows us to meet the 72 hours term from the receipt of the package in our warehouse until its delivery to the last mile operator in Russia. For numerous parcels we meet the 48 hours term. The term includes warehouse processing, export execution, departure operations at the airport, embarking, delivery to Russia (mainly Moscow), unloading on arrival and transfer to the Russian Post or express operators.

What are the features of preparation for exporting additional volumes following the sales?

Considering the fact that the volume of shipments will increase by 13%, there is no strong pressure on our capacity. It is rather a dress rehearsal before the global sale on November 11, when volumes increase dramatically. The main task is to fine-tune warehousing processes, to draw up a correct flight timetable and to identify the need for a spare storage area and human resources by November.