Data released jointly on July 13th shows that China's E-commerce Logistics Index for June reached a level of 111.4 points, marking an increase of 0.4 points from the previous month.

An expert from the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing noted that the index's rise for the fourth consecutive month was driven by the strong "618" shopping festival, which boosted both supply and demand in the e-commerce logistics market, leading to a broad-based recovery across all sub-indices.

An economics professor commented that the slight month-on-month increase in June reflects a continued expansion in the domestic e-commerce logistics sector. Steady release of end-consumer demand and robust operations in warehousing and delivery highlight the sector's resilience. Further policy support to stimulate consumption is seen as necessary to enhance the vitality of online distribution channels.

Key Sub-Indices Analysis

The total business volume index for e-commerce logistics continued its upward trend. In June, this index stood at 128.6 points, rising by 0.3 points from May. Regionally, the central part of the country saw a slight decline of 0.3 points, likely impacted by extreme heat and heavy rainfall in some areas. In contrast, other regions experienced growth: the eastern region rose by 0.6 points, the western region by 1.3 points, and the northeastern region by 1.1 point, with the latter two exceeding the national average.

The rural business volume index for e-commerce logistics also showed steady improvement. It reached 127.3 points in June, up 0.5 points month-on-month. Against the backdrop of intensified policies for rural modernization and shared logistics infrastructure development, all regions have seen this index rise for three consecutive months. The western region recorded the largest increase, while the eastern, central, and western regions all hit their highest levels for the year, indicating a faster recovery in rural e-commerce logistics.

The expert further stated that cumulative national parcel volume has already surpassed 100 billion pieces this year. Growth rates for both total e-commerce logistics business volume and rural business volume have been maintained above 20%, signaling robust warmth in the online consumption market and the establishment of a stable new normal for overall consumption.

Supply-Side Improvements

Notably, the supply side of e-commerce logistics showed comprehensive recovery. The peak consumption season accelerated inventory turnover for e-commerce companies, with the inventory turnover rate index rising 0.5 points month-on-month. The logistics service system saw further optimization, as indices for logistics timeliness, fulfillment rate, and customer satisfaction increased by 0.7, 0.1, and 0.4 points respectively, maintaining a three-month rising trend. Amid the overall business volume growth, companies expanded hiring and improved supply efficiency, leading to increases of 0.2 points and 0.5 points in the personnel and vehicle load rate indices. The cost index saw a modest rise of 0.2 points to 113.5 but remains below the annual average.

"From the supply perspective, with the full implementation of policy optimization and digital empowerment, e-commerce logistics companies are encountering new development opportunities," the expert explained. Competition is increasingly shifting towards intelligent cost reduction and efficiency gains. The average parcel price further increased in the first quarter, easing cost pressures on enterprises. From a supply chain viewpoint, the widespread application of technologies like intelligent customer service, AI-powered product selection, smart sorting, and automated warehousing has made intelligent tools standard for e-commerce merchants. This trend is driving continuous improvement in logistics timeliness, fulfillment rates, and customer satisfaction, thereby upgrading the quality of the entire e-commerce logistics service system.

Future Outlook

Looking ahead, the expert anticipates that e-commerce logistics demand may moderate in July following the conclusion of major promotional events. However, the market is expected to remain at a relatively high level of activity.