How free pickup by Cainiao works

To use Cainiao’s free pickup service, make sure that your location falls into the coverage area. Then, select “Pickup” as your dispatch method in “Selling Preferences”, entering a valid address in Chinese characters which will be confirmed or denied by the carriers once you receive the next order.

This is how Cainiao's free pickup service works:

  • Pickups are available Monday to Saturday, from 13:30 to 22:00 hrs. 

  • You’ll be assigned a driver based on your location, and it's crucial to maintain updated contact information for effective communication.

  • Once an order is placed and your package is ready to be shipped, contact your assigned driver. If you already work with Cainiao, your driver will reach out to arrange the pickup. 

  • When the driver arrives, they will provide a handover slip, which you must have them sign and photograph for record-keeping. This slip is essential for audits in case of discrepancies.

  • Package status updates occur after scanning at the Cainiao warehouse, typically the following day.

  • Cainiao accepts pickups starting with one item and recommends calling the driver at least 6 hours in advance for the first pickup. For daily shipments, coordinate with the driver to establish a consistent pickup time.

  • All packages, regardless of the destination country, can be mixed in a single bag, disregarding if they contain either battery or general items, or use different shipping channels. Merchants are responsible for sealing the bags—special purple sealing ties can be requested from the driver for external orders.

  • To ensure same-day pickup, prepare packages in the morning, as pickups usually occur in the afternoon. If packages are not ready upon the driver’s arrival, they may not wait, as they follow a fixed schedule.

  • You can communicate directly with Cainiao regarding shipping operations through this link.

Note that if free pickup isn’t available at your location, you’ll need to select “Drop off” as your dispatch method and choose a Cainiao warehouse to drop off your packages for shipping. 

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