Double 11" is coming to the express company collusion price increase?

Original title: "Double 11" is approaching, courier companies colluding to increase prices? Regulatory department shot! Courier, how is the pricing reasonable?

On November 6, the Zhejiang Provincial Market Supervision Bureau convened 15 express delivery companies in the province to hold a warning meeting on suspected monopoly behaviors, and notified some current express delivery industry companies of illegal monopoly violations such as coordinated price increases and limited transactions. The activity made specific requirements.

According to reports, since the beginning of this year, Zhejiang Province has handled 79 complaints and reports in the express delivery industry. After preliminary verification, the alleged monopoly is mainly manifested in: some express delivery companies are suspected of coordinated price increases.

Since September this year, Yuantong, Zhongtong, Best Express, and other express delivery companies have successively increased prices significantly, from the original first weight of 2.6 yuan/kg to 4 yuan/kg, and the continued weight from the original 1-2 yuan/kg It has risen to 4 yuan/kg. At the same time, for the merchants who have signed the contract before the price increase, the express delivery company will unilaterally break the contract. Some merchants want to replace the partner, but other express delivery companies do not accept the goods and refuse the transaction without legitimate reasons.

The Zhejiang Provincial Market Supervision Bureau believes that courier companies must not collude with each other to jointly increase prices, and must not abuse market dominance to refuse transactions, and industry associations must not collude pricing, jointly raise prices, and conspire to increase prices in the form of agreements or resolutions.

Wang Zhuangwu, deputy director of the Zhejiang Provincial Market Supervision Bureau: Regulating the fair competition market environment of the express delivery industry is the need to promote the sustained and healthy development of the express delivery industry in our province.

In the next step, the Zhejiang Provincial Market Supervision Bureau will speed up the verification of the monopoly clues of express delivery companies, increase the enforcement of the Anti-Monopoly Law, seriously investigate and punish various types of monopoly acts, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of operators and consumers.

Why are the prices of express delivery always on "Double 11"? Courier, how is the pricing reasonable?

On the evening of November 7, the CCTV Financial Review program invited Qiu Baochang, an expert committee expert of the China Consumers Association, and Wang Guan, a CCTV financial commentator, to jointly analyze.

Qiu Baochang: The warning is to prevent collusive price increases

Qiu Baochang, expert of the China Consumers Association Expert Committee: How to determine collusive price increases? There should be conscious contact. In the same or similar time, the price increase is the same or similar, there is such a cooperative behavior. For example, two or three companies have telephone communication and have objective performance. The price of the same product will rise at a unified time or a similar time. The original collective increase often passed the agreement. Now many operators are not engaging in monopoly agreements. Manipulate prices through collaboration.

Therefore, when the market reflects that some companies may be suspected of collusive price increases, in order to prevent the actual implementation of collusive price increases, the regulatory authorities first interviewed cautions and issued warnings to educate enterprises to observe discipline and law.

Wang Guan: Prices can be increased during the peak season but prices cannot be colluded

Wang Guang, commentator of CCG Finance: It seems that before the "Double 11" every year, courier companies will always take action. Prices can be increased during the peak season, but prices cannot be colluded. Price collusion is undoubtedly illegal. Regardless of whether it is the "Anti-Monopoly Law" or the "Price Law", there are clear regulations on this.

"Double 11" is indeed the most important time window of the annual e-commerce, and it is also a festival. In 2018, the entire "Double 11" courier package volume was 1.9 billion, an increase of 26%. It is expected that one week after the "Double 11" this year, the express delivery volume is expected to reach 2.8 billion, and the increase is still very impressive.

Why did the Zhejiang Provincial Market Supervision Bureau come forward to warn? Because last year, the national express delivery volume was 50.7 billion, and Zhejiang had 10.1 billion, ranking second in the country. Zhejiang is also the location and birthplace of the headquarters of many express delivery companies. As the competent department, before such a window of the peak season, it is necessary to express a position before disturbing the market.

How is the express price determined?

Qiu Baochang: There should be rules for independent pricing of enterprises

Qiu Baochang, an expert from the Expert Committee of the China Consumer Association: When setting prices, companies have independent pricing power, but they must have rules. What rules should there be? According to the "Price Law", there are three pricing methods, one is government pricing; the other is the guidance price; the third is the liberalized market pricing.

Even if the market pricing is liberalized, it is not as arbitrary as you want. Collusion of price increases is not allowed, and companies must consider whether costs are rising or falling, as well as changes in market supply and demand.

In the "Double 11" period, express delivery may be in short supply and reasonable profits are required. But isn't the price raised, the market and consumers will recognize it? I'm afraid not necessarily. While complying with legal rules, independent pricing must also respect the laws of market competition.

Wang Guan: Courier should survive to fight for price and quality

Wang Guang, commentator of CCG Finance: Express delivery companies not only need to compete for the top position in the industry, but also want to have a certain market share, but also hope to have a net profit so that they can survive. Therefore, courier companies must survive to compete on price and quality.

Now, several express companies listed on the A-share market, Shentong, Yuantong and Yunda, have a market value of 30 billion to 70 billion, and the price-earnings ratio is about 20 times. No one can absolutely control each other. Many adopt the form of chain franchise. This business model is easy to face pressure from price pressures, such as transportation companies, outlet management costs, etc., more homogeneous competition In this case, we must rely on price to occupy the market.

What makes you profitable? For many online shopping users, in addition to the price, they may be more concerned about the speed, safety and service of express delivery. These problems cannot be solved by adjusting the price alone.

Qiu Baochang: Express delivery is the blood vessel of e-commerce, don't create obstructions artificially

Qiu Baochang, expert of the China Consumers Association Expert Committee: E-commerce is developing rapidly, and it will be difficult to realize important links without express delivery and logistics. In this sense, express delivery is the blood vessel of e-commerce, and it should be smooth and convenient. Therefore, we must not artificially create obstructions, and we must let e-commerce and express delivery develop healthily. First, the price increase cannot be done casually, even if the price increase is fair and reasonable; second, all parties should support the development of the express delivery industry, and the express delivery industry must synchronize with the e-commerce platform to achieve high-quality and healthy development.