#8: 快递柜收费让顾客不满 Consumers Unhappy Over Late Fee for Packages Picked Up at Self-Service Lockers

超过12小时不取包裹就需要付费，最多3元。One of China's largest locker operators imposes fees for packages picked up after 12 hours; customers say it's equivalent to charging them twice for each delivery.

Something that has always amazed me about China is the ubiquity of online shopping. People shop online way more frequently than even in the U.S., and many interesting innovations have emerged to support this behavior.

One such invention, self-service lockers, are now a common sight in residential communities across China. These lockers are used to temporarily store delivered packages when customers are not available to receive them in person. At their own convenience, customers can simply enter a code to retrieve their packages.

Recently, one such locker operator decided to impose a late pick up fee, leading to a public debate about the necessity and fairness of doing so. This article, adapted from Xinhua News, explains more.

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Image source

（中国新闻）

如果顾客【1】不在家，快递【2】公司就会把包裹【3】存放【4】在附近的快递柜【5】里，方便顾客取【6】。

【1】顾客 gù kè = customer
【2】快递 kuài dì = delivery
【3】包裹 bāo guǒ = package
【4】存放 cún fàng = deposit/store
【5】快递柜 kuài dì guì = lockers to store packages (see picture above)
【6】取 qǔ = to take

但是，丰巢【7】快递柜公司宣布【8】从4月30日开始，只要包裹存在柜子超过12小时不取，就会向顾客收取每12小时5毛钱的费用【9】，最高收费3元。这让许多顾客感到不满意。

【7】丰巢 fēng cháo = name of self-service locker company in China (English name: Hive Box)
【8】宣布 xuān bù = to announce
【9】费用 fèi yòng = fee/cost

有人认为，免费保管【10】时间只有12个小时，这有些短。

【10】保管 bǎo guǎn = safekeep

也有顾客说，买东西的时候已经付了快递费，取快递还要付钱，这是“双向【11】收费”，很不公平【12】。

【11】双向 shuāng xiàng = two-way/bi-directional
【12】公平 gōng píng = fair

丰巢公司解释【13】，不少顾客没尽快【14】取快递，快递柜容易满，所以需要收费。

【13】解释 jiě shì = to explain
【14】尽快 jǐn kuài = as quickly as possible

对于【15】“12小时”的时限【16】，公司解释，每天早上9点到11点是快递最多的时候，所以很多人最迟到晚上11点还可以免费取快递。如果过了12小时没取，会让隔天【17】早上快递员没办法存入新包裹。

【15】对于 duì yú = regarding
【16】时限 shí xiàn = time limit
【17】隔天 gé tiān = the next day

快递行业专家【18】说，快递柜开始收费并不意外【19】。公司装【20】快递柜的费用不便宜，而且也需要经常维护【21】柜子。

【18】行业专家 háng yè zhuān jiā = industry expert
【19】意外 yì wài = surprising (in this context), or accident
【20】装 zhuāng = to install
【21】维护 wéi hù = to maintain

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Test Yourself

【A】为什么丰巢公司要向顾客收取快递柜保管包裹的费用？
【B】专家对于快递柜收费有什么看法？

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This article was adapted and re-written from this original article in Xinhua News.

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Test Yourself - Answers

【A】为什么丰巢公司要向顾客收取快递柜保管包裹的费用？
因为有很多顾客没尽快取快递，快递柜容易满，这让隔天早上快递员没办法存入新包裹，所以公司需要收费。

【B】专家对于快递柜收费有什么看法？
专家不感到意外，因为公司装快递柜的费用不便宜，而且也需要经常维护柜子。