Who Bears the Cost of Last-Mile Delivery?

Who should bear the cost of last-mile delivery fees?

In daily life, we often receive parcels, but few people will delve into how many costs are involved in the process from the warehouse to our doorstep. In particular, the last-mile delivery fee seems insignificant, yet it hides complex economic logic and industry operation models.

Last-mile delivery fee refers to the cost incurred by courier companies when transporting goods from the sorting center to consumers' homes. This step is often considered one of the most complex and costly parts of the entire logistics chain. Due to the diverse delivery scenarios faced in last-mile delivery-such as densely populated residential areas in cities, remote villages, and commercial buildings-it is a challenging task. With the rapid development of the e-commerce industry and the surge in online shopping orders, the pressure on last-mile delivery has further increased.

In recent years, there has been widespread discussion about who should bear the last-mile delivery fee. Some argue that this cost should be borne by merchants, as they are the ones facilitating the transaction; others contend that consumers, as the ultimate beneficiaries, should pay for it. In reality, the party responsible for bearing the last-mile delivery fee is not singular but shared among multiple parties. For instance, e-commerce platforms may alleviate merchants' pressures through subsidies, while courier companies adjust their charging standards based on their business models.

According to the China Postal Express News Report, national express service enterprises completed a cumulative total of 60 billion items in the first half of 2025, growing by approximately 15%. Behind such a massive business volume, the cost of last-mile delivery cannot be ignored. To cope with high operational costs, many courier companies have begun exploring innovative solutions. For example, they adopt intelligent parcel lockers and community pick-up points to optimize the end-of-line delivery process, thereby reducing labor and time costs.

It is worth noting that with increasing market competition, price wars in the courier industry have become increasingly fierce. To capture market share, many courier companies have had to compress profit margins, even operating at a loss. In this context, how to reasonably allocate last-mile delivery fees has become an urgent issue to address. On one hand, companies need to ensure service quality, ensuring that every package is delivered safely and on time; on the other hand, they must control costs as much as possible to avoid the industry as a whole falling into trouble due to excessive competition.

At the same time, relevant policies and regulations are being actively introduced to promote the healthy development of the courier industry. For example, the Interim Regulations on Courier Services clearly define the responsibilities and obligations of courier companies and require them to establish sound security systems. This not only helps protect consumers' legitimate rights and interests but also provides more standardized operational guidelines for last-mile delivery.

In conclusion, the question of who should bear the last-mile delivery fee is not a simple matter of who pays. It involves important issues related to balancing interests along the industrial chain, improving consumer experience, and the future development prospects of the industry. With technological advancements and changes in social needs, it is believed that this problem will be resolved in a more appropriate manner in the future.