The abrupt end of the partnership between Chinese e-commerce giant Pinduoduo and logistics provider SF Express has triggered a delivery disaster in Hong Kong, with pickup points overwhelmed by parcels and frustrated customers facing wait times of up to four hours.
Since June 30, Pinduoduo users in Hong Kong have lost access to SF Express’s extensive network of nearly 1,200 self-pickup locations and lockers. Despite this, the platform continues to offer free shipping with no minimum spend, leading to severe congestion at remaining collection points.
Francis Fong Po-kiu, honorary president of the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation, recounted his family’s ordeal at a pickup station in Hang Hau’s Nan Fung Plaza on Wednesday.
What should have been a quick errand turned into a grueling four-hour wait, with over a hundred people queuing in line.
"By the time they got their package, their legs were sore from standing," Fong said.
Parcels piling up, tempers flaring
The situation has grown so dire that some pickup stations have resorted to storing excess parcels in shopping mall corridors.
Fong, who visited the site after work, described an atmosphere of frustration, with exhausted customers visibly irritated and some even losing their temper.
"People were scowling, and a few couldn’t hold back their curses," he said.
To cope with the chaos, some shoppers arrived prepared with foldable chairs, while mall security was deployed to manage the crowds. Photos from the scene showed long lines snaking through the atrium, with boxes stacked haphazardly outside the pickup point.
Why the bottleneck?
Previously, SF Express’s vast network—including partnerships with major convenience stores—ensured smooth parcel distribution across Hong Kong. But with Pinduoduo now relying on alternative logistics providers, the remaining pickup points are struggling to handle the surge in orders.
Fong warned that unless Pinduoduo revises its free-shipping policy, the gridlock could persist for weeks.
For now, Hong Kong shoppers must brace for more delays—and perhaps bring a chair if they plan to join the queue.
(Marco Lam)
Read more: Pinduoduo and SF Express HK part ways
