40% of delivery stations are operating at a loss! Why is the once "money printing machine" no longer appealing?

Opening platforms like Xianyu and 58 Tongcheng, a large number of delivery station transfer listings can be seen nationwide, with transfer amounts as low as 10,000 to 20,000 still struggling to find buyers. Once regarded as a golden entrepreneurial project with a low entry barrier, delivery stations are now experiencing an unprecedented "withdrawal wave." Relevant industry monitoring data indicates that by 2025, about 40% of delivery stations will be in a state of loss, with the average survival period plummeting from 2.3 years to 11 months, and nearly 60% of those that opened have been forced to exit within a year.

The core of this industry shift is the continuous squeeze on profit margins. In the early days, the fee for collecting parcels at delivery stations could reach 0.4-0.8 yuan, but as the price war in the express delivery industry spread, the collection fee had dropped to 0.3-0.4 yuan by 2025, a reduction of over 40%. Even if express delivery prices in some areas reasonably rebound, most of the new profits are captured by the delivery headquarters, making it difficult for end delivery stations to enjoy the benefits. At the same time, rigid costs such as rent, labor, and utilities remain high. Additionally, the new version of the "Interim Regulations on Express Delivery" implemented on June 1, 2025, imposes strict requirements for green packaging, forcing delivery stations to invest extra costs to replace environmentally friendly materials, further compressing profit margins.