Cainiao debuts local delivery service in Spain

Cainiao Network, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group, announced on Tuesday the launch of a local delivery service for AliExpress merchants in Spain.

In tandem with GLS Spain, a local parcel delivery provider, Cainiao has pledged to provide door-to-door delivery in as little as 48 hours.

The service was first piloted in early August and was officially launched this month, currently serving around 100 Spanish merchants. Cainiao said its service charges 10 to 20 percent less than average market prices, which it did not specify.

As such, Spain-based merchants of AliExpress-the e-commerce site of Alibaba selling to overseas clients-can use the AliExpress website at any time of day, and their parcels will be collected on the same day or next day from their location.

"Spain is one of Cainiao's key markets in Europe and we have been continuously innovating and improving our services in the region," General Manager of Cainiao Network Europe David Bu said in a press release.

"We hope to better satisfy local consumers' needs when they shop locally, and contribute to the development of the local e-commerce ecosystem."

Cainiao has been strengthening its European logistics services network over the past years by setting up its smart regional eHub at Liege Airport in Belgium, which serves as a key node in its global logistics network to connect chartered flights between China and Europe.