Shippers are busy delivering Tet goods in the cold rain

Delivery on time

Ms. Doan Thi Huong in Vinh city, ashipperA long-time employee of a famous delivery brand said, "These days, I often forget about lunch and dinner to deliver orders on time and earn extra money for Tet, because the number of orders is almost double that of normal days."

Ms. Huong said that the shipping and delivery company where she works has a contract with delivery staff to receive profits from the daily volume of products. And the delivery staff are divided by area, ward and commune. Ms. Huong is in the delivery team of Hung Dung ward, Vinh city, consisting of 6 people, each person mainly delivers to 3-6 blocks and hamlets.

The weather is cold and rainy, so shippers have to wear many layers of warm clothes and raincoats to keep warm and protect their cargo. Photo: NK

“We deliver goods and receive a fixed commission, the company pays us 3,000 VND for each order. On a normal day, I deliver about 90-100 orders a day. Near Tet, the peak is after Ong Cong and Ong Tao festival, the number of orders increases by one and a half times, sometimes double” - Ms. Huong said.

According to Ms. Huong’s fellow shippers, the time before Tet is an opportunity to increase income, sometimes even double it to have a more prosperous Tet. However, to achieve that, the delivery team has to work through lunch, even late at night.

“During Tet, the roads are much more crowded than usual. We have to carry a lot of goods on the back of the vehicle, drive the vehicle and make phone calls to confirm addresses and appointments with customers, so sometimes we are tired. There are days when we forget to have lunch, just drink a carton of milk to make time for the delivery. Eating late and making a mess happens often. My hometown is Thanh Hoa. My husband and I rented a room in Vinh to earn money to raise our children, so we want to take advantage of the end of the year and try to deliver all orders so that by the 29th of Tet, we can return home to be with our family and our two children who are being looked after by their grandparents,” said Phan Van Hoan, a shipper who rents a room on Phong Dinh Cang Street, Ben Thuy Ward (Vinh City).

Shipper delivers goods during lunch. Photo taken at 12:40 pm on Ngo Quyen Street, Hung Dung Ward, Vinh City. Photo: NK

Shipping service price increase

In addition to professional shippers operating year-round, there are also occasions whenTet, amateur shippers are also "in season" when the demand for transporting and delivering flowers, ornamental plants and food also increases. On Le Nin Street running from the center of Vinh city and the roads that are allowed to sell flowers and ornamental plants, in addition to customers, the team of delivery people is also quite large.

Mr. Nguyen Van Cong in Nghi Phu commune said that he lives by farming all year round. Taking advantage of Tet, he "modified" some parts of his family's existing Kien An vehicle to deliver flowers and ornamental plants to earn extra income.

“Along the 72m road at the intersection with Lenin Street, there are many peach and kumquat trees for sale this year. I live near this area so it is quite convenient. It is already the 25th of the 12th lunar month but the purchasing power of peach and kumquat trees is lower than last year, so I only earn an average of 500,000 - 600,000 VND per day. Today it is both rainy and cold, from morning until nearly 10am but no one has hired me to take them” – Mr. Cong said.

Mr. Cong added that on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays, he also ships flowers and ornamental plants to some agents along Le Nin Street, but the quantity is not much and the price is only half of that of Tet. Because on weekdays, customers mainly buy small-sized flowers and ornamental plants and most of them transport them home by personal vehicle.

Shipper races against the weather to deliver flowers and ornamental plants in Vinh city. Photo: NK

According to peach and kumquat traders along this route, delivery people like Mr. Cong often wait at flower and ornamental plant selling points. Service prices are negotiated between shippers and customers. Within Vinh city, prices range from 100,000 to 200,000 VND/delivery. For large trees, the shipping cost is higher depending on the type of tree, as specialized vehicles or pickup trucks are required.

For shippers working for specialized delivery companies, there are also freelance shippers, who deliver mainly to acquaintances, online merchants or private stores and shops. On normal days, the delivery price within Vinh city ranges from 10 - 15 thousand VND/order depending on the distance. The goods "picked up" and shipped are mostly drinks, snacks and pre-processed foods such as chicken, fish, vegetables, etc.

On the occasion of Tet, due to the surge in orders, freelance shippers are often overloaded, many of whom have to refuse orders because of the requirement to deliver on the right day and time. Therefore, the price of delivery services also increases by about 50% - 70%, an average of 20 - 25 thousand VND/order.

“For example, on the 23rd day of the Lunar New Year, the number of orders for banh ngao and banh troi nuoc increased 3-4 times compared to normal days, and most of them required delivery in the morning, so the shipper I called refused many orders. Therefore, I had to mobilize my husband and children to deliver to customers,” said Ms. Luu Thi Yen, who runs a restaurant on Phan Chu Trinh Street, Quang Trung Ward.

The image of shippers has become familiar on the streets. Photo: NK

On January 16, 2023, corresponding to the 25th day of the Lunar New Year, the weather in Nghe An turned to drizzle, wind, and cold, so delivery people encountered many difficulties. Because most of them work by motorbike, and have to make frequent phone calls and move outdoors, they have to cover the goods to be delivered so that they do not get wet, affecting their quality. Even during the delivery process, if the goods are accidentally dropped, broken, dented, or wet, the shipper must compensate.

Therefore, delivery people, even though service prices increase during Tet, still have to take risks, even affecting their health when having to work hard in the rain and sun, and encounter traffic collisions while moving on the roads./.

Ngoc Khanh