Alibaba is ramping up for deliveries and the company’s logistics arm Cainiao Network has lined up initiatives for the upcoming 11.11 (Double Eleven) shopping event.

Cainiao plans to operate over 700 airfreight charter flights to deliver 90 percent of e-commerce parcels outside China during 11.11. It estimates that more than half of these cross-border parcels will see a 60 percent reduction in delivery time due to its “smart order consolidation.”

“Customers in key European cities, such as Madrid, Paris, Berlin and Warsaw, will receive their parcels in as fast as three days,” it said, noting best-selling products like sweeping robots, vacuum cleaners and toolboxes have been pre-stocked abroad prior to the event.

Also read: Air China Cargo, Cainiao land full freighter at Liege Airport 

Cainiao is counting over 3,000 airfreight charter flights this year and long-haul cargo ships bound for China to meet growing Chinese consumer demand.

Over 300 million goods from 84 countries and regions are imported to China via its supply chain network, including popular imported products like pet food, healthcare and beauty products.

“This will bring about a 10 percent increase in delivery efficiency for goods shipped into China,” Cainiao said, and more overseas merchants are pre-stocking popular products in China, with close to a million goods per day processed in Hangzhou.

“In gearing up for 11.11 each year, technology plays a critical role in the successful execution and delivery of billions of eCommerce parcels worldwide” said James Zhao, general manager of Cainiao Global Supply Chain.

“Today, 90 percent of our parcels are tagged with electronic shipping labels and this has fast become a de facto industry standard to achieve full visibility,” he added.

Cainiao credits IoT technology for accelerating the automation of every aspect of the value chain, from sortation facilities, warehousing to customs clearance and last mile delivery.

“This year, we will be marrying cutting-edge technology with a world-class logistics network to create a truly global infrastructure that can bolster the eCommerce boom,” noted Zhao.

Last year the gross merchandise value reached US$38.3 billion, double that of Black Friday (US$7.4 billion) and Cyber Monday (US$9.4 billion) combined, according to Tech Radar.

(Updated on 27 October with edits on spokesperson designation)