By BAI Fan

Courier J&T Express has launched a new service that allows users to send small items to Europe and North America at affordable prices and reasonable speed. J&T One Packet is designed for cross-border e-commerce and has fueled speculation that J&T might partner with Pinduoduo in its foray into the US.

J&T Express says the new service will improve the cost efficiency for sellers by shielding them from wildly fluctuating shipping costs, especially for those who deal in small and light items such as accessories, cosmetics and consumer electronics. Prices start at US$5 per package, with shipping time between 7 and 15 days. 

J&T Express works with AliExpress, SHEIN and Shopee, providing warehousing and supply chain services in addition to courier business J&T recently entered a partnership with Hainan Airlines, expanding its air cargo capacity.

The network now reaches 100 countries and has been growing in Latin America and the Middle East. Coverage in Europe and North America is weaker. One Packet may use local couriers such as UPS and FedEx for the last mile.

Around the same time as One Packet was announced, Pinduoduo broke the news of its plans for the US market as the first step in overseas expansion. It is rumored that the two companies have been in talks. 

Pinduoduo has already started to onboard sellers for its US operation. A seller in Yiwu told Jiemian News that it has received an invitation from Pinduoduo. The products would be sent to a warehouse in Guangzhou and dispatched from there, either by Pinduoduo itself or a partnering courier.