‘Mainland young people are very polite’: Hong Kong customer praises Chinese delivery driver for returning cancelled order and sorting refund
- Hong Kong consumers are increasingly buying cheap groceries from nearby Shenzhen using online personal shoppers known as daigou and delivery apps
- An increasing number of new university graduates are working as couriers amid massive youth unemployment in China
A Hong Kong resident’s praise for a mainland delivery driver’s “honest and kind” work attitude has resonated online in China and highlighted the often challenging conditions these workers face.
The Hong Kong woman posted on July 3 in a Facebook group about a friend who ordered groceries online from Shenzhen in southern China using the app Meituan to be delivered to the city’s border for collection.
The poster said her friend unexpectedly could not meet the driver due to a personal emergency and called him to tell him he could keep the groceries.
Her friend was surprised when she received a refund from the platform and learned that the driver had helped return the items for no charge so she would be eligible to receive the full refund.
The poster said her friend was “impressed with the kindness, honesty and polite attitude of mainland delivery workers.”
She added that her friend tried to compensate the driver for his extra work but could not get in touch once the order was closed.
According to Meituan, a delivery driver will not receive any payment for cancelled orders. However, they can apply to the platform for compensation if they are not responsible for the cancellation.
The story reflects the recent trend of Hong Kong consumers buying mainland delicacies and cheap groceries from Shenzhen using online personal shoppers called daigou and delivery apps.
The post resonated with other consumers who have used mainland services for groceries and other goods.
“Mainland young people are very polite. Service workers at restaurants also have a positive work attitude, from which Hong Kong people should learn,” commented one person.
“I travelled to the mainland after the borders were reopened and was attracted by their dynamic, honest and polite attitude,” said another person.
A third person once witnessed a mainland delivery driver voluntarily clean a messy table while waiting for his order at a coffee shop said: “His selfless act won my respect!”
Some online observers also pointed to the increasing number of new university graduates working as delivery couriers amid massive youth unemployment in China.
Official figures show the jobless rate among people aged 16 to 24 hit a record high of 21.3 per cent in June.
Last year, China’s two food delivery giants, Meituan and Eleme, employed 7.38 million delivery drivers in the country.
