If your Taobao or other China-based purchases are already in a Cainiao consolidation warehouse, check their days in storage now. A Cainiao notice says the warehouse storage policy will change on October 1, 2026, Beijing time, and the new rules apply to every package in storage, regardless of its intake date.
This is more than a shorter free-storage period. Free storage falls from 90 days to 60 days, the regular overdue rate increases, and a separate ¥5-per-day rate applies during the announced peak-season window. The cost of leaving a package untouched can rise quickly.
What Changes on October 1
| Item | Previous policy | From October 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Free storage | 90 days | 60 days |
| Regular overdue storage | ¥1/day after 90 days | ¥2/day after 60 days |
| Peak-season special rate | No special rate described in this notice | ¥5/day after 60 days |
| Peak-season window | Not applicable | October 15 through December 15, 2026, Beijing time |
| Disposal rule | Automatic disposal process at 120 days | Unchanged: still 120 days |
The most important point is that both old and new packages are evaluated under the new rules after October 1. A package received before October 1 does not automatically keep the full 90-day free-storage period.
How Packages Received Before October 1 Are Treated
The notice gives two transition cases:
- Already over 60 days on October 1: charging begins at ¥2 per day on October 1. Cainiao does not retroactively bill back to day 61.
- Not yet over 60 days on October 1: the package keeps its remaining free days, then charging begins after the new 60-day limit is reached.
Packages received on or after October 1 follow the new policy from the start.
Why the Peak-Season Rate Is ¥5 per Day
The notice says overseas shopping promotions will significantly increase warehouse intake from mid-October and put pressure on storage turnover. To protect receiving, sorting, consolidation, and outbound efficiency, Cainiao will charge a storage adjustment fee on long-stay packages from October 15 through December 15, 2026, Beijing time.
During this window, every package that has been in storage for more than 60 days is charged ¥5 per day.
A package may therefore first incur storage at ¥2 per day, then move to ¥5 per day on October 15. The rule that starts the automatic disposal process at 120 days in storage does not change. Paying storage fees does not mean a package can remain indefinitely.
The Two Official Examples: About ¥193 and ¥274
Example 1: Received July 20
| Date | Days in storage | Rate | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 30 | 72 | Free | Still within the old 90-day free period |
| October 1 | 73 | ¥2/day | New policy starts; package is over 60 days |
| October 15 | 87 | ¥5/day | Peak-season window begins |
| November 17 | 120 | Not applicable | Disposal process starts |
Estimated total storage fee: about ¥193, calculated as 14 days × ¥2 + 33 days × ¥5.
Example 2: Received August 8
| Date | Days in storage | Rate | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 30 | 54 | Free | Still within the old 90-day free period |
| October 8 | 61 | ¥2/day | Package passes the new 60-day limit |
| October 15 | 68 | ¥5/day | Peak-season window begins |
| December 6 | 120 | Not applicable | Disposal process starts |
Estimated total storage fee: about ¥274, calculated as 7 days × ¥2 + 52 days × ¥5.
Both examples make the same point: the cost rises faster once the peak-season window begins. The dates, storage-day counts, and formulas above follow the supplied notice screenshots. Your account's package page and checkout remain authoritative for your actual charge.
What to Do with Packages Already in Storage
The notice's exact recommendation is that if a package has already been in storage for more than 38 days, complete consolidation and outbound processing before the new policy takes effect to avoid overdue storage and peak-season surcharges.
Use this sequence:
- Open the Cainiao app and confirm that the destination is the United States.
- Open the consolidation warehouse or packages-to-consolidate list and check each intake date and storage-day count.
- For anything approaching 60 days, review the item, route, weight, and cost now rather than waiting for the peak-season window.
- For new or incoming packages, treat “complete consolidation and outbound processing within 60 days” as the new limit.
- Keep your phone number, email, and WhatsApp details current. The notice gives this path: App > My > Notification Preferences.
For questions about storage days or charges, contact Cainiao consolidation support or reply to the official email or message. The notice says questions will be answered within 24 hours; actual response time depends on the support channel.
Where USAVE Belongs
USAVE is the U.S.-exclusive promo code to try on an eligible U.S. international shipping checkout. It is not a warehouse-storage waiver and does not change the 60-day free period, the ¥5 peak-season rate, or the 120-day disposal rule.
After you consolidate packages and choose a route to the United States, enter the following only if the international shipping payment page displays a Promo Code or discount-code field:
USAVE
U.S. checkout illustration. The price is an example; the actual reduction is shown at checkout.
The code counts as successful only when the page confirms that it was applied and the final amount due decreases. Eligibility, routes, validity, and the amount saved depend on your live checkout.
Open Cainiao, review your U.S. packages, and try USAVE at checkout
Four Numbers to Remember
- October 1: the new policy starts.
- 60 days: the new free-storage period.
- October 15 through December 15: packages over 60 days are charged ¥5 per day.
- 120 days: the automatic disposal process starts; this rule is unchanged.