Abstract: The distribution of the last kilometre has always been a serious problem for the logistics industry. Some schools and communities often find it difficult to deliver parcels to their homes because of the large number of parcels, the large number of people and the long distance between them, and this brings inconveniences to some recipients who have little free time or are far away from the courier station. As a result, some logistics platforms have introduced driverless delivery services. Amazon’s new Robo Runner Cloud service, for example, already coordinates deliveries between robots from multiple vendors. Alibaba’s little donkey, which is owned by Cainiao platform, has been used in many universities since the 2021. In order to increase influence and cultivate the usage habits of recipients, the platform often provides subsidies to increase demand.
Combined with the characteristics of the unmanned distribution vehicle of Cainiao platform, six subsidy schemes are proposed and models are established based on the authenticity of the recipient group demand information. The optimal distribution frequency, subsidy and profit under different schemes are solved. Besides, the impact of the distribution frequency and the recipient groups demand information on the subsidy scheme are focused. Cainiao platform’s work flow of unmanned delivery vehicle is: the platform presets the route of the unmanned delivery vehicle and the calculation rules of the delivery frequency. After receiving the delivery information, the recipient fills in the information on demand on the Cainiao App to place an order, and make an appointment for delivery to the building. After Cainiao platform receives orders in accordance with the back-end calculation of the berthing point and distribution frequency arrangements for unmanned vehicle delivery, the recipient can receive the package within the corresponding time. The platform needs to collect the demand information of the recipient group first, and then calculate the distribution frequency and subsidy when it is known. After observing the scenarios used by the platform, the recipient community makes a decision about whether to use the distribution service.
Limited by the authenticity of recipient group information, the customized subsidy scheme with fixed distribution frequency, the no-subsidy scheme with customized distribution frequency and the fixed subsidy scheme are not advisable. Under a fixed distribution frequency scheme, the profit of no-subsidy scheme is always higher than that of existing subsidy scheme. However, the subsidy scheme makes the platform regulate the market coverage more flexible and is conducive to improving the effectiveness of the recipient groups. Under the customized delivery frequency scheme, providing customized subsidies doesn’t cause a distortion of the recipient groups of information collected by the platform. The platform should provide higher distribution frequency to the recipient groups with high demand and higher subsidies to the recipient groups with lower demand. During the period of platform promotion, only the fixed distribution frequency and the fixed subsidy scheme makes the platform delivery services cover the market fully. In the mature period of the platform operation, the choice of the final subsidy scheme of the platform depends on the market coverage and the profits.
In this paper, a logistics monopoly market is considered, which is composed of a monopoly Cainiao platform and several recipient groups, the optimal distribution frequency, subsidy and profit and their changes with the needs of the recipients are obtained, and the influence of the distribution frequency on the subsidy scheme of Cainiao platform is studied. This paper focuses on the choice of subsidy strategy of unmanned delivery vehicle on the monopoly Cainiao platform, but does not consider the multi-platform situation. With the development of artificial intelligence and the implementation of the national anti-monopoly law, the monopoly position of Cainiao platform can not be unchanged, therefore, in the future, we will further study the subsidy strategy of unmanned delivery vehicle under multi-platform competition or multi-platform cooperation.

Key words: unmanned delivery vehicle, delivery frequency, subsidy, Cainiao platform

摘要： 本文结合菜鸟平台无人配送车的特点提出六种补贴方案,基于收件人群体需求信息的真实性建立补贴模型,求解不同方案下的最优配送频率、补贴和利润并着重研究配送频率和收件人群体需求信息对补贴方案的影响。研究表明:受收件人群体信息真实性的限制,固定配送频率定制补贴方案、定制配送频率无补贴和固定补贴方案不可取。在固定配送频率方案下,无补贴方案的利润恒高于有补贴方案,但是有补贴方案可以使平台对市场覆盖范围的调控更加灵活且有利于提升收件人群体效用;在定制配送频率方案下,提供定制补贴不会导致平台收集到的收件人群体信息失真,平台应该对需求高的收件人群体提供较高的配送频率而对需求低的收件人群体提供较高的补贴;在平台推广期,只有固定配送频率固定补贴方案可以使平台配送服务全面覆盖市场,在平台运营成熟期,平台最终补贴方案的选择取决于市场覆盖范围和不同补贴方案的利润。

关键词: 无人配送车, 配送频率, 补贴, 菜鸟平台