7 Questions for Alibaba on Singles’ Day (2 of 2)

This is Part 2 of my questions for Alibaba on Singles’ Day. Part 1 is located here. Question 5: What Are the Next Hard-to-Replicate Physical Assets? Alibaba is a competitive fortress. This comes from multiple factors like network effects, consumer habits, economies of scale (particularly in logistics), complementary platforms (especially in financial services), data advantages […]

7 Questions for Alibaba on Singles’ Day (1 of 2)

Singles’ Day is one of the biggest shopping events in the world, generating billions of dollars in sales for Alibaba. But as competition heats up and consumer behavior changes, Alibaba faces new challenges in maintaining its dominance. In this article, Jeff Towson asks 7 questions to Alibaba about Singles’ Day and explores how it has evolved over time.

Jack Ma (and Alibaba) Dreamed of Turning SMEs into Multinationals – Globally (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

Alibaba.com is attempting to both digitize and democratize global trade, and to dramatically expand it from large companies to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). They are starting to enable SMEs to act like MNCs in terms of cross-border transactions. They are developing tools such as a mobile app that lets you search for products globally, and a platform that provides logistics and delivery services.

Alibaba.com’s Crazy Strategy for a Global E-Commerce Trading Platform (1 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Strategy)

Uncover the strategic vision of Alibaba.com as it forges ahead with its ambitious initiative to construct a massive global e-commerce platform. Delve into the strategic implications and future prospects in the first part of this captivating series by Jeff Towson, offering a unique perspective on Alibaba’s groundbreaking endeavors in the e-commerce landscape.

3 Simple Rules for Digital Transformation and Disruption (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

Digital transformation is about using technology to change the way businesses operate and interact with customers. To succeed, companies need to focus on innovation, customer experience, and data-driven decision-making. By following these three rules, companies can position themselves for success.

TikTok, WeChat and the Need for an American Vision for Shaping Digital Information Flows.

A few years ago, I went to the WeChat Open Talk meeting in Guangzhou and founder Allen Zhang (see photo) gave a talk that really stuck with me. He talked about about the powerful role of information flows in society and life. And how the digitization of these information flows has created a situation where […]

More of the 10 Alibaba Slides and How “New Retail” Supercharges Platform Strategy (2 of 2) (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

In Part 1, I laid out the basics of building a single platform business model. Or what BCG calls a “hyperscaler”. That is about getting the initial platform interactions going and going for growth, which is where the value is created.  However, once the basic demand and supply picture are in place, you start thinking […]

8 Lessons From China AI Guru Kai-Fu Lee (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

Key concepts for this article: Artificial Intelligence China’s State Capitalism model *** The release of ChatGPT and DALL-E has pushed AI back to the forefront of digital. Forget web3 and blockchain. It’s all about AI now. And I will confess, I am a believer. Artificial intelligence is the biggest thing happening in digital. I’m even […]

Why Ofo Failed. And Why Luckin Coffee Came Back. (Tech Strategy – Daily Article)

Delve into the reasons why Ofo, once a promising bike-sharing company, failed in the competitive Chinese market. This article offers a detailed examination of the factors contributing to Ofo’s spectacular rise and subsequent fall. Gain insights into the complexities of operating a business in China and the lessons that can be derived from Ofo’s experience.