In this comprehensive analysis, Jeff Towson delves into the ongoing struggle for profitability faced by leading eCommerce companies such as Grab, Dingdong, Meituan, Didi, GoJek, and iFood. Highlighting recent business model shifts, he discusses the newfound strategies these companies have adopted to strive for profitability. A major focus is placed on the crucial concept of geographic density, underlining its role as a significant type of economies of scale in the eCommerce industry.
In Part 1, I laid out some of the challenges of doing ecommerce in groceries. And two innovative business models that attempted to make it work. One by Alibaba Freshippo and one by Dingdong. Both very interesting. Both, especially Dingdong, being unprofitable. In the past month, both companies have announced operating profits. That was really […]
Key concepts for this article: DOB2: Never-Ending Customer Improvements and Personalization Economies of Scale: Geographic Density (CA13) *** As mentioned in Part 1, I recently visited Zé Delivery in Sao Paulo and toured their growing facilities with CEO Rudolfo Chung. Zé Delivery is a Brazilian beverage delivery app launched by global beer giant AB InBev. […]
In this captivating article by Jeff Towson, discover the remarkable insights derived from Grab’s mastery of geographic density and other cost efficiencies through technology. Gain valuable knowledge about the strategies employed by Grab to optimize operations and achieve scalability in the highly competitive tech industry. Don’t miss out on this exclusive membership content that offers a comprehensive analysis of Grab’s tech strategy and its implications for businesses across various sectors.
Why do humans live in cities? And why does the urbanization rate of most countries keep increasing? Because there are lots of efficiencies when you put people and companies close together. Goods and services become cheaper and faster to distribute. Electricity, sewage, gas, and other infrastructure services become cheaper and easier to provide. And there […]
Discover how AB InBev and Ze Delivery are revolutionizing the ecommerce scene in the beverage industry in this engaging podcast by Jeffrey Towson. Gain insights into the innovative strategies these companies are employing to disrupt traditional models. This is a must-read for anyone interested in ecommerce trends, tech innovations, and the rapidly evolving beverage market.
Southeast Asian tech giant Grab is facing a difficult choice: should it focus on profitability or growth? This article explores the pros and cons of each strategy and discusses the potential outcomes for Grab. Ultimately, the decision of whether to focus on profitability or growth will depend on a number of factors, including the company’s financial situation, its competitive landscape, and its long-term goals.
In Part 1, I laid out how to think about physical networks. For logistics, that means lots of warehouses and trucks doing various routes between them. In Part 2, I talked about one of the big competitive advantages of logistics networks, which is network effects. Note: These are significantly different than the network effects we […]