Cainiao is Alibaba’s logistics affiliate and is one of the largest logistics companies in China. It was founded in 2013 and has since grown to become one of the most important players in the Chinese logistics industry. Cainiao has been instrumental in helping Alibaba achieve its goal of delivering packages anywhere in China within 24 hours.
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 […]
Logistics in China / Asia has been on my short list for a long time. There is a lot to like about this space. Logistics has a long-term secular growth trend. As countries and regions develop and grow, they generally ship more and more things around. It’s a slow but steady trend. We see that […]
ANE Logistics is a Chinese logistics company that uses a franchise model to operate a network of warehouses and trucks. The company’s founder, Jeff Towson, argues that ANE’s model has several advantages over traditional logistics companies. First, it allows ANE to scale more quickly and efficiently. Second, it gives ANE access to a wider range of talent and expertise. Third, it allows ANE to provide a more personalized level of service to its customers.
In Podcast 89 (Truck Alliance’s Fight for Complicated Network Effects), I laid out some of the basic information about the company – and why it is a “next level” marketplace. If selling books was simple ecommerce and selling groceries was advanced, then Didi is simple mobility and Truck Alliance is advanced. It’s just a much […]
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the competitive landscape in smart IoT logistics, comparing the strategies of JD Logistics and DHL. He argues that JD Logistics has a number of advantages, including its large network of warehouses and delivery drivers, its data-driven approach to logistics, and its focus on customer experience. He concludes that JD Logistics is well-positioned to win the race to become the leading provider of smart IoT logistics services in Asia.
I have been thinking about JD’s logistics operations for like 4 years. I visited a couple of their warehouses. I toured their robotics laboratory. And I am always looking for their cool logistics videos (see here or below). But it’s hard to see the whole system. Most logistics is behind the scenes. But JD Logistics […]
In this podcast, Jeffrey Towson discusses the five biggest trends in digital China and Asia for 2020-2030. These trends include the rise of smart devices, smart IoT logistics platforms, new manufacturing, smart cities, and digital finance. Towson believes that China and Asia will become the world’s largest and most innovative digital ecosystem in the next decade.
In Part 1 (Why the #1 Business Solution to Coronavirus in China Is Live Streaming, Especially Taobao Live), I argued three big things are happening in digital China right now. Covid19 is radically altering the behavior of hundreds of millions of consumers (and businesses), resulting in what is being called the quarantine economy. Everyone is […]
SF Express, YTO, and the other China express delivery majors have been racing to go public. Faced with shrinking profits and mounting competitive threats, the dream of being the “FedEx of China” is quickly morphing into an arms race in capital and capabilities. Here’s my take on what is going on and what to expect. […]