In a small JD delivery station in west Beijing, I observed the bustling activity of delivery drivers and staff. Surprisingly, grocery delivery didn’t seem to pose a significant challenge. Specialized boxes kept food items fresh during rapid delivery, highlighting JD’s efficiency. Appearance matters too—JD’s well-dressed delivery team and sleek karts make a powerful marketing statement on the streets. The point of delivery remains a critical efficiency puzzle in the last mile.
this compelling analysis, Jeff Towson delves into the core dynamics of China’s micro-rentals sector, examining its evolution and the strategic maneuvers of industry giants like Didi and Mobike. Uncover the challenges and opportunities inherent in this rapidly expanding market, providing invaluable insights for investors, policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of urban mobility.
In Jeff Towson’s insightful analysis, discover why labeling Didi, Mobike, and others as part of a “new” Chinese sharing economy is misleading. These market giants are not pioneering a novel concept but rather embody classic disruptors, reshaping traditional industries with their innovative models. Understanding their strategies is crucial in decoding the dynamics of China’s ever-evolving market landscape.
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 […]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 […]
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 […]