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.
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 […]
In Part 1, I went through Borsheims, Buffett’s jewelry retailer in Omaha. It has historically had a very strong business model, although this may be changing. And his jewelry business has a lot of interesting parallels to his biggest retail business, Nebraska Furniture Mart. Company 2: Nebraska Furniture Mart (NFM) I was in Omaha with […]
Back in 2017 and 2018, I took a bunch of Peking University students to Omaha to have lunch with Warren Buffett. And we also did visits (arranged by Berkshire) to several of his private businesses around Omaha. And as every business he buys has a competitive advantage, it was a good chance to try and […]
In this article, Jeffrey Towson delves into the 6 situations where JD’s E-Space is a game-changer for consumers and brands. He provides insightful analysis into the disruptive potential of JD’s E-Space in the Chinese retail sector, exploring its implications for new retail, ecommerce, and online-merge-offline strategies. If you’re interested in understanding the future of Chinese retail and the potential of JD’s E-Space, this article is a must-read.
Join Jeff Towson as he shares 4 critical lessons learned from his visit to JD’s E-Space, one of the most talked-about innovations in e-commerce. Understand what sets JD apart in terms of consumer experience, supply chain, and technology. Essential reading for CEOs and Executives who want to stay ahead of the curve in the fast-paced world of e-commerce.
Jeff Towson’s Podcast 147 provides a detailed comparison of Mercado Libre and Magazine Luiza (Magalu) in the Brazilian e-commerce market. The podcast delves into their individual strategies, offering unique tech insights. Tune in to understand the dynamics of this thriving digital retail landscape.
Jeff Towson’s Podcast 147 provides a detailed comparison of Mercado Libre and Magazine Luiza (Magalu) in the Brazilian e-commerce market. The podcast delves into their individual strategies, offering unique tech insights. Tune in to understand the dynamics of this thriving digital retail landscape.
Alibaba has three key lessons for Magalu, a Brazilian e-commerce company, on how to merge the physical and digital worlds to create a seamless customer experience. These lessons are:
1) Merge the physical and digital worlds to create a seamless customer experience.
2) Use data to personalize the customer experience.
3) Invest in technology to improve the customer experience.
The future of retail is OMO, and retailers that merge the physical and digital worlds will be the most successful.