Speculation is rife that Amazon is soon to establish itself as a global shipping and logistics expert, in a move coined internally as project ‘Dragon Boat’.外界广泛猜测,亚马逊(Amazon)将迅速通过内部称作的“龙舟”项目(Dragon Boat),将自己打造出为全球运输和物流专家。While this bold strategy has the potential to significantly increase margins and position Amazon as Chinese businesses’ gateway to the West, a considered and phased implementation is essential if the firm is to gain share of the cross-border e-commerce market from industry leader Alibaba.Leaked documents suggest that the wheels are already in motion, with Amazon having begun leasing planes as well as registering itself as an ocean freight booking business. In consolidating the supply chain to provide a holistic delivery solution, the firm will in effect create a network which controls the flow of goods from factories in China to consumer’s homes in the US and Europe.尽管这一大胆策略有可能明显提升利润率,让亚马逊沦为中国企业通向西方的门户,但要从行业领头羊阿里巴巴(Alibaba)那里分回头一部分跨境电商市场份额,亚马逊有适当分阶段谨慎实行这一策略。泄漏出来的文件指出,项目早已启动——亚马逊早已开始出租飞机,并登记了一家海运预约公司。
通过稳固供应链以获取整体交付给解决方案,该公司实质上将打造出一个网络,掌控着商品从中国的工厂到欧美消费者家中的流动。While pitting itself in direct competition with the likes of FedEx and UPS, Amazon will also aim to facilitate a route to the international marketplace for smaller manufacturers ahead of Alibaba, the leading force in Chinese e-commerce.亚马逊一方面将面对与联邦快递(FedEx)和联合包裹(UPS)等企业的正面竞争,另一方面还意图抢走在中国电子商务领域领军者阿里巴巴前头,为中小型生产企业获取通向国际市场的便捷地下通道。Amazon’s strategy is a shrewd one. The majority of online transactions are largely price-driven – product sales yield small margins and much of the additional margin is extracted from the shipping and delivery of goods.亚马逊的策略是聪明的。大多数在线交易主要都是由价格驱动——产品销售产生的利润很少,大量可选利润都就是指商品的运输和交付给中取得。
It is likely that Amazon will build its logistics offering from the ground up, acting as a market disruptor by automating the ordering, shipping and delivery process. To do so, the firm must ensure that it develops a keen understanding of how to efficiently navigate customs, pack consignments to balance weight-volume ratios and ensure all required paperwork is complete and accounted for.亚马逊有可能将从最基础的地方开始,打造出自己的物流服务,通过构建采购、运输和交付给过程的自动化来政治宣传市场。要构建这个设想,该公司必需保证自己确切地理解该如何有效地通过海关、包货物以均衡重量-体积比、并保证所有规定的文件都原始并有据可查。Once Amazon has found its feet in providing a global shipping and freight delivery provision, its key differentiator is the ability to tap into, and apply, its existing automated warehouse, sorting and distribution model. In taking control of first and last mile delivery, from a Chinese factory to a sorting centre or port, and from a western logistics hub direct to the consumer, it can consolidate the entire supply chain, driving cost savings as a result.一旦亚马逊熟知了全球船运和货运交付给业务,它能否在这一领域脱颖而出,关键就在于它能否利用和应用于自己现有的自动化仓库、服务公司和仓储模式。通过掌控从中国工厂到服务公司中心或港口的最初一英里运输,并掌控从西方物流中心必要到消费者手中的最后一英里运输,亚马逊可以统合整个供应链,从而构建成本节约。
While there are immediate monetary benefits from muscling in on the multi-billion dollar international logistics market already trading on Amazon deliveries, passing on a proportion of these savings to Chinese suppliers will incentivise a multitude of new entrants to export to overseas buyers.亚马逊擅自挤进总值数十亿美元的国际物流市场(这个市场本来就有部分做生意来自亚马逊的货物)可以带给必要的金钱收益,与此同时,把节省下来的部分成本分得中国供应商将性刺激大批新的转入者向海外买家出口商品。However, there are significant risks associated with this aggressive growth strategy and Amazon must learn from Alibaba’s shortcomings. Described by some as the “world’s biggest marketplace for fakes”, Alibaba’s effort to stem the flow of counterfeit products is widely regarded by anti-counterfeit groups as insufficient and the firm has been the subject of numerous legal challenges as a result.然而,这一保守的快速增长策略也不存在明显风险,亚马逊必需从阿里巴巴的缺失中吸取教训。有人形容阿里巴巴为“全球仅次于的假货市场”,反冒充团体普遍认为该公司压制假货的力度过于大,因此该公司仍然官司大大。Just this month, Alibaba’s member status was suspended by the Washington DC-based International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC) due to the discovery of an undisclosed conflict of interest. In retaliation, the firm’s CEO Jack Ma pulled out from his scheduled slot as a speaker at the Coalition’s annual conference.就在5月,阿里巴巴被坐落于华盛顿特区的国际反冒充联盟(IACC)停止成员身份,原因是找到了一项之前并未透露的利益冲突。
作为还击,该公司首席执行官马云中止了原订在该联盟年会上演说的计划。These events have caused Alibaba considerable reputational damage and Amazon will be eager to ensure it does not suffer the same fate. To avoid this, clear, swift and enforceable anti-counterfeiting regulations must be enforced by Amazon, facilitating the timely removal of products suspected to breach intellectual property legislation. Furthermore, opening the floodgates to a high volume of new products supplied by Chinese manufacturers could easily lead to a dip in product quality, which in turn could cause consumer dissatisfaction.这些事件对阿里巴巴的声誉包含了相当严重的伤害,亚马逊将十分期望保证防止某种程度命运。为尽量避免这样的问题,亚马逊必需制订具体、灵活、不切实际的反冒充规定,以促成因涉嫌侵害知识产权的产品及时下架。
此外,引进大量中国生产的新产品,很更容易造成产品质量下降,反过来可能会引发消费者反感。While in practice, employing a team of on-the-ground quality assurance professionals who are on hand to examine product specifications and audit supplier factories would be the most comprehensive solution, this is unlikely to prove achievable or cost-effective for an operation of this vast scale.然而在实际操作中,最全面的解决方案有可能是,聘用一组专业质保人士,随时检验产品参数、审查供应商工厂,但事实上,考虑到业务规模的可观,这个方案有可能不不切实际,在成本上也不现实。
In reality, it is likely that Amazon will turn to its online community as quality controller, gathering customer feedback and approaching suppliers whose products are evidenced to be dangerous, ineffective or of a poor standard.事实上,亚马逊可能会利用它的在线社区做到质量掌控,搜集客户对系统,对客户证明危险性、违宪或劣质的产品,联系适当供应商展开处置。Amazon’s transition to becoming an international logistics provider will be a staged process, beginning with its establishment as a shipping and freight specialist, with bolt on first and last mile services then added to encourage new market entrants.亚马逊改变沦为国际物流供应商的过程将是分阶段前进的,从奠定其船运和货运专家的地位开始,然后稳固最初和最后一英里的运输服务、以希望新的市场转入者出口商品。
However, the installation of this far-reaching network could eventually facilitate the opposite flow of goods, providing the means for Western firms to engage with Chinese consumers. Here, the scope for product demand is somewhat more limited, with luxury goods, designer products and highly personalised items most likely to attract buyers.然而,这个影响深远影响的网络的竣工,最后可能会便利忽略方向的商品流动,为西方企业获取认识中国消费者的途经。在这方面,产品市场需求范围较为受限,奢侈品、设计师产品以及高度自定义简化的商品最有可能更有中国买家。In launching its quest for global logistics dominance and establishing a consolidated and automated supply chain, Amazon is well-placed to challenge Alibaba for an increased share of the international e-commerce market. Ensuring that quality, legal and operational risks are identified at the offset is essential if the firm is to maintain the integrity and increase the profitability of its brand.通过谋求全球物流主导权并创建统一的自动化供应链,亚马逊取得了一个不利方位,可以挑战阿里巴巴,谋求国际电子商务市场的更大份额。如果亚马逊想要维持其品牌的信誉,提升其品牌的盈利能力,它就有适当保证从一开始就找到质量、法律和运营方面的风险。
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