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Is it only a matter of time, before China's Alibaba takes over control of Amazon.com? And if that happens, what does that mean for the whole global market?
I shop through Lazada, which is now a subsidiary orf Alibaba. I ordeered a $12 item from Lazada online on Sunday night. Them delivery truck was at my door on Tuesday morning, 36 hours later, and I live hundreds of miles from the capital, which I presume is the location of the fulfillment center. I also ordered a set of computer speakers, Logitech Z120, and paid $16 for them, shipped. In America, from Amazon, the identical product model number is listed at $44 shipped.
My experience with Alibaba's Lazada is quite eye-opening. I'm left to wonder if Amazon, or anyone else in America, stands any kind of a chance against Chinese marketing competition. It is beginning to look like the American model is heavily bloated. Americans have the lowest prices in the western world, but that might be attributable, more than anything else, to economy of scale. Because of large volume, US prices can be lower, but because of profit bloat, prices go back up to an arftificial level. A dozen for-proifit middle men are grabbing a part of every transaction.
So China has two very big factors weighting in their favor. A potential economy of scale that America can't even dream about, and the absence of unregulated profiteers bleeding the price. Americans should be very worried about this. It's not just Amazon on the block, it is Genral Motors, Google, Disney/Viacom, the NFL -- who is immune to a buyout?
While the PI may be in a unique place economically, I don't see Alibaba making big inroads to the US any time soon. It's certainly formidable opposition to Amazon outside the US, especially in Asia, but unless they create a completely revamped experience, I'd say they will at best be a minority player in Amazonland.
Ebay FTW. I had $15 gift card and was amazed I was able to buy 5 items from ebay with it. The $2 one from China, I had to wait for months. LOL. So I just choose the one locally shipped in US for $1 more better than waiting for months for a boat from China for my item.
Well, as much as their ads try to promote it as such, EBay isn't really a retailer like Amazon - but then, Alibaba seems to kind of straddle that same line as well.
The odd thing about the Chinese stuff is that I've often bought things like cables and connectors and small parts for bargain prices, then gotten them, shipped directly from China or Hong Kong, in a few days. But yes, I've had some "flea market" items take weeks and weeks as well.
Is it only a matter of time, before China's Alibaba takes over control of Amazon.com? And if that happens, what does that mean for the whole global market?
I shop through Lazada, which is now a subsidiary orf Alibaba. I ordeered a $12 item from Lazada online on Sunday night. Them delivery truck was at my door on Tuesday morning, 36 hours later, and I live hundreds of miles from the capital, which I presume is the location of the fulfillment center. I also ordered a set of computer speakers, Logitech Z120, and paid $16 for them, shipped. In America, from Amazon, the identical product model number is listed at $44 shipped.
Why would the average filipino outside of Manila (etc) with less disposable income than a US household pay more than market price for crappy PC speakers?
Is it only a matter of time, before China's Alibaba takes over control of Amazon.com? And if that happens, what does that mean for the whole global market?
I shop through Lazada, which is now a subsidiary orf Alibaba. I ordeered a $12 item from Lazada online on Sunday night. Them delivery truck was at my door on Tuesday morning, 36 hours later, and I live hundreds of miles from the capital, which I presume is the location of the fulfillment center. I also ordered a set of computer speakers, Logitech Z120, and paid $16 for them, shipped. In America, from Amazon, the identical product model number is listed at $44 shipped.
My experience with Alibaba's Lazada is quite eye-opening. I'm left to wonder if Amazon, or anyone else in America, stands any kind of a chance against Chinese marketing competition. It is beginning to look like the American model is heavily bloated. Americans have the lowest prices in the western world, but that might be attributable, more than anything else, to economy of scale. Because of large volume, US prices can be lower, but because of profit bloat, prices go back up to an arftificial level. A dozen for-proifit middle men are grabbing a part of every transaction.
So China has two very big factors weighting in their favor. A potential economy of scale that America can't even dream about, and the absence of unregulated profiteers bleeding the price. Americans should be very worried about this. It's not just Amazon on the block, it is Genral Motors, Google, Disney/Viacom, the NFL -- who is immune to a buyout?
First I was gonna say your speakers from China were knockoffs, as that is what alibaba pedals. But they're $17 on amazon too so not sure what you're talking about.
So China has two very big factors weighting in their favor. A potential economy of scale that America can't even dream about, and the absence of unregulated profiteers bleeding the price. Americans should be very worried about this. It's not just Amazon on the block, it is Genral Motors, Google, Disney/Viacom, the NFL -- who is immune to a buyout?
Go read Michael Crichton's "Rising Sun" and get back to us.
First I was gonna say your speakers from China were knockoffs, as that is what alibaba pedals. But they're $17 on amazon too so not sure what you're talking about.
Those are used at $17 at Amazon., New are still $35.
Hows do you know they are knockoffs? If nobody gouges me, they must be knockoffs? Is that the diagnostic indicator?
Back to the point. If, after decades of declining real wages, Americans can only afford knockoffs, who's to sellit to them?
Read it a long time ago, don't remember all the details. Funny, I thought at the time it was fiction.
It's MC's usual late blend of fiction and fact(oids), about how an immensely wealthy and unstoppable Japan was going to buy the whole US. I suggest that a few global word changes and some light edits would make it appeal to a whole new generation fearing the "yellow peril."
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