“亚马逊”对进驻东南亚电商市场，举棋不定

□ 文/ 汤普森·张

“亚马逊”对进驻东南亚电商市场，举棋不定

□ 文/ 汤普森·张

此前，亚马逊计划进驻东南亚市场，这让新加坡的网购消费们跃跃欲试；但亚马逊似乎已决定推迟在东南亚设立分公司的计划，这又让他们大失所望。

亚马逊是全球最早经营电子商务的公司之一。此前，该公司计划于2017年第一季度在东南亚设立分公司——这被认为是亚马逊开拓广阔的东南亚电商市场的前奏。

据业内人士透露，亚马逊在东南亚设立分公司的计划已被推迟，具体日期待定，有可能推迟至2017年年底。如此一来，人们不免会猜想：亚马逊在东南亚遭遇了劲敌吗？

东南亚是世界上最具发展潜力的新兴电商市场之一，拥有6亿多消费者，大约是美国的两倍。虽然目前东南亚在全球电商市场中的所占比例还不到5%, 但分析人士认为，未来10年，东南亚电商市场将风生水起、日新月异。

2016年，美国谷歌公司和新加坡淡马锡公司联合发布了一份电商调查报告。该报告指出，东南亚地区的互联网使用人数，呈上升趋势，且平均每天新注册用户人数达12.4万人，成为世界上互联网发展速度最快的地区。东南亚国家的人口年龄结构相对年轻，中产阶级快速崛起。因此，该报告预测：2025年，东南亚电商市场年增长率预计将达到32%左右，电商市场总额约为880亿美元。

从目前来看，新加坡可以说是亚马逊进驻东南亚市场的理想跳板。那么，问题来了：如果亚马逊真要在新加坡设立分公司的话，是不是已经错失先机？

事实上，素有“东南亚亚马逊”之称的电商平台——来赞达（Lazada），早在几年以前就开始在东南亚地区运作、发展，如今已发展成为东盟国家的第一大电商。

来赞达的发展壮大，赢得了中国电商巨头阿里巴巴的青睐。2016年，阿里巴巴集团以10亿美元收购了来赞达的控股股权。这也是阿里巴巴迄今为止最大的一次海外收购。

面对亚马逊等新进电商平台的来袭，来赞达的先发优势有可能成为其维护自身发展的“保护伞”。来赞达在东南亚地区既拥有一定的客户信誉度和行业发展经验，又熟悉当地的物流系统和行业管理办法，还能在很多东盟国家市场实现适销对路。此外，为了更好地将商品送到网购消费者们的手中，来赞达已致力于打造安全可靠的物流配送网络，在东南亚各个国家精准发力、步步为营。企业在开拓海外市场时，一定要了解当地情况，这一点至关重要；即使是电商企业，也不例外。

来赞达在东南亚地区的发展已占尽先机，但并非高枕无忧。虽然来赞达的销售额快速增长，但有消息称，来赞达此前一直难破盈利困局；而阿里巴巴的10亿美元注资，好比一场“及时雨”，为来赞达的发展解了围。

为什么会出现这种情况呢？这是因为，虽然从数据上看，来赞达的发展前景似乎一片大好，但实际上，整个东南亚电商市场仍相当分散。

东南亚各国语言不同、管理规定各异，且贫富差距明显等等，这些因素明显限制了来赞达的未来发展；此外，要想在东南亚发展电商企业，需要借助各式各样的交通工具和千差万别的支付方式。

对亚马逊来说，要想在新加坡实现良好开局，不费吹灰之力。这是因为：新加坡网购消费者们的消费能力、与商业运作相适应的法律体系、强大的基础设施以及健全的电商文化，与亚马逊在西方各国所占据的市场有着相当高的匹配度。

不过，亚马逊想要将业务覆盖整个东南亚，将面临更多挑战。虽然亚马逊在东南亚地区已经享有一定的品牌知名度，但未来还需要赢得东南亚网购消费者的信赖、保障好消费者网络购物体验。商品类目齐全、购物便捷和可靠性高，将成为影响东南亚网购消费者消费需求的三大重要因素；而服务水平超出网购消费者们的心理预期，有利于赢得市场份额。

采用哪种支付方式，将成为影响亚马逊在东南亚发展的一个重要议题。所以，亚马逊除了继续采用以往较为常用的“信用卡预付”以外，还需要为东南亚网购消费者们提供多种支付选择，如“货到付现”等。

从供应商的角度来说，亚马逊应当与熟悉东南亚当地情况的商业伙伴合作，制定激励机制，以吸引他们入驻亚马逊；同时，通过加大投资来获得东南亚电商市场份额。其中，亚马逊可以借助自身在西方国家强大的竞争优势、完善的基础设施，为亚洲供应商提供进驻西方国家市场的便利渠道，从而赢得他们的青睐。

当然，亚马逊未来将与日渐强大的阿里巴巴展开角逐，这是在所难免的。阿里巴巴的业务范围，已经渗透到中国国内市场的每一个角落；因此，阿里巴巴集团把东南亚视为其战略发展的又一高地。事实上，除了收购来赞达的控股股权以外，阿里巴巴集团不断加大对东南亚国家的投资力度，其中包括收购了泰国正大集团旗下的支付公司Ascend Money的股份，以及收购新加坡邮政的股份。

在抢占东南亚电商市场的棋局上，亚马逊和阿里巴巴这两大电商巨头形成了正面交锋之势，那么，最终鹿死谁手？阿里巴巴集团财大气粗，且意欲开拓国际电商市场。来赞达有望从阿里巴巴针对东南亚的战略布局中大受裨益；当然，阿里巴巴在东南亚的大动作，也会吸引世界其他电商企业的眼球，带动他们对东南亚市场的投入。例如，阿里巴巴在中国国内的一大劲敌——京东商城，已经在印度尼西亚建立分公司。同时，一旦亚马逊在东南亚成立分公司，自然会与阿里巴巴展开一场旷日持久的激烈角逐。

从网购消费者们的角度来说，东南亚现有的电商企业和新进电商企业在业务发展上你争我夺，有利于当地网购消费者们从中获得更好的消费体验、享受更多的竞争性商品价格，以及参与更多的优惠活动。目前，东南亚地区的一些传统实体零售企业陷入发展困境，而面对各大电商企业带来的冲击，这些实体零售企业的发展处境也会越来越糟；因此，他们必须未雨绸缪。

需要指出的是，虽然新加坡深得亚马逊的青睐，但成立亚马逊新加坡分公司，仅仅是亚马逊在东南亚走的第一步棋而已。一旦亚马逊大举进军东南亚市场，将开始书写自己的商业神话；同时，一场电商大战，将随之打响。

·许志亮 编译

·来源：新加坡《海峡时报》

·本文所持立场不代表本刊观点

To the disappointment of Singapore’s eager online shoppers, it seems Amazon has put off its local launch date.

The big daddy of E-commerce frms had been expected to set up shop in the frst quarter of this year, the prelude to a push into the broader Southeast Asian market.

But industry insiders have told tech news site TechCrunch that the launch has been pushed back to an unspecifed date, possibly later in the year. The delay has raised speculation that Amazon is fnding this part of the world a tougher nut to crack than it frst thought.

With more than 600 million consumers — about twice that of the United States — South-east Asia is one of the most promising new frontiers for online retailers. E-commerce accounts for less than 5 per cent of all commerce now, but analysts believe that will change dramatically over the next decade.

According to a report published last year by Google andTemasek, Internet use in South-east Asia is growing at an average rate of 124,000 new users a day, the fastest pace anywhere in the world. With a relatively young population and a rapidly expanding middle class, the report forecast that the Southeast Asian E-commerce market will grow at around 32 per cent a year to be worth US$ 88 billion by 2025.

For Amazon then, Singapore should offer an ideal springboard to enter this market. But if Amazon does indeed have its sights set here, is it coming rather late to the party?

After all, Lazada — once known as “the Amazon of Southeast Asia” — has been operating and growing in the region for several years, and it is No. 1 in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Lazada’s growth has drawn the attention of Chinese E-commerce giant Alibaba, which last year pumped US$ 1 billion into acquiring a controlling stake in the firm — its largest overseas purchase.

Facing up against a new entrant like Amazon, Lazada would seem to enjoy some frst-mover advantage. It has reputation and experience on its side, it understands how logistics and regulations vary across the region, and it gets what sells well in various markets. In addition, Lazada has invested time building up reliable delivery partners to get the products to its customers, and it has feet on the ground in each territory. Local knowledge remains important, even in E-commerce.

But Lazada has not had it easy. Despite rapid increases in sales, Alibaba’s US$ 1 billion investment reportedly came just in time to shore up a company that is still struggling to achieve proftability.

That’s because, although the headline figures may make it seem lucrative, the South-east Asian market is also highly fragmented.

Different languages, regulations and wealth disparities present obvious challenges, but E-commerce firms must also work with widely varying transportation and payment infrastructure.

For Amazon, entering Singapore would be an easy frst step. Its spending power, business-friendly legal framework, strong infrastructure and established E-commerce culture are closely matched to Western markets where it is well established.

However, taking its operation regionwide will be more of a challenge. While it may enjoy some name recognition, winning consumer trust and managing customer experience will be critical. Selection, convenience and reliability will be key demands and exceeding customer expectations will matter when it comes to winning market share.

Payment systems will be one major issue and Amazon will need to offer options such as cash on delivery, on top of the more traditional credit card prepayment it is used to.

On the supplier side, meanwhile, Amazon will need to find partners with local knowledge, offer incentives to persuade them to join its platforms and invest in capturing market share. One way it may be able to lure Asian vendors is by offering them easier access to Western markets where it has a strong footing and established infrastructure.

But it will have to contend with the growing competitive presence of Alibaba. With its home market in China saturated, Alibaba sees South-east Asia as the next logical step for expansion. Indeed, aside from its control of Lazada, Alibaba has been stepping up its interests in the region, acquiring stakes in other operations such as Thai e-payments firm Ascend Money and delivery frm Singapore Post.

So, with two E-commerce giants shaping up to go head to head in South-east Asia, how might this play out? Alibaba has deep pockets and is eager to grow beyond China. That’s likely to work well for Lazada, but will also lure other E-commerce players into investing in the region. JD.com, for example, Alibaba’s main rival in China, has already set up an operation in Indonesia. Amazon, too, if and when it does launch, will be ready to stick it out for the long term.

For consumers, this will likely mean more choice, competitive pricing and promotions as existing and new players join the fray. For some already struggling traditional bricks-andmortar retailers, it means that the already existing E-commerce challenge will step up a gear. They should be prepared.

But Amazon’s much-anticipated Singapore debut would be just the frst stage. The real story, and the real battle, will start once it ventures into the wider region.

· Source: www.straitstimes.com

Amazon Delay Shows Challenges of E-commerce in S-E Asia

By Thompson Teo