Amazon vs Alibaba: The Fight to be the World’s Largest Internet Retailer

Introduction

Scope

Why read this report?

Defining the parameters for comparison and the win condition

Key findings

Behind the Business Models that are Taking Over the Internet

Retail: The third p arty m arketplace c omparison

Retail: Amazon embraces variation in structure, not branding

Retail: Alibaba uses variety to clearly delineate shopping purpose

Retail: Head-to-head comparison

Financials: Alibaba’s C2C marketplace cannot be ignored

Financials: Models and priorities come to light

Financials: Head-to-head comparison

Becoming a Transformational Retailer

More than just retailers

Logistics: Amazon pushes the envelope in-house

Logistics: Alibaba relies on partners to further its reach

Logistics: Differing philosophies in two pictures

Logistics: Head-to-head comparison

Technology: Amazon develops different tools for different users

Technology: Alibaba’s tech entwines new businesses and shoppers

Technology: Head-to-head comparison

Going Global

Each company’s strategy to reach two billion customers

Amazon ’s current core markets

Amazon’s strategy of gradual international expansion

Alibaba’s two cross-border brands

Alibaba’s current (and potential) sphere of influence

Ethnic Chinese abroad

If India is a retail prize, who will be the one to claim it?

Global reach: Head-to-head comparison

The Four Cs of Customer Centricity

Expanding business features with the customer in mind

Multichannel expansion: Amazon adds new ways to shop online

Multichannel expansion: Amazon is pushing physical frontier

Multichannel expansion: Alibaba’s mobile dominance

Multichannel expansion: Alibaba’s stake in current physical c hains

Multichannel expansion : Head-to-head comparison

Category expansion: Amazon leans on private label

Category expansion: Alibaba seeks to add quality and services

Category expansion: Head-to-head comparison

Cultural expansion: Amazon makes the most of its own media

Cultural expansion: Alibaba maintains many cultural tent poles

Cultural expansion : Head-to-head comparison

Convenience: Amazon makes consumption for loyal shoppers easy

Convenience: Alibaba’s loyal shoppers leapfrog the last generation

Convenience: Head-to-head comparison

Conclusion

Who will win?

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