Amazon opens up its logistics network, a further evolution of the traditional e-commerce model.
As a globally renowned e-commerce giant, Amazon's every move has consistently drawn attention from the outside world. This holds almost universally true, whether it's its strategic layout in new technologies like AI or its exploration of new e-commerce models such as new retail. As the e-commerce industry enters deep waters, a profound and comprehensive transformation is underway, affecting both the underlying technological level and the upper business model level.
Recently, according to a report by CCTV Finance, on the 4th local time, U.S. e-commerce giant Amazon announced that it is fully opening its global logistics and supply chain network to businesses of all types and sizes, no longer limited to its platform merchants. According to a statement released by Amazon that day, this service is open to third-party enterprises across the entire industry. Companies can rely on Amazon's logistics system to complete end-to-end supply chain management, from raw material transportation and cross-border transfer to warehousing, distribution, and final product delivery.
We all know that as a leading player, Amazon has always viewed building its logistics as a crucial component of constructing its own ecosystem. This time, by no longer exclusively supplying its self-built logistics network system to merchants within its own ecosystem but opening it up to more third-party enterprises, it will undoubtedly initiate a new round of e-commerce evolution. For Amazon, this move demonstrates its continued commitment to openness to the outside world. For the entire e-commerce industry, it signals the beginning of a brand-new evolution.
The End of the Traditional Traffic-Dominated Model
Looking back at the development history of the e-commerce industry, we can discern a fairly clear thread: traffic has been the lifeline for almost all players. This holds true whether it's traffic from the upstream supply side or the downstream consumer side. For many e-commerce players, how to build a vast ecosystem around traffic, thereby attracting more traffic into their own ecosystem, has become a crucial issue that any e-commerce player must consider.
The same applies to Amazon. Taking the logistics network Amazon is opening this time as an example, it is also a vital part of building its powerful ecosystem. On one hand, by constructing the logistics network, Amazon has built a complete ecosystem of its own. Through this ecosystem, it can aggregate traffic under its own umbrella. On the other hand, by building the logistics network, Amazon can establish a product chain that runs through the entire e-commerce lifecycle. Even without relying on other external supporting systems, it can still form a complete ecological closed loop.
Whether it's the complete ecosystem or the e-commerce chain spanning the entire lifecycle, in essence, Amazon is using such a complete ecosystem to gather as much traffic as possible into its own ecosystem. However, with the end of the traffic cycle dominated by incremental growth and the arrival of a new traffic cycle dominated by existing stock, the traditional traffic-dominated model is beginning to face increasingly more challenges.
Looking at the current e-commerce industry, the real test lies in the iteration and implementation of technology, and the deep integration of digital technology with the real economy. In this context, the logistics network, which originally served to aggregate traffic, is beginning to transform into a new role and attribute. At this point, opening up its own logistics network, transforming it from "its own infrastructure" into "public infrastructure" to find greater functionality and purpose, has become an inevitable choice. Therefore, when Amazon opens up its logistics network, we need to see the end of the traditional traffic-dominated model and the rise of a new model dominated by industrial iteration and upgrade.
Accelerated Transformation of Traditional Internet-Dominated Technology
As a globally renowned e-commerce giant, one of the key reasons Amazon has achieved such tremendous development is that it leveraged internet technology to improve the efficiency of matching goods with consumers. Against the backdrop of traditional information asymmetry, the e-commerce model built on internet technology possessed unique advantages. It is precisely because of this that we have seen Amazon grow from a single office into a super behemoth.
As the internet industry enters a new cycle, especially as internet technology evolves from the IT era to the DT era and then into the later AI era, we are witnessing a profound and comprehensive transformation of internet technology. As internet technology begins to transform, its previous model of improving the match between goods and consumers by disintermediation is also undergoing a new metamorphosis.
Reviewing past iterations and upgrades of internet technology, we can see that it has evolved from the PC era to the mobile internet era, and then from the mobile internet era to the metaverse, blockchain, and now the AI era. Regardless of the specific technological form, one thing is certain: traditional internet-dominated technology is undergoing a profound and comprehensive transformation and upgrade.
In the past, people relied on bate technology to find its commercial application; now, people rely on AI technology to find its commercial application, accompanied by the emergence of tokens. When Amazon opens up its logistics network, we need to see that traditional internet technology is undergoing a profound and comprehensive revolution. For Amazon, opening up the logistics network is actually a significant testament to its transition from the bate era to the token era. For Amazon's future, how to accelerate the transformation and upgrade of internet technology, or more precisely, how to leverage AI technology to achieve a new evolution of itself, is the key to realizing a new round of development.
Accelerated Arrival of the New Model Dominated by Digital-Real Integration
On the surface, we see Amazon opening its logistics network to third-party enterprises, breaking down the original barriers. In fact, if we look at it from a deeper perspective, it's not hard to see that through this move, Amazon is accelerating its deep integration with more industries. Therefore, if we consider the positive significance of Amazon opening its logistics network, through it, we see the arrival of a new model dominated by digital-real integration.
In fact, a new evolution dominated by digital-real integration is unfolding. Now, we have seen more and more platform companies moving towards the upstream and downstream ends of industries. They leverage their accumulated technological and model expertise to deeply empower the upstream and downstream ends of industries, thereby achieving transformation and upgrade. Summarizing this development trend, we can see that this is essentially a process of deep integration between players in digital technology and players in industrial and supply chains.
Through such digital-real integration, the traditional development model dominated by ecosystems is coming to an end. It is being replaced by the arrival of a whole new era dominated by the breaking down of ecosystems and the deep integration of industries. The reason Amazon chose to open its logistics network is actually more about wanting to establish deep integration with the upstream and downstream ends of industries through this method, to adapt to the major trend of the accelerating arrival of the digital-real integration era. Therefore, when Amazon begins to open its logistics network, we need to see more of the evolution of the traditional model characterized by the separation of the virtual and real economies, and the accelerated arrival of the new model dominated by the digital and real economies.
Conclusion
For a long time, Amazon's self-built logistics network can be said to be a crucial part of building its own e-commerce ecosystem. It is no exaggeration to say that the powerful logistics network is the moat of Amazon's e-commerce business. This time, Amazon opening its logistics network to third-party enterprises can be considered the right choice in response to industry changes. Behind Amazon's opening of its logistics network lies the accelerated exit of the traffic era, the rapid rise of AI technology, and the comprehensive arrival of digital-real integration. When Amazon opens its logistics network, a brand-new e-commerce era arrives.$Amazon(AMZN.US)
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