Speculation¹ is rife² that Amazon is soon to establish itself as a global shipping³ and logistics expert, in a move coined internally as project ‘Dragon Boat’.

外界普遍猜测，亚马逊(Amazon)将很快通过内部称为的“龙舟”项目(Dragon Boat)，将自己打造为全球运输和物流专家。

While this bold strategy has the potential to significantly increase margins⁵ and position Amazon as Chinese businesses’ gateway⁶ to the West, a considered and phased implementation⁷ 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 consolidating⁸ the supply chain to provide a holistic⁹ 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显著提高利润率，让亚马逊成为中国企业通往西方的门户，但要从行业领头羊阿里巴巴(Alibaba)那里分走一部分跨境电商市场份额，亚马逊有必要分阶段审慎实施这一策略。泄露出来的文件表明，项目已经启动——亚马逊已经开始租赁飞机，并注册了一家海运预订公司。通过巩固供应链以提供整体交付解决方案，该公司实际上将打造一个网络，控制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.

亚马逊一方面将面临与联邦快递(FedEx)和联合包裹(UPS)等企业的正面竞争，另一方面还意图抢在中国电子商务领域领军者阿里巴巴前头，为中小型制造企业提供通往国际市场的便利通道。

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 margin⁴ is extracted from the shipping and delivery of goods.

亚马逊的策略是精明的。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，大量附加利润都是从商品的运输和交付中获得。

It is likely that Amazon will build its logistics offering from the ground up, acting¹⁰ as a market disruptor by automating¹¹ the ordering, shipping and delivery process. To do so, the firm must ensure that it develops a keen understanding of how to efficiently¹² navigate¹³ customs, pack consignments¹⁴ to balance weight-volume ratios and ensure all required paperwork is complete and accounted for.

亚马逊可能将从最基础的地方开始，打造自己的物流服务，通过实现订购、运输和交付过程的自动化来颠覆市场。要实现这个设想，该公司必须确保自己清楚地了解该如何有效地通过海关、打包货物以平衡重量-体积比、并确保所有规定的文件都完整并有据可查。

Once Amazon has found its feet in providing a global shipping and freight delivery provision, its key differentiator¹⁵ is the ability to tap into, and apply, its existing automated¹⁶ warehouse¹⁷, 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 consolidate¹⁸ the entire supply chain, driving cost savings¹⁹ as a result.

一旦亚马逊熟悉了全球船运和货运交付业务，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自己现有的自动化仓库、分拣和配送模式。通过控制从中国工厂到分拣中心或港口的最初一英里运输，并控制从西方物流中心直接到消费者手中的最后一英里运输，亚马逊可以整合整个供应链，从而实现成本节约。

While there are immediate²⁰ monetary²¹ 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.

亚马逊强行挤入总值数十亿美元的国际物流市场（这个市场本来就有部分生意来自亚马逊的货物）可以带来直接的金钱收益，与此同时，把节省下来的部分成本分给中国供应商将刺激大批新进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 counterfeit²² products is widely regarded by anti-counterfeit groups as insufficient²³ and the firm has been the subject of numerous legal challenges as a result.

然而，这一激进的增长策略也存在显著风险，亚马逊必须从阿里巴巴的缺陷中吸取教训。有人形容阿里巴巴为“全球最大的假货市场”，反假冒团体普遍认为该公司打击假货的力度不够大，因此该公司一直官司不断。

Just this month, Alibaba’s member status was suspended by the Washington DC-based International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition²⁴ (IACC) due to the discovery of an undisclosed conflict of interest. In retaliation²⁵, the firm’s CEO Jack²⁶ Ma pulled out from his scheduled slot as a speaker at the Coalition’s annual conference.

就在5月，阿里巴巴被位于华盛顿特区的国际反假冒联盟(IACC)暂停成员身份，原因是发现了一项之前未披露的利益冲突。作为回击，该公司首席执行官马云取消了原定在该联盟年会上演讲的计划。

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 breach²⁷ 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构成了相当严重的损害，亚马逊将非常希望确保避免同样命运。为避免出现这样的问题，亚马逊必须制定明确、敏捷、可行的反假冒规定，以促使涉嫌侵犯知识产权的产品及时下架。此外，引入大量中国制造的新产品，很容易导致产品质量下滑，反过来可能会引起消费者不满。

While in practice, employing a team of on-the-ground quality assurance professionals who are on hand to examine product specifications²⁸ and audit²⁹ 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，最全面的解决方案可能是，聘请一组专业质保人士，随时检验产品参数、审核供应商工厂，但事实上，考虑到业务规模的庞大，这个方案可能不可行，在成本上也不现实。

In reality, it is likely that Amazon will turn to its online community as quality controller, gathering³⁰ 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质量控制，收集客户反馈，对客户证明危险、无效或劣质的产品，联系相应供应商进行处理。

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.

亚马逊转变成为国际物流供应商的过程将是分阶段推进的，从确立其船运和货运专家的地位开始，然后巩固最初和最后一英里的运输服务、以鼓励新的市场进入者出口商品。

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，这个影响深远的网络的建成，最终可能会方便相反方向的商品流动，为西方企业提供接触中国消费者的途经。在这方面，产品需求范围比较有限，奢侈品、设计师产品以及高度定制化的商品最有可能吸引中国买家。

In launching its quest for global logistics dominance and establishing a consolidated³¹ 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 offset³² is essential if the firm is to maintain the integrity and increase the profitability of its brand.

通过寻求全球物流主导权并建立统一的自动化供应链，亚马逊获得了一个有利位置，可以挑战阿里巴巴，争取国际电子商务市场的更大份额。如果亚马逊想保持其品牌的信誉，提高其品牌的盈利能力，它就有必要确保从一开始就找出质量、法律和运营方面的风险。