How does E-commerce Logistics management break through the dilemma?

E-commerce will become the mainstream business model of the 21st century. In the past two years, the rapid development of the consumer in China, various types of shopping sites for consumers to provide a large number of goods. However, because the logistics management system is not perfect, keep pace with the development of E-commerce, so that the formation of the distribution bottleneck: The service can not control and guarantee, the problem of the response is too slow, the field of high distribution costs, inefficient, can be distributed to the city range is still very small and so many problems, restricting the development of business. If the logistics problem of E-commerce does not have enough understanding and full attention, the advantages of e-commerce is difficult to play out in China.

A complete E-commerce transaction process typically includes the following four basic "streams": information flow, business flows, capital flows, and logistics, as shown in Figure 1. Information flow refers to the exchange of various informations about the transaction, which refers to a series of activities in which the goods are transferred in the process of purchase and sale; The flow of funds is the process of transfer of funds in the course of transaction; Logistics refers to the process of product entity flowing from supplier to demand.

4 kinds of logistics mode of business

The logistics mode of using postal EMS (EMS) service is shown in Figure 2. E-commerce enterprises or businesses from the Web site or virtual site to obtain consumer shopping lists and home addresses and other information, then go to the nearby post Office for SpeedPost procedures will be sent to the goods, consumers receive the post office of the notice, to the location of the post office to retrieve the merchandise, or by the postman directly to the customer's home.

Adopting EMS method is convenient and fast. But this approach has the following problems. First of all, EMS service charge is high, if this part of the cost by the enterprise or business burden, then its operating profit will be greatly reduced, if the consumer bear, for small pieces of low-cost goods, consumers must be difficult to accept. Second, EMS is difficult to ensure that consumers in the desired time to deliver the goods.

The logistics model of the site's own distribution, as shown in Figure 3. Enterprises or websites in all over the densely populated areas of the Internet to set their own distribution points, in the acquisition of consumer information, by the distribution point of the personnel will be goods for consumers door-to-door.

This kind of logistics mode can satisfy the consumer's "buy and get" shopping psychological demand. But it also has the following problems. The first is the distribution point of the layout, the number of personnel equipped, the inventory of goods and so difficult to reasonably determine. Secondly, due to meet the user's immediate needs, there is a strict demand for distribution limitation. Clearly, high distribution costs require a larger distribution of goods.

Use the model of the third party logistics enterprise, as shown in Figure 4. Third-party logistics is the main body of E-commerce will be part or all of the logistics activities entrusted to the external professional logistics companies to complete. Logistics companies do not own goods, but with enterprises or businesses to sign a cooperation agreement or form a cooperative alliance.

Using this kind of logistics management method, the time to reach the consumers is faster than the above two methods, and the service is specialized, multi-functional and all-round. But if the delivery volume is too small, the delivery cost is generally higher than EMS service. This kind of management mode requires professional logistics company to strengthen construction in infrastructure, personnel quality, information system and so on.

A model of the combination of Web sites and traditional businesses. Traditional business, especially the chain business has a unique resource advantage, rich and reasonable commodity types, high value-added services, efficient distribution system, and so on, which is the lack of e-commerce main body. The combination of electronic commerce and traditional chain operation can give full play to the advantages of both, and realize resource sharing and complement each other.

Ii. the development of e-commerce logistics in China

1. The study of logistics theory is not systematic and in-depth. Nowadays, the research and practical application of logistics management theory have made great progress, and many new theories have appeared. The researchers of logistics management in China have just come into contact with these new theories, which await further digestion and absorption.

2. The infrastructure of e-commerce logistics enterprises is not perfect, and the new technology and equipment are used relatively less. Many E-commerce logistics enterprises on the concept of modern logistics, the status and role of the lack of awareness, outdated facilities, logistics management of the electronic degree is still low, can not meet the rapid development of e-commerce requirements.

3. " Can not rely on ", E-commerce Logistics development system environment to be improved.

4. The business environment is relatively backward, resulting in inadequate demand for e-commerce logistics services and low levels of specialized services. China's enterprises in the majority of proprietary logistics, leading to professional logistics agent services are not fully utilized. A large number of single freight forwarding enterprises narrow service scope, lateral joint weak, can not provide a complete supply chain services, can not meet the customer in terms of time and quality of service requirements.

5. There is a serious shortage of logistics personnel, unable to provide sufficient intellectual support for the establishment of new logistics system.

Some countermeasures for developing e-commerce logistics

1. Strengthen the research of modern electronic commerce and logistics theory, absorb foreign advanced thought, theory and technology. We can draw on the achievements of other countries ' logistics management research, learn from the developed countries of e-commerce logistics, encourage the theorists to study the problems in e-commerce logistics, avoid detours, take shortcuts and speed up the development of E-commerce logistics in China.

2. Improve the logistics industry related to standardization and standardization. The standardization and standardization of Logistics industry is an important basis to improve logistics efficiency and reduce logistics cost. The relevant departments of the State should strengthen the standardization and normalization of logistics, and promote the formation of the unified standard of logistics industry in China.

3. Actively develop the network and socialized logistics service system. From the trend of global economic development and provide more perfect service for customers, the demand of network and socialization of logistics service is more and more strong. Logistics enterprises should attach importance to the development of logistics network, promote the joint of logistics enterprises, and develop the business alliance between Logistics enterprises.

4. Improve the social awareness of E-commerce logistics. E-commerce and E-commerce logistics should be put together for publicity, E-commerce is a revolution in the field of commerce, and E-commerce Logistics is a revolution in the field of logistics. To change the past, the idea of heavy business flow, light logistics, to promote logistics to the position of competitive strategy.

5. Strengthen the training of logistics professionals. Through the establishment of logistics majors in colleges and universities, establish the direction of E-commerce Logistics research and study abroad system to train modern logistics professionals, through the Logistics Industry Association to carry out logistics vocational education and dissemination of logistics knowledge, but also through the way of professional accreditation to motivate people to join in the logistics industry, improve the overall quality of logistics practitioners.

6. Accelerate the realization of domestic logistics and foreign logistics integration. The network has no national boundaries, the competition of electronic commerce starts from the global scope. After China's entry into WTO, this kind of real global integration is not only related to the success or failure of enterprises, but also related to the rise and fall of the country, one of the strategies to deal with this competition is the rapid realization of domestic logistics internationalization, for our enterprises to participate in international competition to lay a solid foundation.

The logistics problem of e-commerce is an important link restricting the development of electronic commerce, and it is also the key factor to realize the advantage of E-commerce. In China, E-commerce Logistics is still almost in a blank state, in a short period of time to comprehensively solve the problem of E-commerce logistics is not realistic. However, E-commerce logistics in China has a huge development space, the development trend is very good. As long as we study and study carefully, and combine our national conditions, formulate feasible measures and strong countermeasures, boldly explore, we can accelerate the development of E-commerce logistics, narrowing the gap between the logistics industry and the developed countries.

Source: China Electronic Commerce Research Center