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Articles by 刘春雄
Browse 419 New Distribution articles by 刘春雄.
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419 articles · Page 16 of 18
Will Distributors Be Killed by B2B E-commerce?
Distributors will not be eliminated by B2B e-commerce, primarily because manufacturers are unwilling to let that happen, and secondarily because distributors evolve. Only poorly performing distributors will be replaced by manufacturers, and only if a better distributor emerges. B2B platforms cannot replace the functions of traditional distributors, such as brand exclusivity, obedience to manufacturers, and new product promotion.
刘春雄Liu Chunxiong | 10 Conjectures on B-end E-commerce
At the 'New Food Era · New Distribution 2016 FMCG + Internet Summit' held on October 16, Liu Chunxiong, CEO of Yanling Maker, delivered a keynote speech on B-end e-commerce. He proposed 10 conjectures representing current divergences in the industry, covering topics such as whether B-end e-commerce is truly e-commerce, the role of manufacturers, centralized vs. distributed models, and the feasibility of burning cash to build barriers.
刘春雄Live Toward Death, or Live Toward Life?
Whether it is 'living toward death' or 'living toward life,' both are language of transformation, representing two different mindsets for transformation, with the premise that transformation is needed. The representative of 'living toward death' is Zhang Ruimin, CEO of Haier, while the representative of 'living toward life' is scholar and manager Chen Chunhua. Both have won applause from society, and each has their own resonators. It is hard to say which is better, but both approaches have their own complete methodology, and success is possible along either logic.
刘春雄2016: Industry Leaders Show Signs of Recovery, Initial Results from Mainstream Shift?
I once posed a proposition: when sales decline, how can profits grow? Now this proposition is becoming a reality. Sales decline is a social reality that companies cannot control; profit growth is a business capability within their control. As 2016 half-year reports are released, they show initial results from the transformation of the past two to three years.
刘春雄Rebuilding the Marketing System: An Imperative and Urgent Task
A story of foresight: In 2009, the current general manager of Uni-President's mainland China operations took three actions upon taking charge of its instant noodle business: promoting the well-known Laotan Sauerkraut Flavor, cutting products with gross margins below breakeven (about 500 million yuan, over 20% of total sales), and gradually cultivating upgrade products like Tang Daren. While many saw only the success of Laotan Sauerkraut, Uni-President was ahead in rebuilding its marketing system, leading to higher profits despite lower sales than competitors by the first half of 2016.
刘春雄When Will the Marketing Rhythm Disrupted by Declining Sales Return to Normal?
The disruption of marketing rhythm in traditional enterprises over the past two to three years is largely due to declining sales. This has led to a vicious cycle of emergency responses, such as pushing inventory and handling near-expiry products, which has derailed normal marketing activities. To regain normalcy, companies must shift focus from preserving volume to promoting mid-to-high-end products and structural adjustment.
刘春雄Which Marketing Terms Will Disappear from China's Marketing Dictionary?
Chinese marketing has enriched global marketing with unique terms not found in Western textbooks. This article discusses several such terms—deep distribution, distribution, terminal interception, shelf management, and warehouse filling—that are gradually fading as the market matures and new technologies emerge.
刘春雄Sales Decline, How to Grow Profits?
When sales decline, can profits still grow? Many may doubt it, but examples like Uni-President's Liu Xinhua and China Resources Beer's Hou Xiaohai show it's possible, with Uni-President seeing profits rise 192% despite a slight sales drop. This article explores the 'growth dependency' of Chinese companies, the pressures squeezing profits, and strategies for structural and cost improvements.
刘春雄Why Are B2B Platforms Eyeing New Products?
Many B2B platforms, both centralized and distributed, are now focusing on new products. Centralized B2B platforms like JD New Channel and Alibaba 1688 cannot obtain best-selling products, so they have no choice but to promote new ones. Distributed B2B platforms need new products to generate incremental growth and initial profits. This confirms our 2015 discussion about B2B e-commerce. However, new products are unlikely to save B2B platforms; they may serve as a supplement but not a savior.
刘春雄The Product Remains the Same, but the Distribution Channel Is No Longer What It Used to Be
The current marketing landscape for traditional FMCG companies can be summarized in three sentences: First, the product is what should change most, but it remains the same; second, the distribution channel is what should change least, but it has quietly changed; third, the Internet's greatest impact on traditional business is in communication, yet traditional companies are clearly at a loss. This article focuses on the quiet changes in the distribution channel. Why should the channel change least? Because since deep distribution began, the channel has contributed greatly to growth. However, the channel is quietly changing, with two major shifts: the resurgence of provincial distributors and second-tier wholesalers, and the impact of Internet tools on channel efficiency.
刘春雄An Excellent Marketing Team Must Have 'Prescribed Moves' That Everyone Knows
This article is based on Liu Chunxiong's sharing at the first online micro-sharing session of Fenjiu Business School. He uses three cases to illustrate that marketing knowledge comes from the frontline, needs to be refined by senior management, and then disseminated top-down to form the company's marketing knowledge system. He emphasizes the importance of 'prescribed moves' for excellent companies and discusses how to extract and spread them.
刘春雄Deep Distribution Has Failed—What Should We Do Next?
Deep distribution, once a powerful marketing tool for local companies in China for over a decade, has faded due to high costs and management difficulties. As it recedes, e-commerce ground promotion has risen, and new forms like visit-based selling and B-end e-commerce are emerging as internet-based alternatives to achieve the same goals.
刘春雄Mainstream Shift: Potential Death by Traditional Playbook
After years of 'legal education,' mainstream shift seems to have become consensus. With sales declining, companies face the challenge of growing profits despite falling volumes. The solution is to create new mainstream products, but execution often fails because marketing tactics remain unchanged.
刘春雄Transformation Is Also a Technical Job
Some say that while China's history has seen many successful dynastic changes, very few reforms have succeeded, with Deng Xiaoping's being an exception. This shows that reform is harder than revolution. Chinese enterprises are now entering a new round of transformation, from traditional to internet-based, from industrial restructuring, and from corporatization to platformization. The difficulty of this transformation is akin to the transition from agricultural civilization to industrial civilization, and now from industrial to information civilization. Transformation is never just a matter of viewpoint or attitude; it is also a technical job requiring strategy, tactics, and a deep understanding of human nature.
刘春雄Is B2B That Diverts Goods, Robs Distributors, and Eliminates Second-Tier Distributors Valuable?
I have a feeling that under the banner of the Internet, people dare to do anything, and under the banner of disruption. I think that for something to succeed, it must first be logical. Of course, logical things may not succeed, but illogical things definitely won't. Recently, I've looked at many industry B2B platforms and found huge opportunities hidden there. A successful B2B e-commerce must be valuable, so I'll analyze it from the value perspective. What is B2B? Everything except C2C is B2B. Now calling all B2B 'B2B' is problematic.
刘春雄Are You Worthy to Be the Leader?
Being the industry leader is a responsibility. When Huawei became the leader, Ren Zhengfei expressed his anxiety, saying that Huawei had entered the "uncharted territory." This means that leaders must take on the responsibility of pioneering and exploring. In China, many industries are now in decline, and it is time for industry leaders to take responsibility and revitalize the industry. However, many Chinese companies that are already industry leaders still behave like "big children," and such companies are not worthy of being leaders.
刘春雄Where Have All the Sales Gone?
Sales are declining for major FMCG companies despite modest industry growth. A former executive of a multinational retail giant noted that the evening shopping peak in supermarkets has disappeared. The article explores various explanations, including a shrinking working population, diversion to e-commerce and micro-commerce, substitution by alternatives, a return to normal consumption after past deprivation, and consumption upgrading.
刘春雄Success Comes from Seizing Opportunities, Not Solving Problems
Because many enterprises are facing operational difficulties, I have been receiving more questions recently, such as what to do if the industry declines, the economy is bad, products don't sell, or managing post-90s employees is difficult. Honestly, I cannot solve these specific problems, but I find broader issues easier to address. This reminds me of a quote by the famous American futurist John Naisbitt: Success comes not from solving problems, but from seizing opportunities. Seize the opportunity and you succeed; once successful, are there still problems?
刘春雄Boss, Have You Been Trimming Your Product Line This Year?
Two months ago, I visited a company where the boss said they had cut 40% of their SKUs over the past few years, and three new star products now account for 60% of sales, with sales growing at over 30% annually for several consecutive years. Such healthy companies are rare nowadays. In previous years, companies rapidly increased SKUs to boost sales. Based on my grassroots research, the top 10 FMCG distributors in each county average about 200 SKUs, with some as high as a thousand. With so many SKUs, it's impossible to load them all for mobile sales, and some are simply forgotten. This confirms what I once said: some products don't sell well because employees forget them.
刘春雄The Era of Brand Rupture in China
China's first-tier brands all need to be reborn. Just as fashion from ten years ago looks outdated today, so too will today's fashion look in ten years. Brands are no different. Overnight, traditional brands seem to have lost their former luster, not only in China but globally. Brands that are currently thriving are almost all internet-related, a result of internet communication. Traditional brands will increasingly disappear from the world's top 10 brand rankings. In the eyes of consumers, Chinese traditional brands seem to be a thing of the past.
刘春雄The Return of Secondary Distributors and the Failure of Deep Distribution
A case study reveals that long-term promotional policies have led to the resurgence of secondary distributors, undermining deep distribution. The article argues that while this shift has some rationale, it signals the need for a new round of deep distribution, possibly through low-cost visit-sales systems.
刘春雄Chinese Marketing Has Been Marginalized by Bosses for Too Long
Marketing has never been a prominent discipline worldwide, and China is no exception. Bosses' attention to marketing began to wane after 2000 and was largely marginalized after 2010. Marketing only becomes important when performance issues arise; otherwise, it is deemed unimportant. For a long time, Chinese marketing has developed inertially along existing tracks, with marketing being just one functional module of the enterprise—a key reason for its marginalization. Internet companies no longer treat marketing as a sub-module because their entire function is marketing, making the boss the de facto 'Chief Marketing Officer.'
刘春雄Besides Being 'Too Impatient,' What Did Evergrande Spring Water Do Wrong?
Criticizing Evergrande Spring Water has become trendy, but few critiques are convincing. The real mistake was overestimating the mid-to-high-end market size and moving too aggressively, disrupting the natural pace of market development.
刘春雄What Can Save You, Degenerate Chinese-Style Marketing?
In recent years, due to transformation, I have been less involved in traditional marketing. Recently, I returned to frontline marketing and was deeply disappointed. Overall, Chinese marketing has made little progress since 2010. At best, it's stagnant; at worst, it's regressed or even degenerated. This is not a denial of individual marketers but a judgment on the whole. This corresponds to the current situation of declining sales and weak new product launches, and there is a causal relationship. Chinese marketing is now at a loss: facing both internet impact and sales ceiling pressure, it basically cannot find effective solutions.
刘春雄