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Articles by 刘春雄
Browse 419 New Distribution articles by 刘春雄.
Published articles
419 articles · Page 17 of 18
Distributors Really Can't Hold On Much Longer
A visit to a county-level FMCG distributor chamber revealed that 2 out of about 20 members had recently given up, and this is not an isolated case. The reasons include lack of hope, manufacturers' excessive inventory pressure, and failed transformation attempts. The article argues that distributors' collective plight stems from stagnant sales, lack of new strategic products, rising labor costs, and especially manufacturers' inventory pushing, which is the last straw. It suggests that transformation, such as adopting SaaS systems for visit-based sales and B-end platforms, and shifting from corporate to platform-based operations, can help distributors survive and thrive.
刘春雄Because of the Robbery Mentality, Some B2B E-commerce Platforms Are Defeated Before They Even Start
B2B e-commerce only emerged in 2015, yet by 2016 some platforms had already failed. The more aggressive they were, the faster they failed, and bad news keeps coming. From their actions, their failure is unsurprising. If the logic is wrong, defeat is inevitable. The root cause is the robbery mentality. There are two main forms of robbery: cross-regional channel stuffing with low-price promotions, and coercing distributors or allying with some to rob others. Such actions either provoke resistance from local distributors or lead to rapid collapse due to excessive spending. B2B platforms should change their approach before it's too late.
刘春雄What Is the Biggest Change the Internet Has Brought to Marketing?
A good question is more important than a good answer because it provokes thought. My good friend Dr. Fu Jialin recently asked me: What is the biggest change the Internet has brought to marketing? This is a good question. The biggest change is in communication and channels. The Internet as a tool mainly refers to communication tools, while as a channel it mainly refers to sales channels. The biggest obstacle the Internet has brought to marketing is communication, because traditional media is controllable, whereas communication in the Internet era is basically uncontrollable so far.
刘春雄The Survival Manual for Marketing Executives
This article outlines key principles for marketing executives, emphasizing that sales growth alone does not change a company's fate; instead, finding growth models that alter industry position is crucial. It covers laws of fate, models, rapid growth, opportunity, strategy, sales, management, performance, and success, providing practical insights for navigating market dynamics.
刘春雄B2B E-commerce: Burning Money Won't Build Loyalty
I was the first to propose that B2B e-commerce should not burn money, because burning money in the B2B sector cannot create stickiness; the C-end logic of burning cash does not apply to B2B. In e-commerce, burning money either builds a platform that centralizes traffic, like Taobao and JD.com, or it builds stickiness that makes customers return or depend on the service. In C-end e-commerce, including O2O with C-end logic, this approach generally works. However, in B2B e-commerce promotion, many people unconsciously transplant the C-end burning logic and quickly find that not only is the logic wrong, but no one in B2B can afford to burn that much money.
刘春雄The Next Storm of the Internet Will Surely Be Management!
If the internet's impact on commerce is superficial, its impact on management and industry is the most profound. The first wave of the internet was e-commerce, but the second wave will be management, overturning the management of the industrial age. By overturning management, it will overturn industry; by overturning industry, it will again affect e-commerce. The change in management systems means the main body of current economic life will be completely transformed. Although the internet has already deeply influenced life, its impact on life is just beginning.
刘春雄The Survival Manual for Sales Managers in the Workplace
This article outlines key principles for sales managers, emphasizing the importance of forcing salespeople to be diligent and successful, managing distributors effectively, and avoiding common pitfalls. It also covers topics such as team building, training, and management strategies.
刘春雄Marketing Staff 'Fighting on Paper': How to Satisfy Your Boss?
For an ordinary salesperson, doing the job well is enough; for one aspiring to rapid advancement, the ability to handle 'paperwork' is indispensable. This article offers practical advice on writing policy application reports, sales plans, summaries, research reports, and marketing diaries that win leadership approval.
刘春雄The Laws of Transformation, Manufacturer-Dealer Relations, Family, and Fate That Most Distributors Can't Escape
This article outlines key laws governing distributor transformation, manufacturer-dealer relationships, family businesses, and the fate of distributors. It emphasizes that business-oriented distributors have growth limits, while entrepreneur-oriented distributors can scale without limits, and that success depends on adapting to market changes and building robust systems.
刘春雄Traditional Enterprises: Time to Change the Main Course
Consumer goods manufacturers are struggling, not only due to economic downturn and e-commerce disruption, but also because their once-reliable 'signature dishes' are no longer appealing. At a forum during the 2016 Chengdu Spring Sugar Fair, I coined the term 'change the main course' to emphasize the need for product upgrades, which resonated with the audience. Even the best dishes can tire consumers, and if companies don't change their main offerings, consumers will overturn the table and switch restaurants.
刘春雄Eight Laws of Growth That Distributors Cannot Avoid
Law 1: The main obstacle to distributor development is the 'founder trap.' In the early stages, the founder's courage and determination are the raw forces that sustain the business in its most fragile state. At this point, the company's growth hinges on the boss's every thought; 'I' (the boss) is greater than 'we' (the company and its people), and 'we' is determined by 'I'. The boss's style, charisma, and consciousness dictate everything. At this stage, the company's development relies on the boss seizing opportunities on the front line, and in a sense, it depends on the boss 'playing speculation' and 'playing tricks.' When the company reaches a certain scale, it falls into the 'founder trap,' where the very spiritual strength that once supported growth becomes an obstacle to continued development.
刘春雄Is the Opportunity for Distribution E-commerce Here? Insights from Yantai Yishang Logistics
A recent visit to Yantai Yishang in Yantai excited me. Unlike previous e-commerce that conquered commerce with internet, Yishang is a commercial player using the internet to solve previously unsolvable problems, reshaping China's fragmented commercial system without burning cash or gimmicks, offering real value. Since Taobao's rise, distributors have felt threatened by disintermediation, but with nearly 30 trillion yuan in retail, e-commerce only accounts for 10%, leaving traditional channels dominant. After visiting Yantai Wanshanggou, I believe the time for distribution e-commerce has come.
刘春雄Dealers: Transformation Matters More Than Growth
In an era of civilizational change, transformation and change are paramount. The article argues that traditional 'big and strong' enterprises are dying because they fail to adapt to the new information civilization, and that dealers must prioritize transformation over growth, exploring new tracks and embracing cross-industry innovation.
刘春雄No Burning Money, No Price Chaos, No Subsidies, No Hijacking: B2B E-commerce That Fails the 'Four No's' Has the Wrong Logic
At the 2016 Chengdu Spring Sugar Fair, B2B e-commerce was extremely hot, and forums that didn't discuss B2B felt embarrassed. However, to my surprise, most B2B e-commerce logic was wrong. Clearly, many were influenced by C2C e-commerce or O2O, transplanting C-end thinking onto the B-end, which is a terrible thing. One is the logic of 'Internet +', the other is '+ Internet'. Many people can't tell the difference, or even think it's unnecessary, or consider it a word game, which is scary. Even Professor Xu Xiaonian, who has been critical of the Internet, recently emphasized that the new trend is not 'Internet +' but '+ Internet'.
刘春雄Why Distributors Are Again Facing 'Overall Confusion and Collective Helplessness'
Distributors are experiencing overall confusion: the larger the scale, the stronger the brand, or the more corporate the operation, the less profit they make. This is due to industry stagnation, manufacturer pressure, corporate management difficulties, and e-commerce disruption. Solutions include product upgrades, platform-based operations, and integrating with B2B e-commerce.
刘春雄Selecting Products from Scratch
Recently, I've been asked frequently about how to select products, so I decided to write an article as a response. My answer is simple: select products from scratch. Why? Because the original product system is completely outdated, and patching it up won't solve the problem. The industry has an opportunity to 'turn around,' 'reshape,' and 'redo' everything, which is a rare chance. Selecting from scratch means abandoning the original product system, treating it as zero, and starting over. This also means that regardless of your current position, you get a chance to become the future 'leader.'
刘春雄Every Industry Is Worth Redoing
Initiating in the style of Jack Ma, the author announces both bad and good news: industry restructuring will eliminate many companies, but redoing every industry will give birth to new ones. This topic originates from marketing expert Jin Huanmin, who argues that most Chinese products can be redone, implying ample room for innovation. He Zuqi, who is restructuring the aquatic industry, extends this to say almost all industries are worth redoing or can be restructured.
刘春雄This Time, Hunkering Down Won't Work!
Recently, I've heard many people talking about 'hunkering down'—'waiting out a few years,' 'enduring the winter,' 'holding on.' Because the economy is down and business is tough, they plan to contract and wait for better times. But I say: this time, hunkering down won't work. The outcome of hunkering down is death. 'Hunkering down' is a historical experience. Since the reform and opening up, many enterprises have survived economic downturns by hunkering down. However, there was one exception: the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In that crisis, enterprises that tried to hunker down all died; only those that were reborn survived. I had the fortune to experience that crisis, and it remains a personal historical memory.
刘春雄Another Wave of Upgraded Wave Consumption Is Coming, and a Huge Market Is About to Be Born
An upgraded wave of consumption is coming, characterized by what Nongfu Spring's boss Zhong said: refuse mediocrity, refuse the nouveau riche. According to Ali Research, there are now two types of new consumer groups: one is upper-middle-class and affluent consumers, whose spending power will account for 81% of urban consumption growth in the coming years; the other is the new generation of consumers, including post-80s, post-90s, and the upcoming post-00s, who will bring 65% of overall consumption growth. According to Fosun Research: China's GDP growth in the next few years will be only 6%-7%, but the consumer market will grow by 10%-11%, and the health industry by as much as 16%-17%.
刘春雄B2B E-commerce PK: 'Remove Distributors' or 'Strengthen Distributors'?
The current state of B2B e-commerce: there are over 1,000 platforms nationwide, with 4-5 in each county. Following Alibaba's investment in B2B, JD.com has also entered the field, signaling an impending B2B battle. B2B e-commerce has split into two camps: centralized platforms like JD and Taobao, which aim to remove distributors, and distributed platforms, which are currently popular and center on distributors. These two models are now in direct competition, and the question is which will succeed.
刘春雄Liu Qiangdong and Jack Ma Enter the B2B Arena: What Are They Really Up To?
Jack Ma's announcement in late 2015 that 1688 would pursue cross-border e-commerce was not news, as it was the 'unfinished business' of Alibaba's two major strategies for 2015. Liu Qiangdong's announcement that he would enter the B2B sector, and personally oversee it, was news, but his stated reasons were puzzling. If Ma and Liu's previous C-end e-commerce 'disintermediation' removed all middlemen to reach consumers directly, then this new B2B wave only removes agents (distributors) while retaining retail stores. If the benefit to C-end consumers was 'cheapness,' then what is the benefit to retail stores in their B2B efforts?
刘春雄B2B E-commerce Has Arrived: Seizing the Second Wave of E-commerce Opportunities
A recent reflection: only mediocrity can be designed; even the most brilliant strategies are swept away by the tides of the times. Since it's hard to design, one must quickly chase the era. In 2012, I was defeated by e-commerce while in the physical economy. I underestimated it. But four years later, I found no opportunities in C-end e-commerce, only realizing it benefited BAT. Then in 2014-2015, B-end e-commerce emerged, and I saw my chance. I invested in several distribution platforms and co-founded a maker park in Yanling, which has become a benchmark for central and western China.
刘春雄Bosses' Winter, Employees' Spring
Several articles on WeChat about 'business closures and unemployment' have high click-through rates and always win applause. It seems that any discussion with this theme, regardless of factual or logical validity, is considered 'politically correct' in public opinion. People easily equate 'business closures' with 'unemployment,' but this economic cycle is characterized by a divergence between the economy and employment, which is rare in history. A friend of mine went to a provincial capital's talent market to recruit and found more recruiters than job seekers, almost unable to hire anyone, even with higher wages...
刘春雄How to Bargain with Manufacturers?
Negotiation position determines everything. In the relationship between manufacturers and distributors, the party with higher status holds the power of discourse. Generally, distributors are smaller and weaker than manufacturers, but 'a mighty dragon cannot crush a local snake.' If a distributor cannot become a local power, even a weak manufacturer can dominate them. Some manufacturers stipulate that distributors cannot handle competing products, but that's only until they encounter a truly powerful distributor.
刘春雄