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Hi there,
Privilege hit me hard across the face the other day when a parcel arrived and I couldn’t, for the life of me, remember what I had ordered. In an age when deliveries come thick and fast, it can be easy to lose track of things that are not a priority.
My colleague Samreen found out that it can take newer entrants in India’s ecommerce space (read: Shopee) over a week to get packages delivered. But those who value discounts and bargains over speed might want to give Shopee a shot after reading Samreen’s report on Shopee’s foray into India.
I can’t help but wonder if Forrest Li, the chairman and CEO of Sea Group, has a world map in his office to mark all the markets Shopee has ventured into, and the places he’d like for it to go.
But the path to global domination won’t be easy, given the challenges coming Shopee’s way, as Simon writes in this week’s Big Story. When Shopee was still up and coming, its growth was aided by the fact that Alibaba-owned Lazada had its own troubles. But that seems to be a thing of the past. Besides, Indonesia’s GoTo is also proving to be a strong contender in the region.
Shopee doesn’t want to leave anything to chance: It quietly launched a food delivery business in Indonesia in 2021 and is rapidly expanding in other countries. But as Simon explains, this expansion also comes with risks.
— Nikita
THE BIG STORY
What could go wrong for Shopee?
Image credit: Timmy Loen
Shopee dominates ecommerce in Southeast Asia, but it can’t afford to rest easy as the competition gets fierce and its rapid expansion carries risks.
THE HOT TAKE
Why India’s q-commerce firms are turning to private labels
Image credit: Zepto
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