E-commerce is again going through a growth phase because of growth markets such as China and India. It is also seeing a lot of new innovation after relative stagnation since the dot com time/ You will see a lot of M&A activity over the next few years as this space will see a lot innovation and growth in emerging markets. Here is an example. China E-commerce giant Alibaba buys Vendio.
The fast-growing Web operator founded by outspoken entrepreneur and former schoolteacher Jack Ma, has been trying to make further inroads into the United States and India.
Vendio offers the same Internet business services in the United States as Alibaba, which connects millions of buyers and sellers around the world. Alibaba.com is the listed unit of the Alibaba Group, of which Yahoo owns nearly 40 percent.
The start-up already hosts services for 80,000 small U.S. businesses, which can now link into Alibaba’s network of buyers and suppliers.
“From the Vendio Platform, merchants can source products from Alibaba.com’s trusted supplier network and sell through channels such as eBay, Amazon, and their own Vendio-supported store,” the company said in a statement. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Web commerce in China has surged as buyers tap the Internet for better deals from more suppliers in the nation’s highly fragmented distribution networks.