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[Global trade stays resilient amid pandemic, thanks to rapid digitalization and e-commerce] => 數位化和電子商務的快速發展，全球貿易在疫情期間仍保持彈性
[The rise of e-commerce and the accelerated pace of digitalization during Covid-19 have been a boon for global trade, shares Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.] => DHL Global Forwarding 亞太地區執行長Kelvin Leung分享道，新冠疫情期間的電子商務興起，加上加速發展的數位化腳步，對全球貿易是一大恩典。
[The rise of e-commerce and digitalization during Covid-19 has been a boon for global trade, shares Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.] => DHL Global Forwarding 亞太地區執行長Kelvin Leung分享道，新冠疫情期間的電子商務興起，加上加速發展的數位化腳步，對全球貿易是一大恩典。
[Asia-Pacific accounted for the overwhelming share of this market, by size and value, with almost 80 percent of business-to-business trade on e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces emanating from the region.
Unsurprisingly, this trend is being driven by millennials, who are now of an age to be professional decision-makers, and account for 73 percent of all business-to-business purchasing decisions.
As digital natives, their personal experiences — purchasing everything from groceries to home electronics online for instance — translate into higher expectations when pursuing business-to-business transactions. For instance; faster delivery times, increased flexibility on the orders, and greater visibility through the entire process.
As a result, while direct-to-consumer and business-to-business sale volumes have grown, so too have the demands and complexities around supply chain operations.
This has had significant implications for the way logistics companies, which serve as a key intermediary between the sellers and buyers, conduct their operations.
The industry is undergoing significant disruption, with freight forwarders and delivery providers taking innovative measures to keep pace with the increased expectations of customers and rapid digitalization of trade.
DHL, for instance, has introduced several new initiatives such as the introduction of a digital freight platform myDHLi that provides real-time tracking on shipments, so the sender and receiver have complete visibility on where their cargo is at any given time.
Other measures include the automation of customs clearance, the digitization of transactions so they can be completely paperless, and even the ability to calculate a shipment’s CO2 impact, with an option to reduce or offset emissions by selecting alternative fuel options for example.
In fact, it is fair to say that millennials deserve credit for placing the environmental impact of the industry under renewed focus, and businesses such as DHL are responding.
The company recently committed to covering at least 30 percent of its fuel requirements in aviation and line haul by sustainable fuels, and to deploying 80,000 e-vehicles resulting in the electrification of 60 percent of its fleet in the next nine years, all part of a larger group-wide investment of over HK$66 billion (€7 billion) toward climate-neutral logistics by 2030.
The trends we are witnessing in global trade patterns resulting from the rise of e-commerce and the emergence of millennials in the decision-making process, and the changes they are driving which include increased automation and an enhanced focus on sustainable practices, point to an interesting journey ahead for the logistics sector.
Ultimately, the digitalization of the industry should lead not only to improved efficiencies across the delivery process, benefiting buyers and sellers everywhere, but also more sustainable solutions benefiting the environment and our society as a whole.
This article first appeared on Asia Cargo News.] => 從銷售量及銷售值來看，電子商務平台與網路市集的b2b交易，將近80%來自亞太區占了壓倒性的比例。
不出所料，此趨勢是由千禧世代所帶動，這群人現在正好是專業決策者的年齡，占所有b2b採購決策的73%。
身為數位原民的他們，在追求b2b交易時，會將個人經驗（例如上網購買每樣東西，從雜貨到居家電子用品等）轉變成更高的期望。例如：更快的運送時間；訂單彈性的增加；以及整個流程更高的能見度。
因此，在直接對消費者及b2b銷售量成長的同時，關於供應鏈作業的需求與複雜度也跟著提高。
對於在b2c之間扮演關鍵中介角色的物流公司而言，這對他們執行作業的方式具有重要意涵。
物流產業正經歷嚴重中斷，為了客戶日益提高的期望，加上快速的交易數位化，貨運承攬業者及運輸供應商正在採取創新的方法。
以DHL為例，已經推動多項新計畫，像是數位貨運平台myDHLi的引進，提供有關貨件的即時追蹤服務，讓寄件人及收貨人在任何特定時間點，都能對他們的貨物取得完整能見度。
[caption id="attachment_13877" align="alignnone" width="2560"] {%CAPTION%}[/caption]
其他方法包括：自動化通關；交易數位化以實現完全無紙化；甚至能計算貨件對CO2排放的影響，此選項透過替代燃料的選擇，減少或抵銷CO2的排放量。
事實上，我們可以說拜千禧世代所賜，產業的環境影響再度成為焦點，而DHL等公司也做出了回應。
公司最近承諾，航空及長途貨運所需燃料的至少30%將使用永續燃料，在未來9年部署8萬輛電動車，使車隊電動化達60%，所有這些計畫都在整個集團逾660億港元（70億歐元）的預算範圍內，期望在2030年達到氣候中立物流的目標。
我們在全球貿易模式目擊的這股趨勢，是因電子商務的崛起，以及千禧世代在決策過程現身所導致，帶動的改變包括自動化增加，以及更加重視永續實務的發展，帶領物流產業邁向未來的有趣旅程。
最後，產業數位化不只改善貨運流程的效率，來讓全球各地買家及賣家受惠，還為我們的環境及整個社會提供更多有利的永續解決方案。
這篇文章首次出現在亞洲貨運新聞上。
[This time last year, the world had ground to a halt.
North America and Europe were still in the early days of the pandemic, but the Asia Pacific region was feeling its full force.
Across the continent, streets lay deserted, factories had closed their doors, and skies that once teemed with planes were empty. Many cities, in some cases even entire countries, found themselves paralyzed. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was our generation’s Great Depression.
Trade, both within and across borders, was particularly hard hit with the pandemic impacting almost every aspect of commerce. From the street food vendors of Yaowarat in Bangkok to the luxury retail stores of Central in Hong Kong, no business was spared.
One year later, trade patterns reveal that Asia is well on its way to making a comeback. In fact, while economies in North America and Europe generally continue to struggle, some countries in Asia have seen their cross-border trade return to or even exceed pre-pandemic levels.
At the same time, e-commerce is booming, even in markets such as Hong Kong that have historically been slow to embrace online shopping.
It is safe to say that the pandemic accelerated these developments, with a sharp rise in goods sold on the global marketplace, which served as a lifeline for numerous businesses and helped struggling economies to keep running.
Having said that, businesses — both big and small — had been accelerating their digital offerings for some time as they realized that online selling platforms were crucial for their success.
Where, in the past, one would have to walk into a store to make a purchase; today, we can order furniture from Indonesia and electronic goods from South Korea — directly from the manufacturer — using little more than our phones.
The same applies for businesses themselves, which no longer need to rely on visits to factories in a distant country and can simply stock and restock their supplies online. Indeed as predicted in a recent study by DHL Express, 80 percent of all business-to-business (B2B) sales interactions between suppliers and professional buyers will take place on digital channels by 2025.
Although the rise of e-commerce is normally associated with business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, global sales on B2B marketplaces — driven by platforms such as Alibaba, Global Sources, Rakuten, and IndiaMART — had already outpaced the B2C sector before the outset of the pandemic, with total sales of US$12.2 trillion (€10.1 trillion) in 2019.
This was more than double the US$5.8 trillion (€4.8 trillion) the sector accounted for in 2013, with volumes expected to climb further still, to US$20.9 trillion (€17.3 trillion) by 2027.] => 去年此時，整個世界的經濟成長戛然而止。
北美與歐洲仍然處於疫情初期階段，但亞太區已經感受到威力全開。
整個亞太地區，街道上空無一人、工廠關上大門，曾經繁忙的天空也變得空蕩蕩。許多城市陷入癱瘓，甚至有些國家整個停擺。用我們這一代的「經濟大蕭條」來形容一點也不為過。
疫情幾乎影響商業的每個環節，尤其是國內外貿易遭遇重創。從曼谷唐人街的路邊攤，到香港中環的奢華精品店，沒有任何商家能逃過一劫。
一年後，貿易模式顯示亞洲已經走在復甦道路。事實上，當北美與歐洲大部分地區持續掙扎之際，亞洲部分國家已經見到跨國貿易重返或超越疫情前水準。
與此同時，電子商務正蓬勃發展，連過去網路購物接受度不高的香港等市場也是如此。
[caption id="attachment_13879" align="alignnone" width="2560"] 去年疫情封城期間 香港銅鑼灣空無一人的景象[/caption]
我們可以肯定地說，疫情加速這些發展，隨著商品銷售在全球市集大幅成長，為許多企業扮演救生索角色，協助陷入困境的經濟持續運轉。
儘管如此，企業已經發展加速數位服務一段時間，因為他們知道網路銷售平台是企業成功的關鍵。
過去，人們必須走進商店買東西；今天，我們只需要利用手機，就能直接向製造商下單，從印尼訂購家具、從南韓購買電子商品。
企業本身也是如此，不再需要親自拜訪遙遠國度的工廠，就能在網路購買及補給存貨。事實上，DHL Express在最近研究預估，供應商與專業買家之間的所有企業對企業（B2B）銷售交易，在2025年80%將落實在數位通路。
雖然電子商務的崛起通常與企業對消費者（B2C）交易有關，但在Alibaba、Global Sources、Rakuten與IndiaMART等平台帶動下，B2B市集的全球銷售額在疫情爆發前就已經超越B2C部門，在2019年達到12.2兆美元（10.1兆歐元）的總值。
此數字是2013年銷售額5.8兆美元（4.8兆歐元）的2倍以上，預期將在2027年攀升至20.9兆美元（17.3兆歐元）。
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[Global trade resilient amid pandemic, thanks to rapid digitalization, e-commerce] => 數位化和電子商務的快速發展，全球貿易在疫情期間仍保持彈性
[Kelvin Leungkelvin-leungThe rise of e-commerce and the accelerated pace of digitalization during Covid-19 have been a boon for global trade, shares Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. This time last year, the world had ground to a halt.
North America and Europe were still in the early days of the pandemic, but the Asia Pacific region was feeling its full force.
Across the continent, streets lay deserted, factories had closed their doors, and skies that once teemed with planes were empty. Many cities, in some cases even entire countries, found themselves paralyzed. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was our generation’s Great Depression.
Trade, both within and across borders, was particularly hard hit with the pandemic impacting almost every aspect of commerce. From the street food vendors of Yaowarat in Bangkok to the luxury retail stores of Central in Hong Kong, no business was spared.
One year later, trade patterns reveal that Asia is well on its way to making a comeback. In fact, while economies in North America and Europe generally continue to struggle, some countries in Asia have seen their cross-border trade return to or even exceed pre-pandemic levels.
At the same time, e-commerce is booming, even in markets such as Hong Kong that have historically been slow to embrace online shopping.
An empty Causeway Bay area during the Covid-19 lockdown in Hong Kong last year
It is safe to say that the pandemic accelerated these developments, with a sharp rise in goods sold on the global marketplace, which served as a lifeline for numerous businesses and helped struggling economies to keep running.
Having said that, businesses — both big and small — had been accelerating their digital offerings for some time as they realized that online selling platforms were crucial for their success.
Where, in the past, one would have to walk into a store to make a purchase; today, we can order furniture from Indonesia and electronic goods from South Korea — directly from the manufacturer — using little more than our phones.
The same applies for businesses themselves, which no longer need to rely on visits to factories in a distant country and can simply stock and restock their supplies online. Indeed as predicted in a recent study by DHL Express, 80 percent of all business-to-business (B2B) sales interactions between suppliers and professional buyers will take place on digital channels by 2025.
Although the rise of e-commerce is normally associated with business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, global sales on B2B marketplaces — driven by platforms such as Alibaba, Global Sources, Rakuten, and IndiaMART — had already outpaced the B2C sector before the outset of the pandemic, with total sales of US$12.2 trillion (€10.1 trillion) in 2019.
This was more than double the US$5.8 trillion (€4.8 trillion) the sector accounted for in 2013, with volumes expected to climb further still, to US$20.9 trillion (€17.3 trillion) by 2027.
RELATED ARTICLESThe Ultimate B2B E-Commerce GuideHow should business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce businesses adapt to changing buying behaviors to make the most of cross-border opportunities? Asia-Pacific accounted for the overwhelming share of this market, by size and value, with almost 80 percent of business-to-business trade on e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces emanating from the region.
Unsurprisingly, this trend is being driven by millennials, who are now of an age to be professional decision-makers, and account for 73 percent of all business-to-business purchasing decisions.
As digital natives, their personal experiences — purchasing everything from groceries to home electronics online for instance — translate into higher expectations when pursuing business-to-business transactions. For instance; faster delivery times, increased flexibility on the orders, and greater visibility through the entire process.
As a result, while direct-to-consumer and business-to-business sale volumes have grown, so too have the demands and complexities around supply chain operations.
This has had significant implications for the way logistics companies, which serve as a key intermediary between the sellers and buyers, conduct their operations.
The industry is undergoing significant disruption, with freight forwarders and delivery providers taking innovative measures to keep pace with the increased expectations of customers and rapid digitalization of trade.
DHL, for instance, has introduced several new initiatives such as the introduction of a digital freight platform myDHLi that provides real-time tracking on shipments, so the sender and receiver have complete visibility on where their cargo is at any given time.
The myDHLi freight booking platform is now available across 62 countries, up from eight.
Other measures include the automation of customs clearance, the digitization of transactions so they can be completely paperless, and even the ability to calculate a shipment’s CO2 impact, with an option to reduce or offset emissions by selecting alternative fuel options for example.
In fact, it is fair to say that millennials deserve credit for placing the environmental impact of the industry under renewed focus, and businesses such as DHL are responding.
The company recently committed to covering at least 30 percent of its fuel requirements in aviation and line haul by sustainable fuels, and to deploying 80,000 e-vehicles resulting in the electrification of 60 percent of its fleet in the next nine years, all part of a larger group-wide investment of over HK$66 billion (€7 billion) toward climate-neutral logistics by 2030.
The trends we are witnessing in global trade patterns resulting from the rise of e-commerce and the emergence of millennials in the decision-making process, and the changes they are driving which include increased automation and an enhanced focus on sustainable practices, point to an interesting journey ahead for the logistics sector.
Ultimately, the digitalization of the industry should lead not only to improved efficiencies across the delivery process, benefiting buyers and sellers everywhere, but also more sustainable solutions benefiting the environment and our society as a whole.
This article first appeared on Asia Cargo News.] =>
Kelvin Leung
kelvin-leung
DHL Global Forwarding 亞太地區執行長Kelvin Leung分享道，新冠疫情期間的電子商務興起，加上加速發展的數位化腳步，對全球貿易是一大恩典。
The Ultimate B2B E-Commerce Guide How should business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce businesses adapt to changing buying behaviors to make the most of cross-border opportunities?
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[China] =>
[Hong Kong] =>
[South Korea] =>
[Thailand] =>
[2020,April,1,hong,Kong.the,Busy,Causeway,Bay,Area,Has,Become] => 2020,April,1,hong,Kong.the,Busy,Causeway,Bay,Area,Has,Become
[Article Key Image_1387577570] => Article Key Image_1387577570
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[The myDHLi freight booking platform is now available across 62 countries, up from eight.] => The myDHLi freight booking platform is now available across 62 countries, up from eight.
[Single Column Image_1343869913] => Single Column Image_1343869913
[Article Key Image_1241659087] => Article Key Image_1241659087
)
[$value] => This time last year, the world had ground to a halt.
North America and Europe were still in the early days of the pandemic, but the Asia Pacific region was feeling its full force.
Across the continent, streets lay deserted, factories had closed their doors, and skies that once teemed with planes were empty. Many cities, in some cases even entire countries, found themselves paralyzed. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was our generation’s Great Depression.
Trade, both within and across borders, was particularly hard hit with the pandemic impacting almost every aspect of commerce. From the street food vendors of Yaowarat in Bangkok to the luxury retail stores of Central in Hong Kong, no business was spared.
One year later, trade patterns reveal that Asia is well on its way to making a comeback. In fact, while economies in North America and Europe generally continue to struggle, some countries in Asia have seen their cross-border trade return to or even exceed pre-pandemic levels.
At the same time, e-commerce is booming, even in markets such as Hong Kong that have historically been slow to embrace online shopping.
[caption id="attachment_13879" align="alignnone" width="2560"] An empty Causeway Bay area during the Covid-19 lockdown in Hong Kong last year[/caption]
It is safe to say that the pandemic accelerated these developments, with a sharp rise in goods sold on the global marketplace, which served as a lifeline for numerous businesses and helped struggling economies to keep running.
Having said that, businesses — both big and small — had been accelerating their digital offerings for some time as they realized that online selling platforms were crucial for their success.
Where, in the past, one would have to walk into a store to make a purchase; today, we can order furniture from Indonesia and electronic goods from South Korea — directly from the manufacturer — using little more than our phones.
The same applies for businesses themselves, which no longer need to rely on visits to factories in a distant country and can simply stock and restock their supplies online. Indeed as predicted in a recent study by DHL Express, 80 percent of all business-to-business (B2B) sales interactions between suppliers and professional buyers will take place on digital channels by 2025.
Although the rise of e-commerce is normally associated with business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, global sales on B2B marketplaces — driven by platforms such as Alibaba, Global Sources, Rakuten, and IndiaMART — had already outpaced the B2C sector before the outset of the pandemic, with total sales of US$12.2 trillion (€10.1 trillion) in 2019.
This was more than double the US$5.8 trillion (€4.8 trillion) the sector accounted for in 2013, with volumes expected to climb further still, to US$20.9 trillion (€17.3 trillion) by 2027.
)
Array
(
[derick] => Array
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[[]] =>
[Global trade stays resilient amid pandemic, thanks to rapid digitalization and e-commerce] => 數位化和電子商務的快速發展，全球貿易在疫情期間仍保持彈性
[The rise of e-commerce and the accelerated pace of digitalization during Covid-19 have been a boon for global trade, shares Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.] => DHL Global Forwarding 亞太地區執行長Kelvin Leung分享道，新冠疫情期間的電子商務興起，加上加速發展的數位化腳步，對全球貿易是一大恩典。
[The rise of e-commerce and digitalization during Covid-19 has been a boon for global trade, shares Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific.] => DHL Global Forwarding 亞太地區執行長Kelvin Leung分享道，新冠疫情期間的電子商務興起，加上加速發展的數位化腳步，對全球貿易是一大恩典。
[Asia-Pacific accounted for the overwhelming share of this market, by size and value, with almost 80 percent of business-to-business trade on e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces emanating from the region.
Unsurprisingly, this trend is being driven by millennials, who are now of an age to be professional decision-makers, and account for 73 percent of all business-to-business purchasing decisions.
As digital natives, their personal experiences — purchasing everything from groceries to home electronics online for instance — translate into higher expectations when pursuing business-to-business transactions. For instance; faster delivery times, increased flexibility on the orders, and greater visibility through the entire process.
As a result, while direct-to-consumer and business-to-business sale volumes have grown, so too have the demands and complexities around supply chain operations.
This has had significant implications for the way logistics companies, which serve as a key intermediary between the sellers and buyers, conduct their operations.
The industry is undergoing significant disruption, with freight forwarders and delivery providers taking innovative measures to keep pace with the increased expectations of customers and rapid digitalization of trade.
DHL, for instance, has introduced several new initiatives such as the introduction of a digital freight platform myDHLi that provides real-time tracking on shipments, so the sender and receiver have complete visibility on where their cargo is at any given time.
Other measures include the automation of customs clearance, the digitization of transactions so they can be completely paperless, and even the ability to calculate a shipment’s CO2 impact, with an option to reduce or offset emissions by selecting alternative fuel options for example.
In fact, it is fair to say that millennials deserve credit for placing the environmental impact of the industry under renewed focus, and businesses such as DHL are responding.
The company recently committed to covering at least 30 percent of its fuel requirements in aviation and line haul by sustainable fuels, and to deploying 80,000 e-vehicles resulting in the electrification of 60 percent of its fleet in the next nine years, all part of a larger group-wide investment of over HK$66 billion (€7 billion) toward climate-neutral logistics by 2030.
The trends we are witnessing in global trade patterns resulting from the rise of e-commerce and the emergence of millennials in the decision-making process, and the changes they are driving which include increased automation and an enhanced focus on sustainable practices, point to an interesting journey ahead for the logistics sector.
Ultimately, the digitalization of the industry should lead not only to improved efficiencies across the delivery process, benefiting buyers and sellers everywhere, but also more sustainable solutions benefiting the environment and our society as a whole.
This article first appeared on Asia Cargo News.] => 從銷售量及銷售值來看，電子商務平台與網路市集的b2b交易，將近80%來自亞太區占了壓倒性的比例。
不出所料，此趨勢是由千禧世代所帶動，這群人現在正好是專業決策者的年齡，占所有b2b採購決策的73%。
身為數位原民的他們，在追求b2b交易時，會將個人經驗（例如上網購買每樣東西，從雜貨到居家電子用品等）轉變成更高的期望。例如：更快的運送時間；訂單彈性的增加；以及整個流程更高的能見度。
因此，在直接對消費者及b2b銷售量成長的同時，關於供應鏈作業的需求與複雜度也跟著提高。
對於在b2c之間扮演關鍵中介角色的物流公司而言，這對他們執行作業的方式具有重要意涵。
物流產業正經歷嚴重中斷，為了客戶日益提高的期望，加上快速的交易數位化，貨運承攬業者及運輸供應商正在採取創新的方法。
以DHL為例，已經推動多項新計畫，像是數位貨運平台myDHLi的引進，提供有關貨件的即時追蹤服務，讓寄件人及收貨人在任何特定時間點，都能對他們的貨物取得完整能見度。
[caption id="attachment_13877" align="alignnone" width="2560"] {%CAPTION%}[/caption]
其他方法包括：自動化通關；交易數位化以實現完全無紙化；甚至能計算貨件對CO2排放的影響，此選項透過替代燃料的選擇，減少或抵銷CO2的排放量。
事實上，我們可以說拜千禧世代所賜，產業的環境影響再度成為焦點，而DHL等公司也做出了回應。
公司最近承諾，航空及長途貨運所需燃料的至少30%將使用永續燃料，在未來9年部署8萬輛電動車，使車隊電動化達60%，所有這些計畫都在整個集團逾660億港元（70億歐元）的預算範圍內，期望在2030年達到氣候中立物流的目標。
我們在全球貿易模式目擊的這股趨勢，是因電子商務的崛起，以及千禧世代在決策過程現身所導致，帶動的改變包括自動化增加，以及更加重視永續實務的發展，帶領物流產業邁向未來的有趣旅程。
最後，產業數位化不只改善貨運流程的效率，來讓全球各地買家及賣家受惠，還為我們的環境及整個社會提供更多有利的永續解決方案。
這篇文章首次出現在亞洲貨運新聞上。
[This time last year, the world had ground to a halt.
North America and Europe were still in the early days of the pandemic, but the Asia Pacific region was feeling its full force.
Across the continent, streets lay deserted, factories had closed their doors, and skies that once teemed with planes were empty. Many cities, in some cases even entire countries, found themselves paralyzed. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was our generation’s Great Depression.
Trade, both within and across borders, was particularly hard hit with the pandemic impacting almost every aspect of commerce. From the street food vendors of Yaowarat in Bangkok to the luxury retail stores of Central in Hong Kong, no business was spared.
One year later, trade patterns reveal that Asia is well on its way to making a comeback. In fact, while economies in North America and Europe generally continue to struggle, some countries in Asia have seen their cross-border trade return to or even exceed pre-pandemic levels.
At the same time, e-commerce is booming, even in markets such as Hong Kong that have historically been slow to embrace online shopping.
It is safe to say that the pandemic accelerated these developments, with a sharp rise in goods sold on the global marketplace, which served as a lifeline for numerous businesses and helped struggling economies to keep running.
Having said that, businesses — both big and small — had been accelerating their digital offerings for some time as they realized that online selling platforms were crucial for their success.
Where, in the past, one would have to walk into a store to make a purchase; today, we can order furniture from Indonesia and electronic goods from South Korea — directly from the manufacturer — using little more than our phones.
The same applies for businesses themselves, which no longer need to rely on visits to factories in a distant country and can simply stock and restock their supplies online. Indeed as predicted in a recent study by DHL Express, 80 percent of all business-to-business (B2B) sales interactions between suppliers and professional buyers will take place on digital channels by 2025.
Although the rise of e-commerce is normally associated with business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, global sales on B2B marketplaces — driven by platforms such as Alibaba, Global Sources, Rakuten, and IndiaMART — had already outpaced the B2C sector before the outset of the pandemic, with total sales of US$12.2 trillion (€10.1 trillion) in 2019.
This was more than double the US$5.8 trillion (€4.8 trillion) the sector accounted for in 2013, with volumes expected to climb further still, to US$20.9 trillion (€17.3 trillion) by 2027.] => 去年此時，整個世界的經濟成長戛然而止。
北美與歐洲仍然處於疫情初期階段，但亞太區已經感受到威力全開。
整個亞太地區，街道上空無一人、工廠關上大門，曾經繁忙的天空也變得空蕩蕩。許多城市陷入癱瘓，甚至有些國家整個停擺。用我們這一代的「經濟大蕭條」來形容一點也不為過。
疫情幾乎影響商業的每個環節，尤其是國內外貿易遭遇重創。從曼谷唐人街的路邊攤，到香港中環的奢華精品店，沒有任何商家能逃過一劫。
一年後，貿易模式顯示亞洲已經走在復甦道路。事實上，當北美與歐洲大部分地區持續掙扎之際，亞洲部分國家已經見到跨國貿易重返或超越疫情前水準。
與此同時，電子商務正蓬勃發展，連過去網路購物接受度不高的香港等市場也是如此。
[caption id="attachment_13879" align="alignnone" width="2560"] 去年疫情封城期間 香港銅鑼灣空無一人的景象[/caption]
我們可以肯定地說，疫情加速這些發展，隨著商品銷售在全球市集大幅成長，為許多企業扮演救生索角色，協助陷入困境的經濟持續運轉。
儘管如此，企業已經發展加速數位服務一段時間，因為他們知道網路銷售平台是企業成功的關鍵。
過去，人們必須走進商店買東西；今天，我們只需要利用手機，就能直接向製造商下單，從印尼訂購家具、從南韓購買電子商品。
企業本身也是如此，不再需要親自拜訪遙遠國度的工廠，就能在網路購買及補給存貨。事實上，DHL Express在最近研究預估，供應商與專業買家之間的所有企業對企業（B2B）銷售交易，在2025年80%將落實在數位通路。
雖然電子商務的崛起通常與企業對消費者（B2C）交易有關，但在Alibaba、Global Sources、Rakuten與IndiaMART等平台帶動下，B2B市集的全球銷售額在疫情爆發前就已經超越B2C部門，在2019年達到12.2兆美元（10.1兆歐元）的總值。
此數字是2013年銷售額5.8兆美元（4.8兆歐元）的2倍以上，預期將在2027年攀升至20.9兆美元（17.3兆歐元）。
[wysiwyg] => wysiwyg
[outbound_box] => outbound_box
[Global trade resilient amid pandemic, thanks to rapid digitalization, e-commerce] => 數位化和電子商務的快速發展，全球貿易在疫情期間仍保持彈性
[Kelvin Leungkelvin-leungThe rise of e-commerce and the accelerated pace of digitalization during Covid-19 have been a boon for global trade, shares Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. This time last year, the world had ground to a halt.
North America and Europe were still in the early days of the pandemic, but the Asia Pacific region was feeling its full force.
Across the continent, streets lay deserted, factories had closed their doors, and skies that once teemed with planes were empty. Many cities, in some cases even entire countries, found themselves paralyzed. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was our generation’s Great Depression.
Trade, both within and across borders, was particularly hard hit with the pandemic impacting almost every aspect of commerce. From the street food vendors of Yaowarat in Bangkok to the luxury retail stores of Central in Hong Kong, no business was spared.
One year later, trade patterns reveal that Asia is well on its way to making a comeback. In fact, while economies in North America and Europe generally continue to struggle, some countries in Asia have seen their cross-border trade return to or even exceed pre-pandemic levels.
At the same time, e-commerce is booming, even in markets such as Hong Kong that have historically been slow to embrace online shopping.
An empty Causeway Bay area during the Covid-19 lockdown in Hong Kong last year
It is safe to say that the pandemic accelerated these developments, with a sharp rise in goods sold on the global marketplace, which served as a lifeline for numerous businesses and helped struggling economies to keep running.
Having said that, businesses — both big and small — had been accelerating their digital offerings for some time as they realized that online selling platforms were crucial for their success.
Where, in the past, one would have to walk into a store to make a purchase; today, we can order furniture from Indonesia and electronic goods from South Korea — directly from the manufacturer — using little more than our phones.
The same applies for businesses themselves, which no longer need to rely on visits to factories in a distant country and can simply stock and restock their supplies online. Indeed as predicted in a recent study by DHL Express, 80 percent of all business-to-business (B2B) sales interactions between suppliers and professional buyers will take place on digital channels by 2025.
Although the rise of e-commerce is normally associated with business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, global sales on B2B marketplaces — driven by platforms such as Alibaba, Global Sources, Rakuten, and IndiaMART — had already outpaced the B2C sector before the outset of the pandemic, with total sales of US$12.2 trillion (€10.1 trillion) in 2019.
This was more than double the US$5.8 trillion (€4.8 trillion) the sector accounted for in 2013, with volumes expected to climb further still, to US$20.9 trillion (€17.3 trillion) by 2027.
RELATED ARTICLESThe Ultimate B2B E-Commerce GuideHow should business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce businesses adapt to changing buying behaviors to make the most of cross-border opportunities? Asia-Pacific accounted for the overwhelming share of this market, by size and value, with almost 80 percent of business-to-business trade on e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces emanating from the region.
Unsurprisingly, this trend is being driven by millennials, who are now of an age to be professional decision-makers, and account for 73 percent of all business-to-business purchasing decisions.
As digital natives, their personal experiences — purchasing everything from groceries to home electronics online for instance — translate into higher expectations when pursuing business-to-business transactions. For instance; faster delivery times, increased flexibility on the orders, and greater visibility through the entire process.
As a result, while direct-to-consumer and business-to-business sale volumes have grown, so too have the demands and complexities around supply chain operations.
This has had significant implications for the way logistics companies, which serve as a key intermediary between the sellers and buyers, conduct their operations.
The industry is undergoing significant disruption, with freight forwarders and delivery providers taking innovative measures to keep pace with the increased expectations of customers and rapid digitalization of trade.
DHL, for instance, has introduced several new initiatives such as the introduction of a digital freight platform myDHLi that provides real-time tracking on shipments, so the sender and receiver have complete visibility on where their cargo is at any given time.
The myDHLi freight booking platform is now available across 62 countries, up from eight.
Other measures include the automation of customs clearance, the digitization of transactions so they can be completely paperless, and even the ability to calculate a shipment’s CO2 impact, with an option to reduce or offset emissions by selecting alternative fuel options for example.
In fact, it is fair to say that millennials deserve credit for placing the environmental impact of the industry under renewed focus, and businesses such as DHL are responding.
The company recently committed to covering at least 30 percent of its fuel requirements in aviation and line haul by sustainable fuels, and to deploying 80,000 e-vehicles resulting in the electrification of 60 percent of its fleet in the next nine years, all part of a larger group-wide investment of over HK$66 billion (€7 billion) toward climate-neutral logistics by 2030.
The trends we are witnessing in global trade patterns resulting from the rise of e-commerce and the emergence of millennials in the decision-making process, and the changes they are driving which include increased automation and an enhanced focus on sustainable practices, point to an interesting journey ahead for the logistics sector.
Ultimately, the digitalization of the industry should lead not only to improved efficiencies across the delivery process, benefiting buyers and sellers everywhere, but also more sustainable solutions benefiting the environment and our society as a whole.
This article first appeared on Asia Cargo News.] =>
Kelvin Leung
kelvin-leung
DHL Global Forwarding 亞太地區執行長Kelvin Leung分享道，新冠疫情期間的電子商務興起，加上加速發展的數位化腳步，對全球貿易是一大恩典。
The Ultimate B2B E-Commerce Guide How should business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce businesses adapt to changing buying behaviors to make the most of cross-border opportunities?
[] =>
[global-trade-resilient-amid-pandemic-thanks-to-rapid-digitalization-e-commerce-2] => global-trade-resilient-amid-pandemic-thanks-to-rapid-digitalization-e-commerce-2
[China] =>
[Hong Kong] =>
[South Korea] =>
[Thailand] =>
[2020,April,1,hong,Kong.the,Busy,Causeway,Bay,Area,Has,Become] => 2020,April,1,hong,Kong.the,Busy,Causeway,Bay,Area,Has,Become
[Article Key Image_1387577570] => Article Key Image_1387577570
[myDHLi-responsive-design] => myDHLi-responsive-design
[The myDHLi freight booking platform is now available across 62 countries, up from eight.] => The myDHLi freight booking platform is now available across 62 countries, up from eight.
[Single Column Image_1343869913] => Single Column Image_1343869913
[Article Key Image_1241659087] => Article Key Image_1241659087
)
[$value] => Asia-Pacific accounted for the overwhelming share of this market, by size and value, with almost 80 percent of business-to-business trade on e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces emanating from the region.
Unsurprisingly, this trend is being driven by millennials, who are now of an age to be professional decision-makers, and account for 73 percent of all business-to-business purchasing decisions.
As digital natives, their personal experiences — purchasing everything from groceries to home electronics online for instance — translate into higher expectations when pursuing business-to-business transactions. For instance; faster delivery times, increased flexibility on the orders, and greater visibility through the entire process.
As a result, while direct-to-consumer and business-to-business sale volumes have grown, so too have the demands and complexities around supply chain operations.
This has had significant implications for the way logistics companies, which serve as a key intermediary between the sellers and buyers, conduct their operations.
The industry is undergoing significant disruption, with freight forwarders and delivery providers taking innovative measures to keep pace with the increased expectations of customers and rapid digitalization of trade.
DHL, for instance, has introduced several new initiatives such as the introduction of a digital freight platform myDHLi that provides real-time tracking on shipments, so the sender and receiver have complete visibility on where their cargo is at any given time.
[caption id="attachment_13877" align="alignnone" width="2560"] The myDHLi freight booking platform is now available across 62 countries, up from eight.[/caption]
Other measures include the automation of customs clearance, the digitization of transactions so they can be completely paperless, and even the ability to calculate a shipment’s CO2 impact, with an option to reduce or offset emissions by selecting alternative fuel options for example.
In fact, it is fair to say that millennials deserve credit for placing the environmental impact of the industry under renewed focus, and businesses such as DHL are responding.
The company recently committed to covering at least 30 percent of its fuel requirements in aviation and line haul by sustainable fuels, and to deploying 80,000 e-vehicles resulting in the electrification of 60 percent of its fleet in the next nine years, all part of a larger group-wide investment of over HK$66 billion (€7 billion) toward climate-neutral logistics by 2030.
The trends we are witnessing in global trade patterns resulting from the rise of e-commerce and the emergence of millennials in the decision-making process, and the changes they are driving which include increased automation and an enhanced focus on sustainable practices, point to an interesting journey ahead for the logistics sector.
Ultimately, the digitalization of the industry should lead not only to improved efficiencies across the delivery process, benefiting buyers and sellers everywhere, but also more sustainable solutions benefiting the environment and our society as a whole.
This article first appeared on Asia Cargo News.
)
{%CAPTION%}[/caption]
其他方法包括：自動化通關；交易數位化以實現完全無紙化；甚至能計算貨件對CO2排放的影響，此選項透過替代燃料的選擇，減少或抵銷CO2的排放量。
事實上，我們可以說拜千禧世代所賜，產業的環境影響再度成為焦點，而DHL等公司也做出了回應。
公司最近承諾，航空及長途貨運所需燃料的至少30%將使用永續燃料，在未來9年部署8萬輛電動車，使車隊電動化達60%，所有這些計畫都在整個集團逾660億港元（70億歐元）的預算範圍內，期望在2030年達到氣候中立物流的目標。
我們在全球貿易模式目擊的這股趨勢，是因電子商務的崛起，以及千禧世代在決策過程現身所導致，帶動的改變包括自動化增加，以及更加重視永續實務的發展，帶領物流產業邁向未來的有趣旅程。
最後，產業數位化不只改善貨運流程的效率，來讓全球各地買家及賣家受惠，還為我們的環境及整個社會提供更多有利的永續解決方案。
這篇文章首次出現在亞洲貨運新聞上。
[This time last year, the world had ground to a halt.
North America and Europe were still in the early days of the pandemic, but the Asia Pacific region was feeling its full force.
Across the continent, streets lay deserted, factories had closed their doors, and skies that once teemed with planes were empty. Many cities, in some cases even entire countries, found themselves paralyzed. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was our generation’s Great Depression.
Trade, both within and across borders, was particularly hard hit with the pandemic impacting almost every aspect of commerce. From the street food vendors of Yaowarat in Bangkok to the luxury retail stores of Central in Hong Kong, no business was spared.
One year later, trade patterns reveal that Asia is well on its way to making a comeback. In fact, while economies in North America and Europe generally continue to struggle, some countries in Asia have seen their cross-border trade return to or even exceed pre-pandemic levels.
At the same time, e-commerce is booming, even in markets such as Hong Kong that have historically been slow to embrace online shopping.
It is safe to say that the pandemic accelerated these developments, with a sharp rise in goods sold on the global marketplace, which served as a lifeline for numerous businesses and helped struggling economies to keep running.
Having said that, businesses — both big and small — had been accelerating their digital offerings for some time as they realized that online selling platforms were crucial for their success.
Where, in the past, one would have to walk into a store to make a purchase; today, we can order furniture from Indonesia and electronic goods from South Korea — directly from the manufacturer — using little more than our phones.
The same applies for businesses themselves, which no longer need to rely on visits to factories in a distant country and can simply stock and restock their supplies online. Indeed as predicted in a recent study by DHL Express, 80 percent of all business-to-business (B2B) sales interactions between suppliers and professional buyers will take place on digital channels by 2025.
Although the rise of e-commerce is normally associated with business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, global sales on B2B marketplaces — driven by platforms such as Alibaba, Global Sources, Rakuten, and IndiaMART — had already outpaced the B2C sector before the outset of the pandemic, with total sales of US$12.2 trillion (€10.1 trillion) in 2019.
This was more than double the US$5.8 trillion (€4.8 trillion) the sector accounted for in 2013, with volumes expected to climb further still, to US$20.9 trillion (€17.3 trillion) by 2027.] => 去年此時，整個世界的經濟成長戛然而止。
北美與歐洲仍然處於疫情初期階段，但亞太區已經感受到威力全開。
整個亞太地區，街道上空無一人、工廠關上大門，曾經繁忙的天空也變得空蕩蕩。許多城市陷入癱瘓，甚至有些國家整個停擺。用我們這一代的「經濟大蕭條」來形容一點也不為過。
疫情幾乎影響商業的每個環節，尤其是國內外貿易遭遇重創。從曼谷唐人街的路邊攤，到香港中環的奢華精品店，沒有任何商家能逃過一劫。
一年後，貿易模式顯示亞洲已經走在復甦道路。事實上，當北美與歐洲大部分地區持續掙扎之際，亞洲部分國家已經見到跨國貿易重返或超越疫情前水準。
與此同時，電子商務正蓬勃發展，連過去網路購物接受度不高的香港等市場也是如此。
[caption id="attachment_13879" align="alignnone" width="2560"]
去年疫情封城期間 香港銅鑼灣空無一人的景象[/caption]
我們可以肯定地說，疫情加速這些發展，隨著商品銷售在全球市集大幅成長，為許多企業扮演救生索角色，協助陷入困境的經濟持續運轉。
儘管如此，企業已經發展加速數位服務一段時間，因為他們知道網路銷售平台是企業成功的關鍵。
過去，人們必須走進商店買東西；今天，我們只需要利用手機，就能直接向製造商下單，從印尼訂購家具、從南韓購買電子商品。
企業本身也是如此，不再需要親自拜訪遙遠國度的工廠，就能在網路購買及補給存貨。事實上，DHL Express在最近研究預估，供應商與專業買家之間的所有企業對企業（B2B）銷售交易，在2025年80%將落實在數位通路。
雖然電子商務的崛起通常與企業對消費者（B2C）交易有關，但在Alibaba、Global Sources、Rakuten與IndiaMART等平台帶動下，B2B市集的全球銷售額在疫情爆發前就已經超越B2C部門，在2019年達到12.2兆美元（10.1兆歐元）的總值。
此數字是2013年銷售額5.8兆美元（4.8兆歐元）的2倍以上，預期將在2027年攀升至20.9兆美元（17.3兆歐元）。
[wysiwyg] => wysiwyg
[outbound_box] => outbound_box
[Global trade resilient amid pandemic, thanks to rapid digitalization, e-commerce] => 數位化和電子商務的快速發展，全球貿易在疫情期間仍保持彈性
[Kelvin Leungkelvin-leungThe rise of e-commerce and the accelerated pace of digitalization during Covid-19 have been a boon for global trade, shares Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. This time last year, the world had ground to a halt.
North America and Europe were still in the early days of the pandemic, but the Asia Pacific region was feeling its full force.
Across the continent, streets lay deserted, factories had closed their doors, and skies that once teemed with planes were empty. Many cities, in some cases even entire countries, found themselves paralyzed. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was our generation’s Great Depression.
Trade, both within and across borders, was particularly hard hit with the pandemic impacting almost every aspect of commerce. From the street food vendors of Yaowarat in Bangkok to the luxury retail stores of Central in Hong Kong, no business was spared.
One year later, trade patterns reveal that Asia is well on its way to making a comeback. In fact, while economies in North America and Europe generally continue to struggle, some countries in Asia have seen their cross-border trade return to or even exceed pre-pandemic levels.
At the same time, e-commerce is booming, even in markets such as Hong Kong that have historically been slow to embrace online shopping.
An empty Causeway Bay area during the Covid-19 lockdown in Hong Kong last year
It is safe to say that the pandemic accelerated these developments, with a sharp rise in goods sold on the global marketplace, which served as a lifeline for numerous businesses and helped struggling economies to keep running.
Having said that, businesses — both big and small — had been accelerating their digital offerings for some time as they realized that online selling platforms were crucial for their success.
Where, in the past, one would have to walk into a store to make a purchase; today, we can order furniture from Indonesia and electronic goods from South Korea — directly from the manufacturer — using little more than our phones.
The same applies for businesses themselves, which no longer need to rely on visits to factories in a distant country and can simply stock and restock their supplies online. Indeed as predicted in a recent study by DHL Express, 80 percent of all business-to-business (B2B) sales interactions between suppliers and professional buyers will take place on digital channels by 2025.
Although the rise of e-commerce is normally associated with business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, global sales on B2B marketplaces — driven by platforms such as Alibaba, Global Sources, Rakuten, and IndiaMART — had already outpaced the B2C sector before the outset of the pandemic, with total sales of US$12.2 trillion (€10.1 trillion) in 2019.
This was more than double the US$5.8 trillion (€4.8 trillion) the sector accounted for in 2013, with volumes expected to climb further still, to US$20.9 trillion (€17.3 trillion) by 2027.
RELATED ARTICLESThe Ultimate B2B E-Commerce GuideHow should business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce businesses adapt to changing buying behaviors to make the most of cross-border opportunities? Asia-Pacific accounted for the overwhelming share of this market, by size and value, with almost 80 percent of business-to-business trade on e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces emanating from the region.
Unsurprisingly, this trend is being driven by millennials, who are now of an age to be professional decision-makers, and account for 73 percent of all business-to-business purchasing decisions.
As digital natives, their personal experiences — purchasing everything from groceries to home electronics online for instance — translate into higher expectations when pursuing business-to-business transactions. For instance; faster delivery times, increased flexibility on the orders, and greater visibility through the entire process.
As a result, while direct-to-consumer and business-to-business sale volumes have grown, so too have the demands and complexities around supply chain operations.
This has had significant implications for the way logistics companies, which serve as a key intermediary between the sellers and buyers, conduct their operations.
The industry is undergoing significant disruption, with freight forwarders and delivery providers taking innovative measures to keep pace with the increased expectations of customers and rapid digitalization of trade.
DHL, for instance, has introduced several new initiatives such as the introduction of a digital freight platform myDHLi that provides real-time tracking on shipments, so the sender and receiver have complete visibility on where their cargo is at any given time.
The myDHLi freight booking platform is now available across 62 countries, up from eight.
Other measures include the automation of customs clearance, the digitization of transactions so they can be completely paperless, and even the ability to calculate a shipment’s CO2 impact, with an option to reduce or offset emissions by selecting alternative fuel options for example.
In fact, it is fair to say that millennials deserve credit for placing the environmental impact of the industry under renewed focus, and businesses such as DHL are responding.
The company recently committed to covering at least 30 percent of its fuel requirements in aviation and line haul by sustainable fuels, and to deploying 80,000 e-vehicles resulting in the electrification of 60 percent of its fleet in the next nine years, all part of a larger group-wide investment of over HK$66 billion (€7 billion) toward climate-neutral logistics by 2030.
The trends we are witnessing in global trade patterns resulting from the rise of e-commerce and the emergence of millennials in the decision-making process, and the changes they are driving which include increased automation and an enhanced focus on sustainable practices, point to an interesting journey ahead for the logistics sector.
Ultimately, the digitalization of the industry should lead not only to improved efficiencies across the delivery process, benefiting buyers and sellers everywhere, but also more sustainable solutions benefiting the environment and our society as a whole.
This article first appeared on Asia Cargo News.] => 
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其他方法包括：自動化通關；交易數位化以實現完全無紙化；甚至能計算貨件對CO2排放的影響，此選項透過替代燃料的選擇，減少或抵銷CO2的排放量。
事實上，我們可以說拜千禧世代所賜，產業的環境影響再度成為焦點，而DHL等公司也做出了回應。
公司最近承諾，航空及長途貨運所需燃料的至少30%將使用永續燃料，在未來9年部署8萬輛電動車，使車隊電動化達60%，所有這些計畫都在整個集團逾660億港元（70億歐元）的預算範圍內，期望在2030年達到氣候中立物流的目標。
我們在全球貿易模式目擊的這股趨勢，是因電子商務的崛起，以及千禧世代在決策過程現身所導致，帶動的改變包括自動化增加，以及更加重視永續實務的發展，帶領物流產業邁向未來的有趣旅程。
最後，產業數位化不只改善貨運流程的效率，來讓全球各地買家及賣家受惠，還為我們的環境及整個社會提供更多有利的永續解決方案。
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去年疫情封城期間 香港銅鑼灣空無一人的景象[/caption]
我們可以肯定地說，疫情加速這些發展，隨著商品銷售在全球市集大幅成長，為許多企業扮演救生索角色，協助陷入困境的經濟持續運轉。
儘管如此，企業已經發展加速數位服務一段時間，因為他們知道網路銷售平台是企業成功的關鍵。
過去，人們必須走進商店買東西；今天，我們只需要利用手機，就能直接向製造商下單，從印尼訂購家具、從南韓購買電子商品。
企業本身也是如此，不再需要親自拜訪遙遠國度的工廠，就能在網路購買及補給存貨。事實上，DHL Express在最近研究預估，供應商與專業買家之間的所有企業對企業（B2B）銷售交易，在2025年80%將落實在數位通路。
雖然電子商務的崛起通常與企業對消費者（B2C）交易有關，但在Alibaba、Global Sources、Rakuten與IndiaMART等平台帶動下，B2B市集的全球銷售額在疫情爆發前就已經超越B2C部門，在2019年達到12.2兆美元（10.1兆歐元）的總值。
此數字是2013年銷售額5.8兆美元（4.8兆歐元）的2倍以上，預期將在2027年攀升至20.9兆美元（17.3兆歐元）。
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[Global trade resilient amid pandemic, thanks to rapid digitalization, e-commerce] => 數位化和電子商務的快速發展，全球貿易在疫情期間仍保持彈性
[Kelvin Leungkelvin-leungThe rise of e-commerce and the accelerated pace of digitalization during Covid-19 have been a boon for global trade, shares Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific. This time last year, the world had ground to a halt.
North America and Europe were still in the early days of the pandemic, but the Asia Pacific region was feeling its full force.
Across the continent, streets lay deserted, factories had closed their doors, and skies that once teemed with planes were empty. Many cities, in some cases even entire countries, found themselves paralyzed. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was our generation’s Great Depression.
Trade, both within and across borders, was particularly hard hit with the pandemic impacting almost every aspect of commerce. From the street food vendors of Yaowarat in Bangkok to the luxury retail stores of Central in Hong Kong, no business was spared.
One year later, trade patterns reveal that Asia is well on its way to making a comeback. In fact, while economies in North America and Europe generally continue to struggle, some countries in Asia have seen their cross-border trade return to or even exceed pre-pandemic levels.
At the same time, e-commerce is booming, even in markets such as Hong Kong that have historically been slow to embrace online shopping.
An empty Causeway Bay area during the Covid-19 lockdown in Hong Kong last year
It is safe to say that the pandemic accelerated these developments, with a sharp rise in goods sold on the global marketplace, which served as a lifeline for numerous businesses and helped struggling economies to keep running.
Having said that, businesses — both big and small — had been accelerating their digital offerings for some time as they realized that online selling platforms were crucial for their success.
Where, in the past, one would have to walk into a store to make a purchase; today, we can order furniture from Indonesia and electronic goods from South Korea — directly from the manufacturer — using little more than our phones.
The same applies for businesses themselves, which no longer need to rely on visits to factories in a distant country and can simply stock and restock their supplies online. Indeed as predicted in a recent study by DHL Express, 80 percent of all business-to-business (B2B) sales interactions between suppliers and professional buyers will take place on digital channels by 2025.
Although the rise of e-commerce is normally associated with business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, global sales on B2B marketplaces — driven by platforms such as Alibaba, Global Sources, Rakuten, and IndiaMART — had already outpaced the B2C sector before the outset of the pandemic, with total sales of US$12.2 trillion (€10.1 trillion) in 2019.
This was more than double the US$5.8 trillion (€4.8 trillion) the sector accounted for in 2013, with volumes expected to climb further still, to US$20.9 trillion (€17.3 trillion) by 2027.
RELATED ARTICLESThe Ultimate B2B E-Commerce GuideHow should business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce businesses adapt to changing buying behaviors to make the most of cross-border opportunities? Asia-Pacific accounted for the overwhelming share of this market, by size and value, with almost 80 percent of business-to-business trade on e-commerce platforms and online marketplaces emanating from the region.
Unsurprisingly, this trend is being driven by millennials, who are now of an age to be professional decision-makers, and account for 73 percent of all business-to-business purchasing decisions.
As digital natives, their personal experiences — purchasing everything from groceries to home electronics online for instance — translate into higher expectations when pursuing business-to-business transactions. For instance; faster delivery times, increased flexibility on the orders, and greater visibility through the entire process.
As a result, while direct-to-consumer and business-to-business sale volumes have grown, so too have the demands and complexities around supply chain operations.
This has had significant implications for the way logistics companies, which serve as a key intermediary between the sellers and buyers, conduct their operations.
The industry is undergoing significant disruption, with freight forwarders and delivery providers taking innovative measures to keep pace with the increased expectations of customers and rapid digitalization of trade.
DHL, for instance, has introduced several new initiatives such as the introduction of a digital freight platform myDHLi that provides real-time tracking on shipments, so the sender and receiver have complete visibility on where their cargo is at any given time.
The myDHLi freight booking platform is now available across 62 countries, up from eight.
Other measures include the automation of customs clearance, the digitization of transactions so they can be completely paperless, and even the ability to calculate a shipment’s CO2 impact, with an option to reduce or offset emissions by selecting alternative fuel options for example.
In fact, it is fair to say that millennials deserve credit for placing the environmental impact of the industry under renewed focus, and businesses such as DHL are responding.
The company recently committed to covering at least 30 percent of its fuel requirements in aviation and line haul by sustainable fuels, and to deploying 80,000 e-vehicles resulting in the electrification of 60 percent of its fleet in the next nine years, all part of a larger group-wide investment of over HK$66 billion (€7 billion) toward climate-neutral logistics by 2030.
The trends we are witnessing in global trade patterns resulting from the rise of e-commerce and the emergence of millennials in the decision-making process, and the changes they are driving which include increased automation and an enhanced focus on sustainable practices, point to an interesting journey ahead for the logistics sector.
Ultimately, the digitalization of the industry should lead not only to improved efficiencies across the delivery process, benefiting buyers and sellers everywhere, but also more sustainable solutions benefiting the environment and our society as a whole.
This article first appeared on Asia Cargo News.] => 
繁體中文（台灣）