Chapter 537 Cainiao Network
The East China Sea is sweltering with heat in June.
In the chairman's office of Shentong Express headquarters, Chen Dejun sat on the sofa, tapping an unlit cigarette unconsciously on the coffee table with his fingertips.
"Brother! Majieke has rejected Tiantian Express's proposal to join Cainiao Network! What should we do?"
Glancing at his brother-in-law Xi Chunyang, who was pacing anxiously in the office, Chen Dejun looked helpless:
"Chun Yang, can you sit down first? You're swaying back and forth, and my eyes are blurry and I'm dizzy."
At the side, Chen Xiaoying stood up and took her husband's arm, and persuaded him gently: "Husband, don't be anxious. Sit down and discuss it with your brother slowly. What's the point of being anxious?"
Xi Chunyang sighed heavily, and after repeated persuasion from his wife and brother-in-law, he reluctantly sat down on the sofa.
"Brother, Xiaoying, you know!" He spread his hands, his expression excited, "I invested so much effort and money in acquiring Tiantian Express!
Seeing the boom in e-commerce logistics growing stronger year by year, and news of Alibaba's logistics integration spreading, I made a big bet, hoping to seize this opportunity to get Tiantian on the fast track!
The first half of the incident did develop as he predicted.
Just now, Alibaba Group, together with Intime, Fosun, SF Express and "Three Links and One Delivery", announced the establishment of Cainiao Network.
The announcement of the plan to build a smart logistics network in China and establish a socialized logistics collaboration platform shocked the entire logistics industry.
But who could have imagined that Tiantian Express was rejected at the last minute and didn’t even get an entry ticket to Cainiao Network!
"If you can't join the Cainiao network, you won't get Taobao's order-dispatching resources. If this continues, the gap between Tiantian Express and the 'Three Links and One Reach' will only widen. By then..."
Xi Chunyang didn't say anything else, but the look of worry on his face became even more intense.
"Have some tea and calm down." Chen Dejun pushed a cup of freshly brewed Longjing tea in front of his brother-in-law.
"There's no point in being anxious. Chunyang, take a long-term view. Alibaba isn't the only e-commerce platform in this huge market."
"Besides Alibaba, who else could it be? JD.com?" Xi Chunyang tried hard to calm his turbulent emotions, picked up the teacup, and put it down again.
"JD has its own logistics system, which covers everything from warehousing to delivery. It operates in a closed loop and doesn't need to cooperate with other express delivery companies!"
"It's not JD." Chen Dejun shook his head slightly, staring at his brother-in-law, and uttered three words word by word: "It's Tengda!"
"Tengda?!" Xi Chunyang's teacup trembled suddenly, and he asked hurriedly, "Brother, are you saying that Tengda is going to get into e-commerce? Impossible! There's not even a rumor in the market!"
Chen Xiaoying also looked at her brother in surprise. Although she had vaguely heard him mention the close connection with Tengda before, she knew very little about the specific e-commerce layout.
Chen Dejun looked at his bewildered sister and brother-in-law and explained, "Tengda has strategically supported a new e-commerce platform, Pinduoduo.
I went to the north a few days ago because I was invited to attend Pinduoduo's internal preparatory meeting."
"Pinduoduo?" Chen Xiaoying frowned slightly and questioned sharply, "Brother, the e-commerce market is now almost completely divided up by the two giants, Taobao and JD.com. The situation is set.
Is there still a chance to launch a new e-commerce platform at this time? I'm afraid even if I burn money, I won't be able to make any difference.
"Things on the Internet are changing rapidly, and no one can predict them for sure." Chen Dejun spread his hands, then changed the subject, his tone becoming extremely firm.
"However, the birth of Pinduoduo was single-handedly facilitated by Song Ci! The person in charge of its operation was Sun Tongyu, the 'Father of Taobao'!"
He paused, letting the two digest this bombshell news for a moment before continuing, "With these two powerful people joining forces, I personally think Pinduoduo has great potential!"
"These two actually joined forces!" Chen Xiaoying couldn't help but cover her mouth and exclaimed, a look of shock on her face.
"The richest man personally organized the event, and the father of Taobao is at the helm! It seems that Taobao and JD.com are really going to face a rival that cannot be underestimated this time!"
Xi Chunyang was completely lost in thought at this moment.
After listening to my brother-in-law’s analysis, it is clear that Pinduoduo’s lineup is not a small-scale entrepreneurial project.
Instead, the Tengda Group has made it clear that it wants to compete head-on with Taobao and JD.com in the e-commerce field!
He quickly thought in his mind: Tenda Technology is the largest shareholder of Shentong Express. With this relationship, Pinduoduo's initial order resources will inevitably be given priority to Shentong.
However, the rise of an e-commerce platform is inevitably accompanied by a huge amount of logistics orders.
Even if Pinduoduo only reaches one-third of the size of Taobao, it will be a huge cake that Shentong alone cannot eat!
If Tiantian Express can seize this opportunity and hold on to the stronger thigh of Tenda Technology.
By growing together with Pinduoduo, a platform with unlimited potential, you may be able to survive and even soar to the top!
After figuring out this key link, Xi Chunyang's anxiety and sorrow instantly disappeared, replaced by an unprecedented sense of urgency and opportunity.
He looked at Chen Dejun with burning eyes: "Brother! In this case, could you please introduce me to Mr. Song? I want to pay you a visit!"
Chen Dejun understood his brother-in-law's reaction and nodded slightly: "Even if you didn't mention it, I was thinking the same thing.
I had been planning to meet Mr. Song these days. So, you and Xiaoying should get ready and go with me."
"Thank you, big brother!" Xi Chunyang's expression turned from gloomy to bright and he agreed happily.
Chen Xiaoying was more thoughtful and asked, "Brother, when did you arrange to meet Mr. Song? We can prepare in advance."
"Alas!" Chen Dejun laughed bitterly and rubbed his brow at the mention of this. "I'm having a headache over this. You have to understand that Shentong has joined the Cainiao Network, which makes it difficult to deal with."
Xi Chunyang immediately understood his brother-in-law's concerns: "What my brother means is that once Pinduoduo comes out, it will inevitably form direct competition with Taobao, and the situation will be like fire and water.
Logistics is the lifeblood of e-commerce. In the future, Shentong will probably find it difficult to have a good balance between Taobao and Pinduoduo. Will it have to choose one or the other?
"That's exactly what's going on." Chen Dejun nodded with a complicated expression.
Chen Xiaoying's expression straightened, and she reminded him solemnly, "Brother, in my opinion, Shentong has no choice!"
She stared closely at her brother and husband, analyzing the situation clearly: "Since the day we accepted Tengda Technology's investment and gave up 30% of our shares a few years ago, have we had any other options?"
This sentence, like thunder, exploded in the office, leaving Chen Dejun and Xi Chunyang silent.
"Yes!" Chen Dejun sighed softly, with a hint of relief and a sense of resolution for the future. "Tengda holds a 30% stake in Shentong Express, making it a substantial shareholder.
Over the years, apart from developing an intelligent dispatching system for STO Express, we have never interfered with its specific operations. But this does not mean that its existence and influence can be ignored.
Xi Chunyang suddenly thought of something: "Brother, did Song Ci foresee the current situation when he invested in Shentong a few years ago?"
He realized it belatedly, and the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. "At that time, Tenda's main businesses were social networking and gaming, and there was no sign of it getting involved in e-commerce.
Under normal circumstances, which Internet company would inexplicably invest in a traditional express delivery company so far in advance?
In 2008, even Alibaba Group, which now dominates Cainiao Network, hadn’t even started developing logistics!"
After hearing what his brother-in-law said, Chen Dejun's face suddenly became clear, and he even felt a chill down his spine: "It's very likely!
Song Ci was known for his foresight and long-term planning. It was said that he "planned three steps ahead before taking one step." This perfectly fits his style!
He must have already planned to enter the e-commerce field in Tenda's development plan, so he made this key move several years in advance.
The goal is to have a logistics lifeline that is completely under our control and not controlled by others in today's situation!"
Chen Xiaoying nodded in agreement, and analyzed it in conjunction with Tengda's development path, saying, "Looking at Tengda's current business landscape, it's almost reached this stage.
In social networking and gaming, Tenda is already a world-class giant, with an incredibly solid ecosystem. It's time to free up resources and vigorously develop e-commerce, completing the most critical link in the commercial closed loop."
"It's a meticulous plan with a far-reaching layout. It's terrifying." Chen Dejun gasped.
The slight hesitation that may have existed in my mind before, wavering between Alibaba and Tenda, disappeared in an instant, without any hesitation.
After calming himself down, his eyes became firm and clear again, as if he had made the final decision.
Chen Dejun picked up his phone and said while searching for the number, "I read the financial news this morning and saw that Song Ci was on an inspection tour in Fujian Province and met with local leaders.
There's no time to lose, some statements should be made sooner rather than later, I'll contact him right away to see if we can meet there."
"Brother!" Chen Xiaoying saw this and quickly reminded him, saying thoughtfully, "Don't you have Mr. Song's WeChat? It would be better to send a message first to test the waters!"
The news has already been broadcast, and they are in an important meeting with their superiors. If you call them now, it would be inappropriate to disturb them."
Chen Dejun paused as he flipped through his address book. "Xiaoying is so thoughtful! I was just too impatient."
With a tap of his finger, he exited the address book interface, clicked on the familiar green bubble icon, and began to carefully organize his words.
At the same time, Song Ci had just finished a meeting with the provincial and municipal leaders of Mindi and returned to his hotel suite.
He loosened his tie, walked to the window, and looked out over the bustling city bathed in sunshine.
The Minjiang River runs through the city like a belt, and the distant mountains are dark green, silently witnessing the changes of the times.
At that moment, the phone in my pocket vibrated, breaking the silence in the room. The caller ID read "Sun Tongyu."
Song Ci pressed the answer button and said with a gentle smile: "Tongyu, how are the preparations for Pinduoduo going?"
On the other end of the phone, Sun Tongyu said in a steady voice, "Mr. Song, it's almost done. The team is doing the final stress testing and detail optimization. We expect the APP to be online on time on August 1st."
He paused briefly, his voice becoming more serious. "Mr. Song, did you see Alibaba's announcement today about the establishment of Cainiao Network?"
"I know a thing or two." Song Ci spoke in a light tone, as if he was talking about an interesting story that had nothing to do with him, and he didn't take Alibaba's big move to integrate the logistics industry to heart at all.
Sun Tongyu said worriedly: "Teacher Ma's move is intended to control the throat.
I am afraid that once Pinduoduo really takes off, Alibaba will use its influence in the logistics network to strangle us.
By then, merchants will be hampered in shipping and the user experience will decline, which will be a fatal blow.”
"Don't worry." Song Ci turned around, his back to the street view outside the window, his expression calm and composed. "With Shentong backing Pinduoduo, what's there to be afraid of?"
In the past, after 2016 when Alibaba’s logistics network became more powerful, Pinduoduo still broke through.
Moreover, Cainiao Network has only just established a framework. Holding the key card of STO Express, it is not afraid of Alibaba's manipulation of logistics.
Sun Tongyu felt a little relieved upon hearing this. As a strategic investor of Tengda and a shareholder of Pinduoduo, STO Express was indeed the most reliable foundation.
But he was thoughtful and reminded again: "Having STO Express as a backup does give Pinduoduo some room to maneuver. But Mr. Song, I think there are still risks in concentrating too many eggs in one basket."
In case STO Express encounters operational problems... Also, the Fengchao express locker project you mentioned earlier, which can solve the last step of the problem, will require your further efforts to promote it."
"I understand." Song Ci nodded slightly. Sun Tongyu's concerns were not unnecessary.
Not to mention the massive orders that Pinduoduo may generate in the future, just to prepare for the future of "live streaming e-commerce", relying solely on the transportation capacity of Shentong is indeed far from enough.
But in an instant, a clear strategy quickly took shape in his mind.
"I plan to adopt the strategy of 'uniting one company and supporting another,'" Song Ci said with a decisive voice, "a two-pronged approach to ensure the logistics system."
Sun Tongyu instantly understood Song Ci's intention: "Which two do you have your eyes on?"
"For the Fengchao project, I intend to collaborate with SF Express!" Song Ci said the name without hesitation, "As for the company that needs support... let me think about it.
We must look beyond the 'Three Links and One Reach' and find a company with potential, ambition, and a strong network coverage."
"SF Express? SF Express focuses on the high-end business market, with relatively high pricing. Its business model doesn't seem to match Pinduoduo's focus on 'high cost-performance' and 'popularization for civilian use'."
In Sun Tongyu's view, the development paths of SF Express led by Wang Wei and the popular market that Pinduoduo wants to approach are different.
"That's all right!" Song Ci chuckled confidently, "The model isn't set in stone. I'll go meet Wang Wei in person and have a face-to-face meeting with him.
When Pinduoduo establishes its brand pavilion in the future and introduces more high-quality brands and high-end products, there may be opportunities for cooperation with SF Express."
Sun Tongyu was silent for a moment on the other end of the phone, and then he was impressed. "You've really thought it through. Okay, I'll trouble you to take care of the logistics."
After ending the call with Sun Tongyu, Song Ci's phone vibrated. He looked down and saw a WeChat message from Chen Dejun.
After scanning the content, the corners of his mouth raised slightly, and he murmured to himself: "I am really sleepy, and someone brought me a pillow."
Chen Dejun took the initiative to contact, representing Shentong and even its affiliated Tiantian Express, which coincided with his newly formed "support one company" strategy.
After a brief thought, he quickly reviewed the upcoming schedule, tapped the screen with his fingertips, and replied: "Mr. Chen, let's meet at the Four Seasons Hotel in Pengcheng at 2 pm the day after tomorrow to discuss the details."
After sending the message, without any pause, he immediately edited another message and sent it to his secretary Jian Ning: "Contact SF Express President Wang Wei and coordinate a time. I want to meet with him."
(End of this chapter)
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