E-commerce Remains Alibaba’s Cash Cow

Alibaba did it again: Its revenue registers a year-on-year growth of 41% on its Q3 2018 fiscal report, even when China’s economy is slowing down. However, data from individual sections indicate a few weak spots. Zhang Xinyu, a senior writer for 36Kr, a media platform that provides business information, points out that Alibaba’s e-commerce division is robust, but other sections are struggling. He examines the cause of the contrast in a clinical manner, fleshing out his views with numbers and details. His analysis is thorough, but his predictions lack specificity. Many readers with a little prior knowledge will, for example, miss information on how Alibaba plans to commercialize its newsfeed function.