Powerful ideas from top nonfiction
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Get started
Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
Listen to the Intro
Alibaba summary
Duncan Clark
The House That Jack Ma Built
20 mins
Brief summary
Alibaba by Duncan Clark is a biography of the founder, Jack Ma, and the rise of the company, which started as a small venture in an apartment and grew to become one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the world.
Table of Contents
Alibaba
Summary of 8 key ideas
Audio & text in the Blinkist app
Key idea 1 of 8
China’s consumer habits have been changing alongside the rise of online shopping.
It’s not unusual to have conflicting thoughts about China. Many products sold in the United States have a label that reads “Made in China,” so many recognize the country as a giant of retail manufacturing. But the country is also recognized as having a powerful communist government.
Even so, there is a new trend emerging in China as its economy steadily shifts toward consumerism.
Traditionally, the people of China aren’t very consumer-minded. Even today, household spending only accounts for a third of China’s economy. Meanwhile, in the United States, consumer spending makes up two-thirds of the economy.
But the times are changing in China, and a good illustration of this is the country’s November 11 national holiday. This day marks a celebration for single people in China, a sort of twist on Valentine’s day, and has become a hugely important day for Chinese retailers.
Back in 2009, only 27 shops were offering Singles’ Day-related sales; but only six years later, in 2015, 40,000 retailers and 30,000 brands had joined in on the festivities.
One of the participating retailers was Alibaba, a Chinese company that specializes in online commerce. Remarkably, during the first ten minutes of Singles’ Day in 2015, $1 billion in purchases had been made through Alibaba.
Alibaba has been at the forefront of online commerce, which has experienced tremendous growth in China as the country comes to embrace consumerism.
But few people could have predicted just how successful Alibaba would become.
Alibaba has received its fair share of comparisons to Amazon, the popular shopping website based in the United States. Much like Amazon’s reputation as “The Everything Store,” Chinese customers like to say you can buy anything on Taobao.com, one of Alibaba’s many popular subsidiary sites.
But the impact Alibaba has had on China’s economy far surpasses Amazon’s status in the United States. In fact, as of 2016, Amazon is the twelfth-most popular retailer in the United States, while Alibaba is China’s number one most popular.
Alibaba became such a commercial giant that when it became a publicly traded company in 2014, it generated the greatest global initial public offering, or IPO, ever.
Want more?
Read or listen to the key ideas
from 7,500+ titles
Read or listen to the key ideas
from 7,500+ titles
Key ideas in Alibaba
More knowledge in less time
Read or listen
Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
Find your next read
Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
Shortcasts New
We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.
What is Alibaba about?
Alibaba (2016) charts the astronomical rise to worldwide retail supremacy of Jack Ma and his online business, Alibaba. From his humble beginnings as a school teacher, Jack Ma proved to be a visionary entrepreneur who was far ahead of his time. This is the tale of a man who saw the potential of the internet when everyone else was still scratching their heads over e-mail, and although he ran into one problem after another, he never lost his drive to be better than the rest.
Alibaba Review
Alibaba (2016) takes readers on a fascinating journey through the rise of one of the world's most influential companies and its visionary founder, Jack Ma. Here's why this book is worth reading:
- Offers a deep dive into the astonishing growth of Alibaba, revealing the strategies and innovations behind its success.
- Explores the entrepreneurial spirit and determination of Jack Ma, providing valuable insights into leadership and business acumen.
- Provides a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges faced by Alibaba, making it an engaging and informative read for anyone interested in the world of tech and e-commerce.
Best quote from Alibaba
We didnt have any money, we didnt have any technology, and we didnt have a plan. – Jack Ma on Alibabas humble origins.
—Duncan Clark
Who should read Alibaba?
- Entrepreneurs
- Investors interested in e-commerce
- Anyone who likes a good underdog story
Categories with Alibaba
Book summaries like Alibaba
People ❤️ Blinkist
Sven O.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Thi Viet Quynh N.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Jonathan A.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Renee D.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
People also liked these summaries
4.7 Stars
Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
37 Million
Downloads on all platforms
10+ years
Experience igniting personal growth
Alibaba FAQs
What is the main message of Alibaba?
The main message of Alibaba is the story of how Jack Ma built one of the most successful companies in the world.
How long does it take to read Alibaba?
The reading time for Alibaba varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Alibaba a good book? Is it worth reading?
Alibaba is definitely worth reading. It provides valuable insights into the rise of Jack Ma and Alibaba, offering inspiration and business lessons in an engaging way.
Who is the author of Alibaba?
Duncan Clark is the author of Alibaba.
What to read after Alibaba?
If you're wondering what to read next after Alibaba, here are some recommendations we suggest:
- Alibaba’s World by Porter Erisman
- You Can Do It! by Rob Schneider
- Influence by Robert B. Cialdini
- AI Superpowers by Kai-Fu Lee
- House of Huawei by Eva Dou
- Better Small Talk by Patrick King
- You Be You by Drew Canole
- Destined for War by Graham Allison
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Capital Ideas by Peter L. Bernstein