E-commerce brings a lot of convenience, but there is also the most hated thing about them, that is, there is no middleman to make the difference. Middlemen have always been an important link in the business chain, and they make a profit through the difference between wholesale purchases and retail sales. However, with the rise of e-commerce, the role of this middleman has gradually been outlawed and disappeared from the business scene.
With the help of network technology, e-commerce directly connects commodity producers and consumers together, realizing the model of removing middlemen. On the surface, this seems to be a good thing, reducing the "oil and water" in the price, allowing consumers to buy goods at a lower cost. However, it's not that simple.
Behind e-commerce platforms, there are new forces that replace middlemen, who make profits by charging sales deductions and commissions. While these fees may be a little lower than the spread of traditional middlemen, it doesn't mean that consumers are getting a real discount. These additional costs are ultimately borne by the consumer, but they are hidden in the price of the goods in disguise.
What's even more infuriating is that e-commerce platforms will also delay payment to merchants in order to tie up merchants' funds for profit. This behavior not only causes distress to merchants, but can also put a lot of pressure on their operations. In order to obtain payment, merchants may be forced to accept various promotions and concessions provided by the platform, which may lead to further loss of their own profits.
If merchants rely entirely on e-commerce platforms to sell their goods, then they are entrusting their survival to the platform. In this way, merchants can no longer independently face the platform's price promotions, profit-making activities, etc. The platform can manipulate prices at will, exploit and squeeze merchants' profit margins, and push merchants to a situation where they cannot extricate themselves.
Although e-commerce brings a lot of convenience, we should also be aware of the pitfalls and unfairness. Without middlemen to make the difference, consumers may not have so much benefit, and merchants may be forced to accept unreasonable concession demands. E-commerce platforms control the entire business chain and have a huge right to speak, and for merchants who rely on platforms to survive, they may be a master of fate.
While e-commerce is developing, we should also pay attention to the role of middlemen. They play an indispensable role in the business chain, not only to provide consumers with a variety of choices, but also to bring marketing and sales support to merchants. Protecting the rights and interests of intermediaries and maintaining the balance of the business chain are issues that we need to think about and solve.
All in all, the model of e-commerce without middlemen to make the difference has brought convenience, but it has also brought some problems. Consumers and merchants alike should be wary of the hegemonic behavior of e-commerce platforms, stay vigilant, and look for sales channels and partners that suit them. Only in this way can we truly enjoy convenience and fairness in the era of e-commerce.