Logistically speaking: Discussing Shopee PH’s breakups this Valentine week

In The Checkout this week, we look at the ecommerce firm’s farewell to Ninja Van and QuadX, WeBuy’s funding plan, and Amazon Air’s India debut. [Read from your browser]( The Checkout 🛒 --------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to The Checkout! Delivered every Thursday, this free newsletter breaks down the biggest stories and trends in ecommerce. You can find past issues [here]( or [sign up here]( to receive future newsletters. Also, If you’re not a subscriber, get access by [registering here](. Written by Samreen Ahmad Journalist Hello {NAME} The flood of flower and chocolate gifting offers popping up on my screen lately is a sign that Valentine's Day is around the corner. Please accept my apologies as I talk about a breakup during this season of love. But some breakups need to be discussed, especially when they affect a sector at large. In this week’s Big Story, my colleague Jofie spotlights how Shopee ended partnerships with Ninja Van and QuadX in the Philippines and what this split means for logistics firms in the region. While there has been a rising trend of ecommerce platforms setting up in-house delivery operations, it’s still too early to write off the future of third-party logistics providers as they evolve into a more integrated model with both a physical and an online presence. In an ecommerce scoop, my colleague Melissa details WeBuy’s plan to raise up to US$30 million in a mix of equity and debt as the Singapore-based company scales its Indonesia business. Meanwhile, in the Hot Take, I explain Amazon’s launch of a dedicated air cargo service in India and how it could benefit the ecommerce major. -- Samreen  --------------------------------------------------------------- THE BIG STORIES 1️⃣ [What Shopee's breakup with Ninja Van, QuadX in the Philippines means for 3PL firms]( Following the breakup, Ninja Van still has fairly strong ecommerce partners in the country: Lazada and TikTok Shop. 2️⃣ [Exclusive: Social ecommerce platform WeBuy seeks $20m to launch financial services]( The firm plans to begin offering mortgages in Singapore as soon as this year.  ---------------------------------------------------------------  THE HOT TAKE Will Amazon Air give longer wings to Amazon India? Here’s what happened: - Amazon becomes the first ecommerce company in India to provide a [dedicated air cargo network.]( - Dubbed as Amazon Air, the service uses a Boeing 737-800 cargo aircraft, which will fly to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. - India is the first market in Asia to roll out Amazon Air. Here’s our take: Amazon India currently offers 43 million cubic feet of storage space via its fulfillment centers across 15 states. With its own air cargo network in place, Amazon can now make faster deliveries to its customers, particularly for items that are not readily available in the nearest fulfillment center. The retail giant offers over [168 million products]( to shoppers in India. “We have partnered with a third-party carrier who will operate and maintain the aircraft so we could lean on their operational excellence,” Abhinav Singh tells Tech in Asia. Singh is Amazon India’s director of customer fulfillment, supply chain, and transportation services. This partnership marks an addition to Amazon’s multimodal delivery network, which consists of multiple airlines, 500 trucking partners, and India’s vast railway system. Amazon has [reportedly]( opened its logistics services to third-party players in the country. If Amazon Air will also be available to third-party merchants, it could serve as an additional source of revenue to the company, which faces stiff competition from Flipkart. The Walmart-owned platform currently [dominates]( India’s over US$70 billion ecommerce market. A plan is already underway at Amazon to [sell excess space on its cargo planes]( in the US and Europe to boost profits. Amazon India didn’t reveal how much capital it poured into Amazon Air. However, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy recently said the US-based titan’s investments in India will help the country become a [profitable market]( in the long run. When Amazon Air was launched in 2016 in the US, the company started with only one aircraft that flew to a handful of locations. “Today, we have more than 110 aircraft flying to more than 70 destinations across the world,” Singh says. The service will also create “direct and indirect opportunities for individuals in aviation and transportation in India.” Singh says Amazon Air has generated thousands of new jobs since its rollout in other parts of the world, but he didn’t share specific details. In 2020, the company announced plans to generate [1 million jobs]( in India by 2025. The firm “remains committed to creating job opportunities and investing in India,” says Singh. – Samreen  ---------------------------------------------------------------  NEWS YOU SHOULD KNOW Check out Tech in Asia’s coverage of the ecommerce scene [here](. 1️⃣ [Alibaba-backed Pakistani ecommerce firm to slash 11% of headcount]( Daraz, which was fully acquired by the Chinese tech titan in 2018, is expected to cut around 330 jobs. 2️⃣ [Grab partners with Indonesian conglomerate to digitize more warungs]( Sampoerna operates a network of about 225,000 warungs across Indonesia. 3️⃣ [D2C unicorn Mensa Brands raises $36m in debt funding]( Since its May 2021 launch, the Indian roll-up company has acquired 25 brands across categories such as fashion, home, and beauty. 4️⃣ [Sayurbox shuts down two warehouses in Greater Jakarta]( This news comes after the e-grocery firm laid off 5% of its staff last December. That’s it for this edition - we hope you liked it! Do also check out previous issues of the newsletter [here](. Not your cup of tea? You can unsubscribe from this newsletter by going to your “edit profile” page and choosing that option in our preference center. See you next week! [ADVERTISE]( | [SUBSCRIBE]( | [HIRE]( | [FIND JOBS]( P.S. Don't miss out on the biggest tech news and analysis. Add newsletter@techinasia.com to your address book, contacts, or safe sender list. Or simply move us into your inbox. Too many emails? Switch to a different frequency or get new content through our [preference center]( or [unsubscribe](. You can also break our hearts and remove yourself from all Tech in Asia emails over [here](  Copyright © 2023 Tech in Asia, All rights reserved. 63 Robinson Road, Singapore 068894