Discussing E-Commerce
Hello, this is Ted Bigger.
This is Anna Chan from the market journal. I sent you an email last week. I’m writing an article on the current state of e-commerce in the U.S. and want to ask you a few questions.
PS: 我是《市场日报》的陈安娜。上周我给你发了封邮件。我正在写一篇关于美国电子商务现状的文章，想问你几个问题。
journal报纸，刊物，杂志; …报; 日志; 日记
sent邮寄; 发送; 传达; 转致; 告知; 派遣; 打发; 安排去; send的过去分词和过去式
last week上星期
e-commerce同 e-business; 电子商务
want to应该
a few几个; 〔反语〕很多; 一点点
Hi Anna. Yes,I remember.
Are you still available to talk?
PS: 你还有空谈吗？
Sure, be happy to talk. What would you like to ask?
Well, as digital sales are projected to grow 30 percent in next five years, e-commerce has become larger and more diverse, where there had once only been a few large companies, we are not seeing a new generation of startups emerging. How do you think this will impact the market?
PS: 好，随着数字销售预计在未来五年内增长30%，电子商务已经变得更大、更多样化，在过去只有几家大公司的地方，我们没有看到新一代初创企业的出现。你认为这会对市场产生什么影响？
projected规划; 计划; 拟订方案; 预测; 预计; 推想; 放映; 投射; 投影; project的过去分词和过去式
grow扩大; 增加; 增强; 长大; 长高; 发育; 成长; 生长
five years五年
e-commerce同 e-business; 电子商务
diverse不同的; 相异的; 多种多样的; 形形色色的
a few几个; 〔反语〕很多; 一点点
seeing看见; 见到; 看出; 看得见; 看; 有视力; 观看; see的现在分词
emerging出现，浮现，露出; 暴露; 露出真相; 被知晓; 露头; 显现; 显露;
impact巨大影响; 强大作用; 撞击; 冲撞; 冲击力; 有影响，有作用; 冲击
Well, I think it means that the e-commerce will become a lot more competitive. But also more innovative, which will be good for the market and customers too.
PS: innovative引进新思想的; 采用新方法的; 革新的; 创新的
So, what are some interesting examples of innovation that you’ve seen in these companies?
I’m very interested in how some companies are exploring the new kinds of business models. Traditionally, e-commerce companies have operated on a wholesale model, where they act to stores selling products to customers. But this has had some problems like inventory risk. For example, if something doesn’t sell well, a company will lose money. So some of the startups are creating platforms that help brands sell directly to customers.
PS: 我对一些公司如何探索新的商业模式很感兴趣。传统上，电子商务公司采用批发模式，在批发模式下，他们在商店向客户销售产品。但这也存在一些问题，比如库存风险。例如，如果某物卖不好，公司就会赔钱。因此，一些初创企业正在创建平台，帮助品牌直接向客户销售产品。
interested in感兴趣; 尽力; 关心; 对…关注
exploring勘探; 勘查; 探索; 考察; 探究; 调查研究; 探讨; 探察，探查; explore的现在分词
kinds of各种各样的; 不同种类; 是很多种
Traditionally传统上; 传说上
act to对待
inventory risk存货风险
By that you mean they’re just creating the channel and letting brands managing inventory themselves. It’s like building an online platform on top different companies operating models.
PS: 你的意思是他们只是在创造渠道，让品牌自己管理库存。这就像在不同的运营模式上建立一个在线平台。
creating创造; 创作; 创建; 造成，引起，产生; 授予; 册封; create的现在分词
channel电视台; 频道; 波段; 途径; 渠道; 系统; 为…引资; 引导; 贯注; 输送资金，提供帮助; 输送，传送
letting出租期限; 允许; 让; 准许; 许可; 同意; let的现在分词
managing完成; 勉力完成; 能解决; 应付; 凑合着活下去; 支撑; manage的现在分词
inventory清单; 财产清单; 存货，库存; 开列清单
themselves他们自己; 她们自己; 它们自己; (用以强调they或复数主语)他们亲自，他们本身; 指性别不详的人时，用以代替himself或herself; herself的复数
platform站台; 月台; 讲台; 舞台; 平台; 把…放在台上; 为…设台; 演讲
on top在上面;在顶上; 处于最高职位
operating经营的; 营业的; 业务上的; 运转; 工作; 操作; 控制; 使运行; 使用;
That’s right. Another interesting development has been a business model that doesn’t sell products but rent them out. One company,TodaysHandbag.com offers a subscription service that allows customers to rent handbags rather than buy them. Instead of constantly buying new inventory ,the company focuses on maintaining it.
PS: 没错。另一个有趣的发展是一种商业模式，它不出售产品，而是出租。一家名为TodaysHandbag.com的公司提供订阅服务，允许客户租用手提包，而不是购买。公司不经常购买新的存货，而是专注于维护存货。
business model商业模式
handbags小手提包; 坤包; handbag的复数
rather than而不
Instead of代替; 作为…的替换
constantly始终; 一直; 重复不断地
focuses集中; 调节焦距; 聚焦; focus的第三人称单数
maintaining维持; 保持; 维修; 保养; 坚持; 固执己见; maintain的现在分词
So with this new model emerging, do you think the traditional e-commerce will be disrupted?
PS: 那么，随着这种新模式的出现，你认为传统的电子商务会被打乱吗？
new model新型
emerging出现，浮现，露出; 暴露; 露出真相; 被知晓; 露头; 显现; 显露;
Not yet. Innovation doesn’t always lead to disruption. But traditional model are still reliable. One of the main challenges for platform based companies is that they don’t have full control of products. If an item unexpectedly goes out of stock or has quality problems, there isn’t much they can do. It’s hard for them to guarantee consistency. And online rental business is still experimental to be profitable.
PS: 还没有。创新并不总是导致破坏。但是传统的模型仍然是可靠的。平台型公司面临的主要挑战之一是，它们对产品没有完全的控制权。如果一件商品突然缺货或出现质量问题，他们无能为力。他们很难保证一致性。而在线租赁业务仍在尝试盈利。
disruption中断;扰乱;混乱
One of…之一
unexpectedly意外地; 出乎意料地; 无意
out of stock缺货
consistency一致性; 连贯性; 黏稠度; 密实度; 平滑度; 坚实度
experimental以实验为基础的; 实验性的; 试验性的; 科学实验的; 科学试验的
profitable有利润的; 赢利的; 有益的; 有好处的
So if innovation doesn’t equal to disruption, what are your predictions for the industry going forward?
PS: 所以，如果创新不等于颠覆，你对行业未来的预测是什么？
innovation创造; 创新; 改革; 新思想; 新方法
equal to等于
disruption中断;扰乱;混乱
what什么; …的事物; 无论什么; 凡是…的事物; 多么; 真; 太
your你的; 您的; 你们的; 大家的，人们的; 指有名或经常被谈论的人或事物
predictions预言; 预测; 预告; prediction的复数
industry工业; 生产制造; 行业; 勤奋; 勤劳
going forward向前
I think you can’t expect to see the market become more diverse rather than consolidators run one model. There are too many kinds of customers for one model our company to dominate to the market. But as more companies try out new models and practices, it will be interesting to see which one is get out it.
PS: 我认为，你不能指望市场变得更加多样化，而不是整合者经营一种模式。我们公司一个型号的客户太多，无法在市场上占主导地位。但是，随着越来越多的公司尝试新的模式和实践，看看哪一个是走出去将是有趣的。
expect to期待
rather than而不
consolidator n.集运人；集装箱集装承运商 consolidate 合并整合
There are有; 可数名词的复数形式; 许多重要事情要谈
too many太多; 太多了; 太多的
kinds of各种各样的; 不同种类; 是很多种
for one举个例说
dominate支配; 控制; 左右; 影响; 在…中具有最重要的特色; 在…中拥有最重要的位置; 俯视; 高耸于
try out试验; 测验
which one哪一个; 哪个; 哪辆
get out逃离; 被迫离开; 外出; 参加社交活动; 退出; 收回; 泄露，为人所知
Okay, that was very helpful. Thanks so much for speaking with me today.
Of course, let me know if you need follow up anything else.
Yes,I certainly will.