China is gaining momentum in the field of "retail technology," which is the next-generation technology for the distribution industry, including the operation of unmanned shops. Alibaba Group has jumped to the top of the list in terms of the number of patents obtained, surpassing Alphabet and others in the United States. China holds 20 per cent of the world's patents, and together with the United States, the two countries hold 70 per cent of all patents.
"Retail technology" is cutting-edge technology that uses IT (information technology) to improve the efficiency of the distribution industry, and involves a variety of aspects such as warehouse automation, billing, and analyses of consumer location information. Global retail and e-commerce (EC) giants are stepping up the introduction of these technologies, which have the potential to significantly change the competitive environment of the distribution industry.
Some forecasts say the global market size will increase to three times its 2022 level by 2027, reaching 14 trillion yen. Japan is lagging behind China and the US, with Toshiba and others seeking to make a comeback centred on unmanned technology for shops and warehouses.
According to retail technology expo, Nihon Keizai Shimbun and research firm Astamuse (based in Chiyoda, Tokyo) surveyed retail technology-related patents disclosed from January 2011 to March 2023 in 210 countries and regions. There are about 38,000 patents with valid deadlines still open.
In terms of the number of patents by country, the United States accounted for 54%, the largest number. China follows with 20 percent. According to retail technology expo, China accounted for only about 10% of the world's patents in the five years ending in 2015, but that has increased to 30% in the last five years. Japan, at 6%, is second only to China and the US, but has little presence in the world.
By company, the top spot goes to Alibaba with 1,141 patents. In second place is Alphabet, and third is eBay of the U.S. Thirty-two of the top 50 are U.S.-based companies, followed by China with six. Five Japanese companies, including Rakuten Group in 17th place and Toshiba in 20th place, made the list.
From Alibaba, patents for analysing location information of smartphones and recommending products to users through an app are notable.
In particular, it has an advantage in technology that analyses browsing on e-commerce sites in real time and selects recommended products. Alibaba's global reputation in this area is such that there are many cases of other companies citing similar patents as competing patents when applying for them. Among Chinese companies, Tencent Holdings and others are also at the forefront.
In the U.S., IT giants lead the way in technology development, and companies in a wide range of industries, such as financial institutions, are pushing to secure intellectual property rights.
(source: nikkei)