E633: I Snuck Into Alibaba's China HQ

Dave recounts his visit to Alibaba's headquarters in Hangzhou, China, after being turned away from an Amazon conference. He contrasts Alibaba's origins as a sourcing platform with its current status, highlighting its Taobao marketplace as larger than Amazon in terms of gross merchandise volume. Dave shares his experience trying to enter Alibaba's headquarters and describes the modern, co-working style environment. He notes the absence of founder Jack Ma due to his criticism of the Chinese financial system. Dave also explores Alibaba's e-commerce incubator, which invests in D2C brands founded by former employees, and contrasts the support for e-commerce in China with the West's focus on taxation.