E-commerce offers opportunities for logistics property

The rise in e-commerce will hasten the decline of the shopping mall, but opportunities exist for partnerships between logistics property developers and large e-commerce firms, a key report said.

There are risks for some segments of the market, particularly at the low-end, but nearly everyone in the retail sector can improve interaction with customers in order to succeed, according to a white paper released by global real estate services firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) on Tuesday.

"Meanwhile, the e-commerce market's structural reorientation towards business-to-consumer platforms makes the logistics sector the most attractive real estate opportunity in China," said Michael Klibaner, head of research Greater China at JLL.

China's online market will exceed $1 trillion by 2020, dwarfing all competitors, the Boston Consulting Group estimated.

China's rise as a titan among global e-commerce markets promises will transform the way goods there are shopped for, purchased, stored and delivered. Developers, brands and operators will need to stay ahead of the trends in e-commerce in order to remain competitive in the future, added Klibaner.