Guang Zhou Ri Bao·2025-05-06 14:49Group 1 - Taobao launched a major offensive in the takeaway market by offering 100 million free drinks starting May 6, marking the beginning of a fierce competition among the three major players: Taobao, JD, and Meituan [2][3] - The competition intensified after JD entered the takeaway market, evolving from a two-player scenario between JD and Meituan to a "Three Kingdoms" battle, with significant subsidies being offered by all platforms [3][5] - The surge in online orders has led to increased demand for delivery personnel and resources, with some merchants reporting a need to double their supplies to meet the spike in orders [3][6] Group 2 - The competition for takeaway services is merely a facade, as the real focus is on the defense of instant retail business among Taobao, JD, and Meituan, indicating a broader ecosystem battle [5][6] - Instant retail competition has evolved beyond simple business categories, with Meituan expanding from food delivery to fresh produce and daily necessities, posing a threat to Taobao and JD's market share [5][6] - The instant retail market in China is projected to exceed 1.5 trillion yuan by 2025, with the three giants fiercely competing for market share, highlighting the lucrative nature of this "red ocean" market [6] Group 3 - The competition in instant retail is characterized by a focus on user engagement rather than just GMV growth, with platforms engaging in aggressive strategies including user incentives, product subsidies, and support for delivery personnel [6] - The strategic differences among the platforms reflect their approaches to user needs: JD focuses on high-end quality, Meituan targets frequent necessities, and Taobao emphasizes brand collaboration [6] - Meituan's comprehensive capabilities are recognized, with expectations that it may become the "default operating system" for instant retail, while JD needs to prove its supply chain adaptability and Alibaba faces challenges in ecosystem integration [6]