Hua Er Jie Jian Wen·2025-06-24 10:33Core Viewpoint - The competition in the instant retail market has intensified, with major players like Meituan, Alibaba, and JD.com making strategic moves to capture market share and reshape the e-commerce landscape [2][3][8]. Group 1: Meituan's Strategic Moves - Meituan announced a significant expansion of its instant retail business, with its Xiaoxiang Supermarket set to cover all first- and second-tier cities [2]. - Concurrently, Meituan has decided to withdraw its Meituan Preferred service in several provinces, citing operational efficiency and strategic realignment [3][4]. - The company reported a substantial loss of 7.3 billion yuan in its new business segment, primarily attributed to the Meituan Preferred service, although losses have narrowed [3][8]. Group 2: Market Dynamics and Competition - The instant retail market is now characterized by a four-way competition involving Meituan, Alibaba, JD.com, and Pinduoduo, each adjusting their strategies to capture consumer demand [2][8]. - Meituan's focus on improving delivery efficiency through its rider network and flash warehouses is seen as a competitive advantage in this new retail landscape [7]. - The recent actions by Alibaba to integrate Ele.me and Fliggy into Taotian further emphasize the importance of instant retail in the overall e-commerce strategy [8][9]. Group 3: Consumer Behavior and Market Challenges - Consumers are likely to shift to other platforms like Pinduoduo for grocery needs due to higher prices at Xiaoxiang Supermarket compared to Meituan Preferred [5][6]. - The transition from Meituan Preferred to Xiaoxiang Supermarket may lead to user attrition, as consumers seek more cost-effective options [4][6]. - The evolving consumer preferences indicate that instant retail may not completely replace traditional e-commerce but will coexist, catering to different product categories [9].