

Core Insights - The article highlights a significant surge in daily orders for food delivery services, with Taobao Flash Purchase and Ele.me reporting over 80 million daily orders and more than 200 million active users, while Meituan's daily orders exceeded 100 million [1][7][10] - The competition among e-commerce giants has intensified, particularly in the food delivery sector, driven by substantial subsidies aimed at attracting younger consumers and boosting order volumes [1][6][10] E-commerce Competition - Taobao Flash Purchase and Ele.me launched a massive subsidy campaign, with Taobao offering a total of 50 billion yuan in subsidies, leading to a spike in orders and user engagement [7][10] - Meituan reported that its instant retail orders surpassed 120 million, with food delivery orders exceeding 100 million, indicating a strong consumer response to the subsidy initiatives [6][10] Consumer Behavior - The article notes a trend of consumers sharing their experiences on social media, showcasing the benefits of the subsidies, such as receiving multiple drinks for little to no cost [8][9] - The demand for milk tea has been particularly effective in driving sales, as it appeals to younger demographics and has a high frequency of purchase [9][11] Impact on Merchants and Delivery Personnel - Merchants and delivery personnel are experiencing overwhelming order volumes, with reports of some stores receiving over 300 orders in an hour, leading to challenges in fulfilling orders promptly [8][9] - Delivery personnel have reported significant increases in earnings due to the subsidies, with some earning over 1,000 yuan in a single day [8][9] Strategic Implications - The ongoing subsidy wars are seen as a strategic battle for high-frequency traffic and market share in the trillion-yuan instant retail market, with companies aiming to create a closed-loop ecosystem that connects food delivery with other high-value services [10][11] - Experts suggest that while subsidies can drive short-term growth, they may not be sustainable in the long run, potentially leading to a "prisoner's dilemma" scenario within the industry [10][12]