自营会是京东外卖的“良药”吗？

Core Viewpoint - JD.com is shifting its strategy in the food delivery market by launching its self-operated service "Qixian Kitchen," investing 1 billion yuan to recruit "dish partners" and aiming to open 10,000 self-operated stores in three years, indicating a significant pivot in its approach to compete in the highly competitive food delivery sector [1][2][3]. Group 1: JD.com's Strategy - JD.com has officially opened its first self-operated delivery store, "Qixian Kitchen," which allows users to order online with options for delivery and self-pickup, but no dine-in service [2][3]. - The company plans to invest over 10 billion yuan in the next three years to establish more than 10,000 "Qixian Kitchen" locations across the country, with partners only needing to provide recipes and participate in development [3][4]. - The initiative aims to provide consumers with quality and affordable food while helping quality restaurants increase sales, thereby eliminating low-quality "ghost kitchens" from the market [3][4]. Group 2: Market Context and Competition - The food delivery market has seen intense competition, with JD.com previously adopting a low-profile approach during the subsidy wars against competitors like Meituan and Ele.me [2][9]. - Despite JD.com's efforts, it has faced significant pressure from established players, with Meituan reporting over 1.2 billion orders in a single day during a recent promotional event, highlighting the scale of competition [10]. - Analysts suggest that JD.com's move to self-operation is a response to the high costs associated with ongoing subsidy wars, as self-operated models may prove to be more cost-effective in the long run [10][11]. Group 3: Consumer Reception and Challenges - Initial consumer feedback for "Qixian Kitchen" has been mixed, with reports of issues such as slow service and order delays, raising concerns about the operational efficiency of the self-operated model [15][16]. - The self-operated approach may face challenges in gaining trust from restaurant partners, as it could be perceived as competing directly with them, potentially limiting their willingness to collaborate [12][13]. - The long-term viability of JD.com's self-operated model remains uncertain, as the food delivery industry is characterized by low margins and high competition, making it difficult to balance the interests of consumers, merchants, and the platform itself [13][14].