Di Yi Cai Jing·2025-07-24 14:34Core Viewpoint - The ongoing subsidy war in the food delivery industry is exerting varying levels of pressure on businesses of different sizes, with larger chains facing challenges in restoring their original pricing structures while smaller businesses are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of aggressive pricing strategies [1][2][4][5]. Group 1: Impact on Different Sized Businesses - Larger chain brands are struggling to return to their previous pricing systems due to irrational subsidies leading to "false prosperity," as highlighted by a tea brand representative [2]. - Local brands, such as "鹅佬柒铺," report a 15% decrease in net revenue per order due to heightened price sensitivity among consumers and competition from high-end brands engaging in price wars [4]. - Smaller businesses, like "老中医喝冰饮," are experiencing a drop in average order value by 7-8 yuan, significantly impacting their profit margins due to their limited bargaining power and higher operational costs [5]. Group 2: Operational Challenges - The surge in orders due to subsidies has increased the workload for frontline staff, with one tea brand noting that doubling orders requires doubling staff, creating uncertainty in labor costs [4]. - A national chain's operations director mentioned that their average order value plummeted from 25 yuan to just over 10 yuan, forcing them to participate in the price war to retain customers [4]. - Economic experts suggest that the focus on large chain sales growth overlooks the negative impacts on high-priced quality merchants and small businesses, advocating for a more equitable resource allocation by platforms to foster a diverse industry ecosystem [5].