Core Insights - The core focus of the article is the intense competition among major e-commerce platforms in the instant retail sector during this year's "Double 11" shopping festival, shifting from price wars to rapid delivery services [2][4][10] Group 1: Instant Retail Competition - Major platforms like Taobao, Meituan, and JD.com are competing fiercely in the instant retail space, with a focus on "minute-level delivery" as a key selling point for this year's "Double 11" [5][6] - Taobao's flash purchase service introduced a "20-minute delivery or free" promotion, resulting in significant order increases, with night snack orders doubling in some cities [2][5] - JD.com reported a 350% increase in user transactions for 3C digital accessories and a 14-fold increase in orders for electric hot pots during the same period [5][6] Group 2: Market Dynamics and Changes - The competitive landscape has shifted, with Meituan's market share decreasing from 74% to 65%, while Ele.me's share increased to 28% and JD.com maintained 7% [8] - A report indicates that even without subsidies, Taobao and Ele.me could lead the market with a combined share of 34.2%, while JD.com follows closely with 33.5% [8][9] Group 3: Strategic Upgrades and Ecosystem Development - The battle in instant retail reflects a broader strategic upgrade among giants, with Alibaba transitioning from an e-commerce platform to a "big consumption platform" [10][11] - JD.com is also enhancing its ecosystem by integrating instant retail with its core retail and travel services, aiming to boost user engagement and transaction frequency [10][11] Group 4: Financial Implications and Challenges - The costs associated with the "delivery war" have been substantial, with Alibaba, JD.com, and Meituan spending approximately 100 billion, 151 billion, and 77 billion respectively on their delivery services [12] - Financial reports show significant profit declines for these companies, with Alibaba's net profit down 18%, JD.com's down 50.8%, and Meituan's adjusted profit down 89% [12] Group 5: Merchant Experiences and Regulatory Environment - Merchants have expressed confusion and frustration over new delivery platform systems, leading to reduced earnings despite increased order volumes [13][14] - Regulatory scrutiny has increased, with authorities urging platforms to adhere to fair competition practices, which has led to a cooling off of the aggressive subsidy strategies [14][15]
“双11”战场突变:即时零售“三国杀”从百亿补贴转向体验之争