Core Viewpoint - A significant subsidy war has erupted among instant retail platforms, leading to a surge in order volume, with daily orders increasing from approximately 100 million in May to 200 million currently, driven by substantial financial incentives from platforms like Taobao Flash Sale and Meituan [1][6][7]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - The recent subsidy war involves a broader range of categories and merchants, including independent coffee shops, fast food, bakeries, and community fresh food stores, unlike previous subsidy battles that focused mainly on chain brands [4]. - Taobao Flash Sale announced a direct consumer and merchant subsidy of 50 billion yuan over 12 months, significantly boosting its daily order volume and user engagement [6][7]. - As of July 5, Meituan reported over 1.2 billion daily orders, with more than 1 billion being food delivery orders, indicating a strong competitive response to Taobao's initiatives [7]. Group 2: Competitive Landscape - JD's entry into the market with a 10 billion yuan subsidy has also intensified competition, with JD's daily order volume surpassing 25 million and capturing over 31% of the national food delivery market [6]. - The instant retail market in China is rapidly growing, with a projected scale of 6.5 trillion yuan in 2023, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 28.89%, and expected to exceed 20 trillion yuan by 2030 [7][8]. Group 3: Operational Challenges - Merchants have expressed challenges in handling the sudden influx of orders due to the unexpected nature of the subsidy campaigns, leading to operational strains [4][5]. - Delivery personnel have reported increased workloads and delays in order fulfillment, highlighting the logistical challenges posed by the surge in demand [5].
美团、淘宝“杀疯了”