晚点独家丨淘宝便利店将上线，淘宝闪购开始自己的品牌升级

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the launch of "Taobao Convenience Store" by Taobao Flash Sale, aiming to enhance the quality of instant retail by collaborating with brand merchants and providing a platform for better service and product offerings [4][10]. Group 1: Taobao Convenience Store Launch - Taobao Flash Sale is set to launch "Taobao Convenience Store," which will operate 24/7 and offer around 10,000 SKUs across various categories, significantly more than typical convenience stores [4][7]. - The initiative aims to select high-quality merchants and improve service and product quality, addressing the challenges faced by existing instant retail models [7][10]. - The first batch will include over 30 merchant partnerships, with plans to expand to 2,000 stores across 200 cities by next year [7][10]. Group 2: Market Context and Competition - The competition in the instant retail space has intensified over the past two years, with platforms like Meituan and Ele.me also exploring similar models [8][13]. - Instant retail has seen significant growth, with daily orders exceeding 200 million, particularly in categories like apparel and snacks [8][12]. - The article highlights the challenges faced by existing flash warehouses, including low repurchase rates and intense price competition [11][12]. Group 3: Merchant Standards and Quality Control - Taobao Convenience Store will implement strict entry requirements and ongoing assessments for merchants, focusing on service metrics such as order fulfillment and return rates [9][10]. - The platform will not control inventory but will monitor merchant performance, including managing high return rates and customer complaints [9][10]. - The goal is to elevate the overall quality of products and services offered through the platform, leveraging its influence to drive improvements [10][12]. Group 4: Future Outlook - The article suggests that the instant retail sector is at a pivotal point, with brand merchants increasingly interested in participating due to significant investments in the delivery market [13]. - The shift from white-label products to branded offerings is seen as a necessary evolution for the industry, similar to the trajectory of platforms like Pinduoduo [12][13]. - The focus moving forward will be on enhancing supply quality and integrating brand merchants into the instant retail ecosystem [13].