21世纪经济报道·2025-12-31 12:50Core Viewpoint - The essence of the e-commerce business is "traffic," and the competition in the industry has evolved into a complex and multi-dimensional landscape, driven by various factors such as technology, consumer habits, and supply chain dynamics [1][2]. Group 1: E-commerce Competition Dynamics - In February 2025, Liu Qiangdong initiated a fierce competition in the food delivery sector, disrupting the market with substantial subsidies, leading to increased spending on sales and marketing by major players like Meituan, Alibaba, and JD.com, which collectively spent an additional 614 billion yuan in the third quarter [1]. - The competition is characterized by a shift from traditional e-commerce to instant retail, with platforms like JD.com, Meituan, and Alibaba engaging in a "comprehensive war" rather than a zero-sum game [2][6]. - The integration of AI in consumer decision-making and the transition of supply chains from a focus on scale to efficiency and resilience are reshaping the industry's development logic [2]. Group 2: Strategic Moves and Financial Implications - JD.com launched a recruitment initiative for quality dining merchants, offering zero commission for early entrants, marking the beginning of the food delivery war [4]. - Alibaba's recent performance indicates a significant growth in its instant retail business, with revenues reaching 229.06 billion yuan, a 60% year-on-year increase, despite a 53% drop in net profit for the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 [6][7]. - The competitive landscape is intensifying, with platforms reflecting on their strategies, as evidenced by Meituan's CEO acknowledging the unsustainable nature of past competitive practices [9]. Group 3: Market Trends and Future Outlook - The ongoing battle for market share in instant retail is not just about creating new consumption scenarios but also about capturing traditional e-commerce users and offline market shares [7][10]. - The industry is entering a phase of refined and localized operations, moving away from "barbaric growth" towards a more sophisticated approach [2][12]. - The exploration of local life and instant retail by platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin continues, despite challenges, indicating that the competition will remain dynamic and multifaceted [10].