Core Viewpoint - Alibaba's launch of the "Gaode Street Ranking" indicates a strategic move to enhance its presence in the "in-store" segment of the food delivery market, which has been dominated by Meituan [1][5]. Group 1: Market Dynamics - The food delivery market operates as a three-sided market involving merchants, delivery riders, and users, but the network effects are weak, leading to negative effects among the three sides [3]. - Meituan's past dominance in the food delivery sector was attributed to its operational scale and refined management, which raised the competitive barriers for rivals [3][4]. - Alibaba's ability to regain market share through subsidies suggests that Meituan's perceived scale advantages may be misleading [4]. Group 2: Challenges for Alibaba - Alibaba faces challenges in enhancing its "in-store" capabilities, as Meituan still holds advantages on the merchant side [5]. - The "in-store" and "at-home" business models differ fundamentally, with "at-home" relying on e-commerce logic focused on price and service, while "in-store" is about content and supply [10][11]. - The introduction of the Gaode Street Ranking is seen as a rebranding of existing local life rankings, lacking innovative solutions to effectively compete in the "in-store" market [11][12]. Group 3: Strategic Implications - The management's unclear strategy for competing in the "in-store" segment indicates a lack of direction in addressing the challenges posed by Meituan [12][13]. - Gaode's differentiation in certain scenarios, such as immediacy and location-based services, does not fundamentally change the underlying e-commerce logic [13]. - The absence of a robust content strategy in Alibaba's local life ecosystem is identified as a critical factor for success in the "in-store" market [15].