Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the significant changes in the branding and operational integration of Ele.me into Taobao's flash delivery service, highlighting the gradual phasing out of Ele.me's identity within Alibaba's ecosystem. Group 1: Branding Changes - Taobao's new delivery uniforms have been officially released, featuring a modern design primarily in Taobao's orange color, with minimal Ele.me branding [1][3] - The name of the delivery personnel has changed from "Blue Knights" to "City Knights," indicating a shift away from Ele.me's branding [3][4] - Ele.me's branding elements are increasingly being replaced by Taobao's, as seen in their recent social media posts, which predominantly feature Taobao flash delivery content [9][17] Group 2: Financial and Strategic Implications - Alibaba's management has elevated instant retail to a status comparable to AI, yet they have not mentioned Ele.me in their discussions, focusing instead on Taobao flash delivery [5][6] - The article suggests that Ele.me, acquired for $9.5 billion in 2018, may be on the verge of being phased out after seven years of declining performance [8][23] - The integration of Ele.me into Taobao's operations is seen as a strategic move to strengthen Alibaba's overall brand and operational efficiency [18][20] Group 3: Competitive Landscape - The article notes that Ele.me's market share is significantly smaller than its competitor Meituan, with Alibaba's delivery business only capturing one-third of Meituan's scale in some regions [7][26] - The branding of Taobao flash delivery is positioned to compete directly with Meituan's flash delivery service, creating potential confusion among consumers regarding the "flash delivery" term [29][30] - The article highlights the importance of branding in the competitive landscape, suggesting that Ele.me's name is less valuable compared to Taobao flash delivery, which is more aligned with Alibaba's broader retail strategy [26][27]