在剛過去的這個週末，中國即時零售與外送平台之間爆發堪稱「史詩級」的訂單爭奪戰。京東、美團與阿里旗下的淘寶閃購，三大平台紛紛以大額補貼與強力行銷手段進行「週末衝單」競賽，甚至有業內人士形容這是一場沒有硝煙但極其慘烈的「外賣補貼戰爭」。

根據公開資料顯示，僅在週六一天，淘寶閃購就完成超過8000萬單，美團更極限反擊，單日訂單量衝破1.2億筆，成為目前即時零售市場上的短期冠軍。京東作為「後發者」，則在物流與價格上大打「實力牌」，以「半小時達」、「底價搶購」等口號吸引消費者注意。阿里更是放出豪言，宣布未來100天，每個週六都要發起訂單攻勢，形成長線作戰態勢。

為何這些平台願意如此高強度地燒錢打補貼戰？其背後原因並非單純的銷量，而是關乎即時零售這塊「新戰場」的用戶心智爭奪與生態佈局主導權。

即時零售，簡單來說，就是將商品從線下門店或倉庫透過外送系統，在1小時甚至30分鐘內送到消費者手中，涵蓋範圍從餐飲外賣、超市雜貨、生鮮水果，延伸到藥品、母嬰、寵物用品等全品類。這個模式並非新創，但隨著中國消費習慣的變遷、物流基礎設施的成熟與平台之間的整合能力提升，即時零售在2024年起被視為新一輪零售革命的關鍵引擎。

美團長期佔據外賣市場主導地位，其本身即為即時零售的代表平台。但淘寶與京東也不願拱手讓出這塊高潛力市場。淘寶閃購整合阿里體系內的盒馬、銀泰、大潤發等線下門店與天貓商家，強攻大促節奏與補貼吸引流量，試圖讓用戶形成「有急用、找淘寶閃購」的品牌聯想。京東則依託自家倉儲配送系統，強調正品、效率與可靠性，希望在「家電、數碼、日用品即時購」領域建立護城河。

補貼策略則是這場戰爭的「地基與燃料」。平台透過補貼，不僅可以吸引大量新用戶下單，還能刺激老用戶增加使用頻率，進而提高整體活躍度與訂單密度。某種程度上，平台更希望透過大規模補貼換取用戶習慣的養成，讓即時零售成為消費者購物日常的一部分。這一點尤其重要，因為消費者一旦習慣某平台的即時便利與服務，就很難輕易轉移至競爭對手。

然而，這樣激烈的補貼戰，能燒多久？市場普遍認為，補貼只能作為前期戰術手段，無法長期維持。平台最終仍需提升履約效率、供應鏈整合與用戶留存，才能實現可持續經營。從目前趨勢看，美團雖然在規模與基礎上仍有優勢，但淘寶與京東的資源動員與補貼能力不容小覷，尤其淘寶閃購在大促節奏設計與品牌導流上顯示出明顯攻勢。

市場評價方面，投資界與產業分析人士對此現象呈現兩極反應。一方面，大家認為這顯示出即時零售已成未來零售新主戰場，平台願意投入即意味著前景看好；但另一方面，也有聲音擔憂當下競爭過於依賴「砸錢」與價格戰，恐導致行業毛利率下降、用戶對補貼形成依賴，最終難以建立健康的商業模式。

總結來看，這場即時零售大戰不只是三大巨頭之間的較量，更是中國整體零售格局變革的縮影。它不只關乎誰能贏得眼下的訂單，更關乎誰能在消費者心中建立「下一代購物場景」的標準。而補貼，只是這場戰爭的第一回合，真正的考驗才剛剛開始。

This past weekend, China witnessed an all-out "epic battle" between major instant retail and food delivery platforms. JD.com, Meituan, and Alibaba's Taobao Flash Sale all launched aggressive "weekend order surge" campaigns, fueled by substantial subsidies and heavy marketing. Industry insiders have described it as a "war of food delivery subsidies"—intense and cutthroat, though devoid of gunfire.

According to public data, Taobao Flash Sale alone completed over 80 million orders on Saturday. Meituan launched a fierce counterattack, pushing its single-day order volume past 120 million, securing a temporary lead in the instant retail market. JD.com, a relative newcomer in this space, emphasized its logistical strength and pricing power, promoting slogans such as "30-minute delivery" and "rock-bottom prices" to capture consumer attention. Alibaba also made a bold declaration, announcing a 100-day offensive campaign, with order pushes planned for every Saturday going forward—signaling a long-term strategy.

Why are these platforms willing to burn cash at such an intense level? The motivation lies not merely in short-term sales volume, but rather in a strategic battle for user mindshare and dominance in the emerging field of instant retail.

Instant retail refers to a model where goods—ranging from restaurant meals, groceries, fresh produce, to medicine, baby products, and pet supplies—are delivered from offline stores or warehouses to consumers within one hour, or even just 30 minutes. While not a brand-new concept, the model has gained significant traction since 2024 thanks to changing consumer habits in China, improved logistics infrastructure, and stronger integration capabilities among platforms. As a result, instant retail is now viewed as a key driver of the next wave of retail innovation.

Meituan has long held a dominant position in the food delivery sector and is often seen as the representative platform for instant retail. However, both Taobao and JD.com are unwilling to cede this high-potential market. Taobao Flash Sale is leveraging Alibaba’s ecosystem—integrating physical retailers like Freshippo (Hema), Intime, and RT-Mart, along with Tmall merchants—to drive heavy promotions and attract traffic through subsidies. Their goal is to build a consumer perception that “for urgent needs, go to Taobao Flash Sale.” JD.com, on the other hand, is relying on its self-operated warehouse and logistics system to emphasize authenticity, speed, and reliability, aiming to establish a stronghold in instant purchases of electronics, daily essentials, and digital goods.

Subsidy strategy is both the foundation and fuel of this war. Through subsidies, platforms can attract large numbers of new users, incentivize existing users to place more frequent orders, and increase overall platform engagement and order density. More importantly, platforms aim to cultivate user habits through large-scale subsidies, making instant retail a part of everyday shopping routines. Once consumers get used to the convenience and immediacy of a particular platform, switching to competitors becomes less likely.

But how long can this intense subsidy war last? The general consensus in the market is that subsidies are only a short-term tactical tool and not a sustainable long-term solution. Platforms must eventually focus on improving fulfillment efficiency, supply chain integration, and user retention to achieve long-term viability. So far, Meituan retains an edge in scale and infrastructure, but the resource mobilization and subsidy firepower of Taobao and JD.com cannot be underestimated. In particular, Taobao Flash Sale has demonstrated a strong offensive posture through well-designed promotional cycles and brand traffic conversion.

Market reactions are divided. On one hand, investors and analysts see this as a sign that instant retail has become the new battleground of the retail industry, and the willingness of platforms to invest suggests strong growth potential. On the other hand, some express concern that current competition relies too heavily on subsidies and price wars, potentially eroding industry profit margins and fostering user dependence on discounts—ultimately hindering the establishment of a healthy business model.

In summary, this instant retail battle is not merely a showdown among three tech giants; it is a reflection of the broader transformation of China's retail landscape. It's not just about who wins the most orders today, but who can define the "next generation shopping experience" in the minds of consumers. Subsidies may mark the opening chapter of this war, but the real test is only just beginning.