Alibaba tied its record with 80 million on-demand deliveries on July 11, according to a company announcement on July 14.

The spike came as Alibaba, Meituan, Taobao, Ele.me, and JD.com launched promotional campaigns over the weekend, offering discounts and free products in China’s competitive quick-delivery market.

Taobao Shangou, Alibaba’s instant commerce brand, reported a 15% rise in daily active users, reaching around 230 million.

Promotions included free milk tea from Meituan, surprise coupons from Taobao worth 18.80 yuan, and 100,000 servings of crayfish from JD.com each night at 16.18 yuan (US$2.26).

JD.com also reported a record 150 million instant retail orders on July 11.

🔗 Source: South China Morning Post

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ Quick commerce wars follow historical patterns of retail disruption

The battle between Meituan, Taobao, Ele.me, and JD.com is part of a decades-long evolution in retail where speed and convenience drive market transformation.

In the early 2000s, Amazon pioneered a similar disruption with Prime’s two-day shipping promise, which was considered an “indulgent luxury” at launch but fundamentally changed consumer expectations across the entire retail sector 1.

This pattern of competition through delivery speed has consistently reshaped retail, from the introduction of FedEx’s overnight delivery revolution in the 1980s, when they reported revenues of $1.5 billion, to Amazon’s two-day shipping model 2.

Quick commerce represents the latest acceleration of this trend, with delivery times compressed from days to minutes, mirroring how retail has evolved from general stores to department stores to e-commerce and now to ultra-fast delivery 3.

The Chinese platforms’ strategy of using extreme promotions mirrors historical retail transitions, where new business models initially subsidize services to change consumer habits before eventually needing to establish sustainable economics.

2️⃣ Subsidy-driven promotions create lasting changes in consumer expectations

The freebies and dramatic discounts seen in China’s delivery wars create permanent shifts in consumer behavior that outlast the promotional period itself.

Research shows that 77% of consumers now prefer items that can be delivered in two days or less, and the demand for same-day and next-day delivery continues to rise—expectations largely shaped by aggressive promotional strategies from companies like Amazon 4.

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