China’s biggest ecommerce players—JD.com, Alibaba, and Meituan—are transforming the retail landscape with a fierce contest to lead the country’s instant delivery market. Booming consumer demand for goods delivered within an hour has sparked a multi-billion-yuan race, characterized by relentless innovation, dizzying order volumes, and a race-to-the-bottom price war.
Daily orders for instant delivery have surged to historic highs. Meituan reported a record 150 million daily orders in July 2025, while Alibaba’s Taobao Instant Commerce has surpassed 80 million daily orders since expanding nationwide just months ago.
Platforms now commonly offer 30- to 60-minute delivery windows for food, groceries, electronics, and daily necessities. Once-cautious shoppers now expect their purchases to arrive faster than ever. To support the surge, JD.com, Alibaba, and Meituan have rapidly scaled up their logistics infrastructure, leveraging data analytics, sprawling fulfillment networks, and armies of delivery riders.
2025 has seen the giants unleash unprecedented discounts and subsidies. Alibaba and JD.com each pledged 10 billion yuan ($1.38 billion) in instant delivery promotions; Meituan and Alibaba have both announced separate 50 billion yuan ($7 billion) subsidy programs to lure shoppers and vendors.
While consumers enjoy daily bargains—like 20-yuan ($2.77) meal discounts—the platforms are absorbing steep short-term losses to outpace rivals and retain price-conscious users.
Authorities encourage “orderly competition” and fair treatment for all stakeholders, including riders and merchants. The price war’s impact on profit margins and worker conditions is under growing examination, even as companies double down on fulfillment speed and reach.
China’s ecommerce delivery war is changing how hundreds of millions shop, work, and eat—ushering in a future where convenience, speed, and technology are the ultimate sources of competitive advantage.
