Economic Daily: Instant Retail Brings a New Shopping Experience
2025-08-03 07:29:48

Li Yongjian, a researcher at the Institute of Finance and Economics Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a professor at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, stated that young consumer groups are increasingly demanding "speed" and expecting instant enjoyment and gratification. "Speed" has become a service experience that transcends the product itself. Unlike traditional remote e-commerce, which relies on the "what you see is what you get" model, service-oriented e-commerce, represented by instant retail, emphasizes "delivery before purchase," precisely targeting younger users who are more sensitive to timeliness. Recently, many users have discovered that while food delivery platforms were previously primarily used for food and beverages, flash sales platforms now offer not only groceries but also cosmetics and skincare products, with fast delivery. The instant retail category is becoming increasingly diverse. Data shows that over the past three years, categories such as fresh produce, pharmaceuticals, and flowers have achieved a compound annual growth rate of 45%, exceeding that of the restaurant industry. For example, within less than a month of its launch, Taobao's flash sales exceeded 40 million orders per day. During this year's "618" shopping festival, Meituan's flash sales saw sales double across over 60 categories, with high-priced items like mobile phones, liquor, milk powder, and home appliances experiencing a threefold increase overall, and nearly 850 brands saw sales double.
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