In recent days, merchants like Mixue Ice City and Cudi Coffee have experienced order surges again, as MEITUAN-W has resumed distributing ice cream pickup vouchers to users, though the approach differs somewhat from previous campaigns.

Internal sources reveal that from August 11 to August 17, MEITUAN-W distributed one ice cream pickup voucher daily to all platform members for seven consecutive days. Additionally, Black Diamond, Black Gold, and Platinum members received 10, 5, and 1 gift vouchers respectively, which users cannot use themselves but must share with friends and family through WeChat and social media platforms.

During a visit to a Cudi Coffee store on the evening of August 13, reporters observed that most customers collecting ice cream came in groups of two or three, with many making additional purchases of beverages and desserts after picking up their free items. Store staff reported experiencing order surges that depleted the ice cream mixture in machines, requiring refreezing, with over thirty unfulfilled orders still pending.

An employee at a neighboring fried chicken restaurant noted that due to the crowds waiting at the coffee shop, some customers also made impulse purchases of fried chicken and wings at their establishment.

While MEITUAN-W previously offered pickup vouchers that could be shared via WeChat, and users spontaneously organized voucher exchange activities on social media, this marks the first time the platform officially facilitated social viral marketing through gift vouchers.

The shift in promotional strategies reflects MEITUAN-W's changing approach and objectives in the food delivery war. In July, Taobao Flash Delivery and Ele.me launched "Super Saturday" campaigns with substantial subsidies, offering generous discounts like "18.8 yuan off orders over 18.8 yuan" and "18.8 yuan off orders over 28 yuan." These promotions rapidly increased order volumes for Taobao Flash Delivery and Ele.me, disrupting the previously stable market structure.

MEITUAN-W initially adopted a defensive stance in the food delivery war, using lower subsidy investments and higher operational efficiency to maintain order volume leadership over Taobao Flash Delivery. However, circumstances changed around the autumn equinox when Taobao Flash Delivery increased subsidies for three consecutive days during the "First Autumn Milk Tea" campaign, while MEITUAN-W maintained original subsidy levels for just one day. Reports indicate that Taobao Flash Delivery's order peak first exceeded MEITUAN-W during this period.

Sources indicate that Taobao Flash Delivery maintains an aggressive stance toward the food delivery war, having increased subsidy budgets to prepare for a prolonged battle. Consequently, MEITUAN-W has shifted focus from purely outpacing Taobao Flash Delivery in order volume to maintaining member user activity and loyalty.

Li Chengdong, founder of Dolphin Society and e-commerce industry analyst, notes that while subsidy-driven market share doesn't reflect true strength, sustained competitor subsidies create pressure for MEITUAN-W to respond. However, he doesn't believe MEITUAN-W has lost strategic focus.

MEITUAN-W's membership system categorizes users into six tiers—Regular, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Black Gold, and Black Diamond—based on accumulated spending growth points. Recently, higher-tier members have received not only ice cream pickup and gift vouchers but also vouchers for non-food items like canvas bags and towels.

Internal sources reveal that platform consumption data shows over 30% of users picking up items at tea shops during hot summer periods make additional in-store purchases, presenting opportunities to boost merchant sales. MEITUAN-W plans to continue using social features encouraging members to bring friends and family to offline stores, extending member value from individual consumption to social domains and bringing new customers to merchants.

MEITUAN-W's recent actions clearly indicate preparation for a prolonged food delivery war. While the company has historically maintained advantages in merchant supply, delivery capacity, and operational efficiency, Alibaba possesses greater cash reserves and higher e-commerce profit margins. Should the food delivery war extend beyond one year, MEITUAN-W will inevitably face funding pressures.

Under these circumstances, using social viral marketing to enhance user activity and loyalty represents a cost-effective choice that helps identify new growth scenarios and expansion opportunities. Tencent affiliate Pinduuo has previously validated social viral marketing through WeChat. Pinduuo's group buying, price-cutting, and assistance red packet features cleverly integrated shopping behaviors into social scenarios, leveraging WeChat users' social networks for viral information spread.

Li Chengdong considers MEITUAN-W's increased investment in social features reasonable, noting that social campaigns offering discounts cheaper than direct store visits will attract users. "Due to various objective factors, subsidies can no longer be implemented through simple, aggressive methods. More refined operational approaches can generate new growth."

However, Li believes social viral marketing cannot match the growth impact of direct subsidies. Long-term, such social viral strategies won't substantially influence actual market dynamics. Once subsidies recede, consumers will prioritize product quality and service capabilities, returning to previous patterns. The primary change is that food delivery wars have generated some incremental growth, slightly expanding the overall market.

For Alibaba, food delivery represents just a small portion of its e-commerce business, but for MEITUAN-W, food delivery serves as a traffic gateway, driving relatively lower-frequency but higher-margin store visit businesses—making it an absolutely crucial battleground.

"Food delivery war winners cannot be determined solely by short-term order volumes and strategies. Long-term, this industry remains winner-take-all, with users ultimately returning to the platform with the largest market share," Li stated.