China’s logistics sector has entered the 3.0 era: What kind of story should last‑mile delivery tell?

During the pandemic, users’ demand for same-city logistics surged. However, in the logistics sector… 1.0 and 2.0 In this era, logistics enterprises that originated in e‑commerce are increasingly focused on addressing intercity logistics needs. From… 3 From same-day delivery to next-day delivery, and then to local city‑wide logistics. 30 Minute‑level delivery is becoming the norm in logistics. 3.0 A new challenge of our times.

“The baby’s formula is almost gone, and the delivery service can’t ship it.”

“There’s no milk left at home—where can I buy some?”

“How much longer will it take for my file to reach its destination?”

During the pandemic, community group chats were flooded daily with updates on purchasing daily necessities and delivering supplies. With supermarkets, wet markets, and other retail outlets unable to operate as usual, ensuring that those final few kilometers—delivering goods right to residents’ doors—became a new challenge for the logistics industry.

Picking up the delivery line and charging the electric scooter—on the streets of the city, the answer to this question rests with the ubiquitous delivery riders, who zip through the roads carrying the goods consumers are eagerly awaiting.

In fact, not only during lockdowns but also in consumers’ everyday lives, in addition to the familiar food‑delivery services, there is a surge in demand for same‑city fresh‑produce shopping, flower delivery, and the pickup and last‑mile delivery of essential supplies.

Not long ago, “ Takeout has already been treated as delivery. ” The topic has topped Weibo’s trending list, and netizens have spontaneously shared under the hashtag: “ I haven’t received a package in ages, so I’ve started treating takeout as if it were a delivery. ”、 “ No time to go to the supermarket—just want to lounge at home; delivery can bring anything you want. ”、 “ My nephew’s exam is coming up, so this hardworking office worker quickly placed an order for a set. 53 , delivery to your door ”。

To “ Last mile ” The surge in demand for instant delivery and personalized logistics has endowed same-city logistics with vast market potential and strong growth momentum. From… 3 The item arrived today, to... 30 Receiving goods within minutes has become the central challenge that China’s logistics industry must address today.

01 The Value and Potential of Same-City Logistics

The development of China’s private logistics sector is inextricably linked to the rise of e-commerce; logistics… 1.0 The times and 2.0 The era all originated from the booming growth of e-commerce.

The early development of e‑commerce platforms such as Taobao and JD.com established the “Four通One达” network as a benchmark for intercity logistics, marking the rise of China’s private‑sector logistics industry. 1.0 Era. In 1.0 In this era, cross-city logistics—represented by the “Four通One达” network—has captured the vast majority of the market share, and at this stage, sellers largely hold the upper hand.

In its early stages, logistics was centered on e-commerce parcels.

As consumers increasingly demand faster delivery times and higher-quality service, packages labeled as “fast” and “secure”… “ Next-day delivery ” Logistics is receiving increasing attention, with companies such as JD.com and SF Express leading the way. “ Next-day delivery ” Logistics, driving the logistics industry into 2.0 In this era, one is boosting cross-city logistics efficiency by resetting transit warehouses, while the other is doing so by upgrading its transportation fleet.

In 2.0 In this era, China’s logistics sector continues to be driven by the e‑commerce industry, and its ongoing evolution and upgrades are aimed at enhancing the efficiency of cross‑city parcel delivery.

The rapid evolution of e‑commerce logistics has, in fact, accelerated the sharp surge in consumers’ demand for same‑day delivery. For example, delivery times for e‑commerce parcels have evolved from one week to three days, and now to next‑day delivery right to customers’ doorsteps, as well. “ Nurtured into ” Consumers expect products to be delivered to their doorstep immediately after placing an order.

Fundamentally, 1.0 The times and 2.0 Even today, the needs of intra‑city logistics remain unmet. For consumers, there’s no such thing as “fast enough”—only faster. A surge in instant‑delivery demand is emerging, and the pandemic has imposed new requirements on logistics and delivery services. As a result, intra‑city logistics demand has skyrocketed, posing fresh challenges to logistics companies in terms of capacity, technology, and more.

Office workers often find themselves needing to deliver documents urgently—city‑wide logistics is the best solution. For a friend’s birthday, you can send flowers and a cake as a little surprise via a courier service, with delivery in under an hour. And when you’re craving your favorite takeout or snacks, just tap a few buttons and it’ll be delivered right to your door—all thanks to logistics. 1.0 and 2.0 Capabilities that were not available in that period.

Diversified consumer demands are driving the logistics industry to enter… 3.0 The era. In the context of same-city logistics, for example… 3.0 In this era, the baton has been passed to companies such as Meituan Delivery, Dada, and SF Same‑Day Delivery.
The importance of last-mile delivery networks as part of logistics infrastructure is increasingly being recognized and highlighted.

02 From food delivery to home services, to everything delivered to your home.

Behind the rise of same-city logistics lies, at its core, a quiet shift on both the supply and demand sides.

In the new era of consumption, people are increasingly willing to pay for… “ Time-saving, hassle-free, and effortless ” Pay the bill—actually, many people have reasons why they shouldn’t go out, whether it’s for dining, fresh produce and vegetables, everyday supermarket items, or baby, mother‑and‑baby, and pet supplies. …… Same-city logistics platforms have become the preferred choice in everyday life. They not only save users time by eliminating the need to go out shopping but also enhance their quality of life, making them a convenient service in today’s new retail economy.

Food delivery has become the entry point for same-city logistics services, widely embraced by consumers. Yet beyond food delivery, demand is steadily emerging across a broader range of sectors—ranging from catering and fresh produce to supermarkets, document shipping, personal‑item transport, and last‑mile parcel delivery. A much larger ecosystem of local consumer‑oriented services is now seeking open, high‑quality logistics solutions. “ Takeout ” It has evolved into a service model that goes beyond food delivery—it can deliver just about anything.

Secondly, merchants are expanding into new business scenarios to meet consumer demand, with numerous brick-and-mortar establishments in sectors such as food and beverage, retail, and apparel increasingly offering same-city delivery services. For merchants, this represents an additional business opportunity.

The explosive growth on both the supply and demand sides has brought the hundred-billion‑yuan‑scale same‑city logistics market into sharp focus, with its growth potential now poised to take off. As a result, numerous investors and industry players have set their sights on this space, seeking solutions to deliver goods more efficiently, with higher quality, and at greater speed. In the urban delivery market, food delivery accounts for a significant share. Leveraging the Meituan and Ele.me delivery platforms, the increasingly sophisticated Meituan Delivery and Fengniao services… + Dianwoda has begun entering the same-city logistics sector. 2019 year 5 This month, Meituan further announced the launch of a new brand. “ Meituan Delivery ” and announced the opening of its delivery platform to serve more merchants and users; Dada Group, meanwhile, leverages JD Daojia to expand its delivery operations; SF Same‑Day Delivery, on the other hand, is backed by SF Holding, 2019 In [year], it launched its independent brand, SF Same-City Express Delivery.

SF Express has entered the same-city logistics sector.

Meituan Delivery, Fengniao, Dada, and SF Same-City have all identified the same opportunity: —— A delivery sector that has expanded from the takeout model to include last-mile logistics for fresh produce, supermarkets, and various brick-and-mortar brand stores.

Players who enter the market around the same time have different entry points. However, to excel in same-city logistics, the core capabilities remain consistent: first and foremost, delivery capacity.   Second, supply capacity—namely, the ability to serve merchants.

For example, SF Same‑Day Delivery targets the high‑end market, with a relatively higher average order value. SF also emerged as a logistics player during the e‑commerce logistics era; after launching its same‑day delivery business, a significant portion of its customer base came from its traditional logistics clients. By contrast, Dada is characterized by stable average order values derived from major platforms such as JD Daojia and Jingkelong, with its early core customers primarily needing… O2O Service‑oriented supermarket and retail enterprises are more akin to the instant‑delivery sector. “ Little JD ”。 Meanwhile, Meituan Delivery is extending the delivery capabilities it has built up over years of food‑delivery operations to a broader range of non‑food sectors. 2020 In [year], Meituan Delivery announced an upgrade to its open delivery platform, aiming to build a more open industrial ecosystem. Its general manager, Wei Wei, previously revealed that Meituan Delivery now serves sectors including catering, fresh produce, supermarkets, bookstores, and florists, among others. 620 Merchants across all categories.

Meituan Delivery covers merchants across multiple categories.

Building on the foundation of fast delivery, different product categories actually require tailored fulfillment solutions. For instance, delivering electronics prioritizes timeliness and safety, while shipping flowers and cakes places greater emphasis on minimizing impacts and preventing damage during transit.

From food delivery to fresh‑produce, everyday supermarket items, mother‑and‑baby products, and consumer electronics, Meituan Delivery has launched a range of category‑specific solutions to meet diverse time‑sensitive needs, scenarios, and product lines. Take Starbucks coffee delivery as an example: Meituan provides Starbucks with on‑site, customized delivery services, insulated containers, and a dedicated account team to ensure timely fulfillment.

Meituan Delivery provides customized services for Starbucks.

In the supermarket sector, which it is relatively familiar with, last year… 7 In [month], Dada launched “ Dada Youjian ” The system provides picking services for supermarket and retail stores, supporting order fulfillment tasks such as order picking, product packaging, and delivery, thereby helping merchants improve efficiency in the picking process.

03 Same-city logistics “ Accelerate ”

For today’s urban logistics players, while offering tailored delivery solutions and services to merchants of varying sizes and business models across diverse use cases, technological innovation—particularly in hardware such as autonomous delivery systems—is also emerging as a key strategic pillar for further aligning the industry with the needs of both consumers and businesses. According to media reports, during the pandemic, Meituan’s autonomous delivery fleet entered Fudan University, providing contactless meal delivery services three times a day to faculty and students on campus, ensuring that the final… 100 Contributing to rice delivery. Every morning, noon, and evening, the small vehicle autonomously follows a pre-set route to deliver to each dormitory building on campus. At present, the daily delivery volume is nearly… 2000 Single, a single bicycle can handle over 200 Delivery of meal boxes. Also drawing attention is the route from Jinshan Hospital, affiliated with Fudan University, to the High-tech Zone. “ Drone delivery of medication ” , what once took a half-hour drive can now be delivered by drone in just 15 minutes, while also reducing the risk of cross-infection among volunteers. Delivery within one hour, and even the last few kilometers—or perhaps the very last— 100 In fulfilling its commitments, same-city logistics is increasingly taking center stage across a variety of scenarios.

For merchants, the rise of same-city logistics also opens up a new business model; as the range of deliverable product categories continues to expand, it may spark even more… B The ability of merchants to create new scenarios.

Xiaomi and Meituan have reached a cooperation agreement.

Not long ago, a partner at Xiaomi Group, Redmi In a Weibo post, brand general manager Lu Weibing officially announced the partnership between Xiaomi and Meituan: domestically. 3000 Several Xiaomi Homes have joined the Meituan platform, offering same-city instant delivery for a range of products, including smartphones, smart wearables, smart home devices, and personal care items. For a brand like Xiaomi, traditional e-commerce has already achieved this. “ Buy anytime, anywhere ” , but faster “ Buy and use immediately. ” It still falls short of fully meeting demand. Following the pure‑online and pure‑offline models, the integrated online–offline approach of instant retail, coupled with robust same‑city logistics capabilities, has opened up a new consumption scenario and unlocked fresh market potential—delivering tangible revenue growth for businesses.

During the May Day holiday, dine-in service in Beijing was suspended. While delivery platforms swiftly established online green channels for restaurants, they also highlighted a previously overlooked delivery service. —— Citywide delivery—once merchants activate the service, they can expand their online business scope to include… 3 Beyond the kilometer mark, secure more orders within the same city.

Predictably, in the period ahead, the range of product categories in same-city logistics will become even more diverse, as the internet retail market is transitioning from… “Everything Store” (General Store) ” Change to “Everything Now” (All Things Delivered to Your Door). More and more of the everyday items consumers need can be obtained through… “ Order some takeout. ” Delivery. In-city logistics will also serve as a valuable complement to the broader logistics ecosystem, bridging cross-city and intra-city delivery networks and seamlessly connecting merchants with end consumers.