Hangzhou-based Alibaba said its Taobao Instant Commerce initiative was introduced “ahead of schedule” on Friday, according to its post on Weibo. Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post, earlier this week said the service would be rolled out on May 6 and cover 50 major cities across China.
The new service – covering categories that include food, groceries, electronics and clothing – was designed as an upgrade to Alibaba’s original local delivery operation, with orders handled by food delivery unit Ele.me.
Alibaba’s early introduction of the new Taobao service – targeting less than an hour to fulfil online orders of food and consumer items – reflects heightened domestic demand for efficient and affordable delivery, which has become a vital element of urban life in China.
Such efficiency is made possible by China’s millions of delivery workers and powerful algorithms used in the areas of warehousing, mapping and matching.
For Taobao, China’s largest online marketplace, fast delivery is also a means to help boost sales amid slow consumer spending.
