Douyin Begins to Explore New Food Delivery Model
According to a report by Tech Planet on July 15, users of Douyin, the Chinese mainland version of TikTok, can now purchase combo meal delivery services from restaurants through the platform.
By clicking on product links attached to the short video interface of restaurants, users find there is an additional function called “group purchase and distribution” within the store.
After the user selects the goods to be delivered, fills in the address and pays the order, the purchased food can be delivered to their home. The whole transaction process is not very different from ordering food on common delivery platforms. However, this function is provided directly by Douyin, instead of the mini programs built by the merchant or accessing third-party food delivery mini programs.
These services are still under small-scale testing. At present, some merchants in Shanghai and other places have obtained the service authority, while group purchases and distribution services are mainly used in businesses with higher unit prices.
A product manager of an internet giant revealed to Tech Planet that Douyin’s group purchase and distribution service is different from the existing platform food delivery. Except for the same shopping process, Douyin’s service does not have its own distribution team, so it still relies on merchants for distribution, such as contacting other delivery platforms. Strictly speaking, the service is still in the preliminary stage of home delivery service, but it has great potential.
In fact, Douyin has been trying new models for its food delivery business. In July last year, the platform began to alpha test a food delivery mini program called “Xindong Waimai.” However, in the nearly two months after the mini program went online, there were no other new actions. In October 2021, the Xindong Waimai mini program software of Beijing Zitiao Network Technology Co., Ltd., a Bytedance-affiliated company, was registered and approved, and it was speculated that Douyin’s own food delivery services would be launched soon.
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This year, many heavyweight players will be added to China’s food delivery market. In addition to Meituan and Ele.me, which are well known to consumers, JD.com, Kuaishou and Douyin will all join the competition in the food delivery market, and each has its own emphasis.
