Online food delivery platforms strive to survive in post-pandemic era
Online food delivery platforms strive to survive in post-pandemic era
2024-01-21
The COVID pandemic was a boon for the stay-at-home economy, fueling growth for sectors like home entertainment, telecommunications and food delivery. But with COVID now a distant memory, online meal delivery platforms have had to adapt to survive. Although some market players have announced losses and layoffs, other delivery businesses have pivoted and expanded their services. Food delivery is seen as part of the “lazy economy,” but running such a service and turning a profit is anything but effortless. Today in our Sunday special report, we peek behind the scenes at what makes the industry tick.
Carrying boxes in pink, green, orange, and blue, an army of scooters threads through traffic and zips through the alleys of Taiwan. Food deliverers have become an inconspicuous element of everyday life.
One user of their services is Mr. Hsu. He says that in his family, the grandparents look after the children during the day, leaving no time to cook square meals. Ordering delivery has been the solution to that problem.
Mr. Hsu
Working father
We have three generations under one roof, old and young, and it’s the summer break now. My wife and I both work, and we sometimes have to do overtime, which means we get back home late. For older people, taking care of the kids is hard work. Adding cooking to the equation would be impossible. So, we order food on delivery platforms. It’s convenient and eliminates the need to spend time and energy cooking. It’s also safe.
According to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, in April 2019, about 43% of Taiwanese restaurants offered some form of delivery service. After the start of the COVID pandemic, the figure shot up to 56% in April 2020. And after the Taiwan CDC imposed Level 3 epidemic restrictions and banned dining in at restaurants, demand for food delivery skyrocketed. By June 2021, 67% of businesses were offering delivery.
Hu Tzu-li
Market Intelligence and Consulting Institute
I think there have been several key factors. First is digital literacy, or rather, how people have developed the habit of using mobile services like this. It’s become very common to use such services. The second factor has to do with the consumers of these delivery services. Over the past two or three years of COVID, they’ve gotten accustomed to ordering food delivery.
After the easing of COVID restrictions in 2022, the percentage of restaurants offering delivery fell to 64%. Though it was a drop of just 3 percentage points, delivery platforms saw the writing on the wall. To keep the profits coming, they had to step up their game.
Beep after beep, the employee scans items ordered by a customer and puts them in the cart. He marches through the aisles looking for drinks, cookies, and even fresh produce and meat. He bags the items and places them on a shelf to be collected by a delivery driver.
These are the workings of a virtual supermarket in Taipei’s Neihu District. Here, customers can’t just pop in to browse items, as all the goods here are exclusively for online ordering. Why is it that meal delivery platforms are also shipping fresh produce and household items? The main reason is that after COVID restrictions were lifted, people went back to restaurants, paring demand for home delivered meals.
Emma Kuo
Communications head of online delivery platform
After the pandemic, the growth in demand for delivery services slowed down globally. Amid the sluggishness, we had to diversify our services, so that consumers would stay with us and continue to use our platform. So we got involved in helping out with all aspects of daily life. We don’t just deliver food. Now we also do fresh produce and daily necessities.
Starting 2022, several online delivery platforms around the world announced layoffs and losses amid high operating costs. One of them was the U.S.’ largest food delivery company, DoorDash, which cut more than 1,200 corporate jobs. Over in Japan, leading delivery platform Demae-can has posted losses since 2022, after being in the business for more than 20 years.
The food delivery market has been booming for years, but the industry has a high entry threshold. Startups have to amass enough capital to launch, on top of the costs of designing an online platform, investing in advertising, and training delivery drivers.
In addition, food delivery platforms have to factor in a third party in their business model: the deliverers themselves. Paying them is no small expense.
Roick Feng
Digital Economy Association, Taiwan
At the end of the day, the digital economy, the sharing economy and the gig economy are all platform economies. They are all do the same thing. They connect supply and demand across multiple parties through digital technologies.
Delivery platforms do not own brick-and-mortar shops. Instead, they rely fully on digital applications, which come with significant expenses in software development and maintenance.
Cheng Li-hung
Commerce Development Research Institute
The number of users grows and grows, and the platform’s features have to improve constantly. That requires a team of people to keep the system running. You can imagine the scale of these staffing and maintenance costs.
In addition, platform operators invest large sums of money into ads to boost exposure and keep orders coming for both deliverers and restaurants.
Cheng Li-hung
Commerce Development Research Institute
They put a lot of effort into advertising to increase exposure, so that when consumers want to order a meal, they’ll think of the platform. Take DoorDash as an example. In the third quarter of 2022, they spent 35% of their revenue in advertising.
Emma Kuo
Communications head of online delivery platform
As a platform without brick-and-mortar outlets, it is more important for us to get consumers to be aware of us and to remember us. We have to stay up-to-date and fresh so that consumers consider us when making a decision. We aim to be the top choice in the minds of consumers.
This pasta shop in New Taipei’s Luzhou District has a floor space of barely 5 ping, none of which is dedicated to dining tables. For more than 20 years, this joint has provided takeout only, and most of its customers lived within a kilometer from the shop. Its third-generation owner, Hsu Yu-ling徐瑜伶, decided to partner with a delivery platform in hopes that going online would bring in more young customers.
Hsu Yu-ling
Pasta shop owner
After all, younger people might not feel like going out for a meal. And when it rains, nobody really wants to head out to buy things. So we partnered with a delivery platform, to boost revenue a little when it’s rainy and things like that.
And it’s not just restaurants benefiting from delivery platforms. Working as a delivery driver has a low entry threshold, making it a good option for unemployed people or workers on furlough looking to boost their income.
Lee Wen-yao, 52, is a baker. He used to have a stable income until the pandemic hit his business hard. To make ends meet, he decided to start working part time as a delivery person.
Lee Wen-yao
Food deliverer
During the Level 3 COVID restrictions, we had no business. I was under a lot of pressure. Fortunately, my friend told me about becoming a food deliverer and I decided to give it a go.
It was originally just a side gig. But eventually, Lee got so proficient at food delivery that it became his full-time job.
Lee Wen-yao
Food deliverer
Now, my main job is food delivery, and baking is just part-time. If I’m serious about it, I can get NT$40,000 to NT$50,000 or more in one month. And as a deliverer, I get to meet people from many different shops, as well as customers and business partners. Sometimes I’ll give them some of my own handmade wafer rolls to try. If they like them, they even place orders to buy some from me.
Nowadays, food delivery platforms are teaming up with supermarkets and big-box retailers to set up virtual supermarkets. There are already 36 virtual supermarkets in Taiwan. Suppliers, customers and deliverers all rely on the same digital platform. Designing an attractive and user-friendly interface is key, as becoming the first choice for consumers is the key to turning a profit.
Roick Feng
Digital Economy Association, Taiwan
This industry is treacherous and ever-changing. Consumers have no brand loyalty and may switch to a different platform at any time. How can you let consumers get to know about you? And with so many platforms, why should they choose you? After all, they have to download your app on their phones and add their credit card details to it. You also need to find suppliers. You need to partner up with restaurants, shops and delivery people. All these elements are indispensable to keeping the platform running smoothly.
Delivery platforms have sometimes been dismissed as part of the “lazy economy.” But this kind of digital venture is an important emerging industry that draws on elements from the sharing economy.
Emma Kuo
Communications head of online delivery platform
We’re all in the same boat, working together to grow the platform economy, be it in scope, in vision, or its sustainability.
Nowadays, ordering food on a delivery platform is something many of us take for granted. But to keep this convenient industry running, operators have the monumental task of coordinating people across many sectors to ensure everyone ends up winning.
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宅經濟求生存
2024-01-21
在三年多的疫情之後，民眾「叫外送」已經成為生活的日常，馬路上到處能看到騎機車載著保溫箱的餐飲外送員，然而，從2022年開始，隨著疫情逐漸解封，外送需求減少，全球許多外送平台紛紛傳出虧損、裁員，平台業者為了求生存，現在努力想方設法。到底這個數位科技結合共享經濟的新興產業，在連結店家、外送員和消費者三方的跨業關係裡，如何才能達到共好、共贏呢？
機車騎士穿梭在大街小巷，載著粉紅色、青綠色、橘色、藍色的保溫箱，這是台灣的外送風景，也是我們的日常。
外送平台的使用者許先生，因為考量到家中長輩要照顧孩童，沒時間準備三餐，「叫外送」成了另一個選擇。
[[上班族 許先生]]
“我們家是三代同堂，家裡有老有小，現在又是暑假期間，我跟我太太是上班族，上班族平時有時候要加班，會比較晚回家，長輩在家裡帶小孩比較辛苦，如果同時又要煮飯，其實是分身乏術的，我們會希望透過外送平台來訂餐，主要是很方便，也不用花時間煮飯、很辛苦，其實也安全”
經濟部統計處的資料就顯示，餐飲業提供，宅配及外送的家數占比，2019年4月新冠疫情前占43%，而2020年4月疫情爆發後，外送家數比率增加到56%，2021年6月因為三級警戒，餐飲禁止內用，外送需求帶動外送家數占比，攀升到67%。
[[資策會產業情報研究所分析師 胡自立]]
“我覺得滿關鍵的是，第一個數位能力，或者是使用這種相關行動服務的習慣，慢慢的在現在滿普遍的，第二個問題是在於，現在外送服務讓消費者，尤其在過去疫情兩三年的期間，他們已經養成這樣的習慣，使用外送服務”
然而2022年疫情解封後，外送家數開始下滑，降到64%，雖然只有3%，但平台業者已經戰戰兢兢，為了維持營運、獲利，紛紛力求轉型。
「嗶」聲響起，客人下訂單，店員推著推車，沿著貨架 開始撿貨，飲料、餅乾、生鮮肉品應有盡有，打包裝袋放到架上，等一下外送員就會來取貨。
場景拉到台北市內湖區，這裡是外送業者的虛擬超市，沒有實體店面可以逛，而是採用線上購物，只是令人好奇的是，為什麼過去只送餐飲的外送平台，現在連生鮮雜貨、日常用品，也可以外送呢?主要原因就出在於，疫情解封後，民眾開始外出用餐，外送需求變得越來越少。
[[外送平台公共事務協理 郭昕宜]]
“疫情之後，確實全球的外送平台，它的成長都是趨緩的，而成長趨緩的時候，我們必須有很多的服務，讓消費者可以持續的，願意停留在這個平台上面，所以我們開始做全方位的生活幫手，我們不只美食外送，我們還有生鮮雜貨的外送”
2022年開始，全球許多外送平台，就因為成本太高經營不善，傳出裁員虧損等消息，美國外送龍頭DoorDash，2022年宣布裁員1200多人。而經營20多年的，日本最大外送平台「出前館」，至今依然虧損。
雖然前幾年外送產業蓬勃發展，但事實上，經營外送產業的門檻非常高，除了要有足夠的資本之外，良好的網路平台技術、廣告行銷、外送員培訓，都是必要成本。
而從外送產業的特性來看，則多了第三方，外送員，連帶要付出的人力成本自然也增加許多。
[[台灣數位平台經濟協會監事/律師 馮昌國]]
“從數位經濟到共享經濟，到零工經濟，最後它都是平台經濟，其實它都在講同一件事，透過數位科技，連接多邊的需求跟供給”
再者，由於外送平台沒有實體店面，完全採用手機App做為營運模式，因此軟體的建置與維護，更是一筆龐大費用。
[[商業發展研究院中部辦公室主任 程麗弘]]
“我們可以看到，外送平台它的使用人越來越多，它的功能越來越好，這些其實都需要有一群人來維運，這樣子的平台產業，所以它相關的人事費跟維運的成本，其實是可想而知”
不只如此，外送平台業者，為了要讓外送員與店家，持續有訂單可以接，還得不斷投放大量的廣告，增加曝光機會。
[[商業發展研究院中部辦公室主任 程麗弘]]
“所以他要努力打廣告，增加他的曝光度，讓民眾想要用餐的時候想到他們，舉個例子來講，像美國DoorDash，在2022年第三季，他的行銷廣告費是revenue(收入)的差不多35%。”
[[外送平台公共事務協理 郭昕宜]]
“在非實體店面數位平台上面，我們更重要的是去搶得消費者的認知、記憶，還有消費決策過程中的先機，我們必須不斷的去更新、翻新，還有搶戰在消費者心中的第一個順位”
這間位於蘆洲的義大利麵店，占地不到五坪 沒有內用座位，只賣外帶客，因此開店20多年來，客群大多以住在附近，一公里內的民眾為主。然而自從第三代徐瑜伶接手之後，她開始和外送平台合作，讓自家的店在外送平台上，可以被更多年輕消費者看見。
[[義大利麵店老闆 徐瑜伶]]
“畢竟現在年輕人有點懶得出門，再加上下雨天的關係，可能大家都不會想要出門去買東西，所以我們結合(外送平台)，可以利用下雨天或者一些因素，讓營業額可以稍微多一點”
受益的不只是餐廳店家，外送產業的從業人員，因為門檻低，也讓不少失業或放無薪假的人，轉換跑道當起外送員，增加收入。
52歲的李文耀是一位烘焙師傅，原本收入穩定的他，卻因為新冠疫情生意一落千丈，為了生活，他只好兼職當起外送員。
[[外送員 李文耀]]
“那時候疫情三年都沒有生意，所以壓力很大，剛好朋友介紹我加入外送平台，我就來跑跑看”
李文耀原本只是兼職做外送，沒想到越做越上手，現在外送反倒成了他的全職工作。
[[外送員 李文耀]]
“現在主要是以外送為主要工作，烘焙為兼職，認真跑一個月，大概四 五萬元跑不掉，從做外送員的時候，我可以接觸很多店家，還有客戶消費者，還有一些工作的夥伴，我有時候碰到他們，都會給他們吃我的手工蛋捲，好吃的話他們就會跟我訂”
如今，外送平台還陸續與超商，連鎖量販店合作，建立虛擬超市，甚至一度擴充到36間門市，只是當供應和需求方，加上外送員三方，都仰賴共同一個數位平台，這個數位平台在操作介面上，如何更加便利與吸睛，成為消費者的第一選擇，才是讓大家有錢賺的關鍵。
[[台灣數位平台經濟協會監事/律師 馮昌國]]
“這個產業就是這麼詭譎多變，而且使用者是完全沒有忠誠度的，隨時可以跳平台。你怎麼讓消費者知道你，這麼多平台，我為什麼要選你，還要下載你的App在我手機裡，還要綁定信用卡，要不要找供給端，要不要找合作的餐廳、商家、合作的外送夥伴，這些都是讓這個平台機轉能夠順暢，一定需要存在的要素”
雖然有人將外送產業，比喻成懶人經濟，但事實上它是一個數位科技，結合共享經濟的新興產業。
[[外送平台公共事務協理 郭昕宜]]
“所以我們就是在同一條船上，一起努力讓這整個平台經濟，有一個更大的規模，或者是說願景，或者是永續經營的可能性。”
當「叫外送」，變成我們的生活日常，外送產業必須持續透過，跨業的互助與合作，才能持續創造利益，達到共好與共贏。
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