The Impact of Prepositioned Warehouse Layout on Consumers’ Purchase Decisions in Instant Retail: A Case Study of Meituan Flash Buy

Abstract

Driven by the dual forces of the digital economy and consumption upgrading, instant retail has evolved into a mainstream consumption model. As the core infrastructure of instant retail, prepositioned warehouses (PWs) significantly influence platform operational efficiency and consumer experience. However, existing research has largely focused on PW operations optimization, with limited exploration of how PW layout shapes consumers’ purchase decisions. Taking Meituan Flash Buy as a case study and employing a literature-based research approach, this paper develops a theoretical model with customer perceived value as a mediator and platform service quality as a moderator. The findings reveal that PW density, delivery timeliness, and inventory adequacy positively affect purchase decisions, whereas service radius exerts a negative effect. Customer perceived value mediates these relationships, and platform service quality plays a positive moderating role. While Meituan Flash Buy demonstrates advantages in its PW network configuration, further refined operations management is warranted. This study enriches relevant theories and offers practical insights for instant retail platforms seeking to optimize PW layouts and enhance user stickiness.