Apr 3, 2020|
Harvard Business Review Highlights How JD “Delivers” in the Fight against COVID-19
by Ling Cao
Harvard Business Review this week highlighted how JD.com and other Chinese e-commerce giants responded to COVID-19 as the pandemic emerged in Wuhan, China and what can be learned from the experience.
The article highlights: “The experience from China suggests that the most valuable contributions will come both from leveraging their digital logistics platforms and their high-tech last-mile delivery capabilities and from quickly engaging newly available workers with transferrable skills from other sectors.” Multiple projects and approaches by JD were highlighted as best practices.
Regarding technology, the story highlights JD’s rapid action in deploying drones and autonomous delivery robots during this period: “JD.com and other retailers deployed their new automated technologies into Wuhan. They shipped smart vehicles to the Wuhan border, loaded the local map, and remotely operated (from Beijing, about 750 miles away) deliveries of donated goods to hospitals and household purchases to communities in Wuhan.” It added, “Delivering essential supplies to villages across Baiyangdian, a large lake in Hubei province, would take at least six hours by the small road or ferry that remained open. In a moment of creativity, JD’s local logistics team proposed deploying the drones, which did the job in just 20 minutes.” These contactless delivery methods also include lockers, which were mentioned by the magazine as well.
The magazine also introduces how JD’s 7FRESH offered employment during this period. It shares, “China’s e-commerce supply chains were suddenly confronted with a shortage of human resources.” While JD.com’s 7FRESH launched a “talent sharing” plan to hire short-term staff from restaurants, hotels, cinemas and other temporarily closed retail establishments. JD was “able to leverage these workers’ supply chain and logistics skills, which meant they only had to provide limited training to transfer the skills to the e-commerce context.”
The article also mentions JD’s efforts in providing online medical services. It shares, “JD.com ramped up its telemedicine business, quickly adding more doctors to its network. In a matter of days, it not only became a major channel for processing the purchase of medical products and standard telemedicine, but also turned itself into one of the front-line Covid-19 triage services for citizens all over the country. It added, “JD.com also rolled out a smart epidemic assistant to share official information about the virus and offered psychological service online.”
Apr 18, 2024|
JD.com Awarded 2024 INFORMS Prize for Excellence in Operations Research and Analytics
JD.com is honored to announce that it has been awarded the 2024 INFORMS Prize. This recognition makes JD.com the first Asia-based enterprise to receive the award, highlighting its pioneering use of advanced analytics and operations research/management sciences (OR/MS) within its business operations.
The INFORMS Prize is awarded an organization that has repeatedly applied the principles of advanced analytics and OR/MS in pioneering, varied, novel, and lasting ways. Previous recipients include Walmart, Wayfair, Amazon, UPS, Booz Allen Hamilton, BNSF Railway, Walt Disney Company, U.S. Air Force, General Motors, Intel, HP, IBM, Ford, Procter & Gamble and GE Research.
Speaking on behalf of the selection committee, Mehmet Gumus, 2024 INFORMS Prize committee chair, remarked: “JD.com is showcasing data science as a source of business success and a necessary element to achieve customer satisfaction with continuous and dedicated practice. JD.com is truly deserving of this prestigious prize, and the entire O.R. and analytics community joins INFORMS in thanking them for their priceless contributions to the field and the business world.”
JD.com’s commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and customer service through OR/MS has been integral to its success. The company has developed an independently managed intelligent supply chain system that utilizes cutting-edge operations research algorithms to optimize warehouse management and logistics operations. This includes the operation of hundreds of intelligent warehouses and dozens of “Asia No. 1” intelligent logistics parks.
“We are honored to accept the INFORMS Prize and will continue to be steadfast in our dedication to leveraging the transformative potential of operations research,” said Sandy Xu, CEO of JD.com. “Our company’s supply chain not only aims to lead the industry, but also enhance the efficiency and well-being of our entire ecosystem.”
By the end of the fourth quarter of 2023, JD’s supply chain infrastructure assets had grown to RMB 153.8 billion, an increase of 16% year-on-year. Managing over 10 million self-operated SKUs, JD has achieved a global leading average inventory turnover of 30.3 days. This operational prowess enables JD to fulfill 95% of retail orders within 24 hours, significantly enhancing customer satisfaction and setting new standards in the industry.
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JD Super’s Ninth Annual “Baby Party” Campaign: Supporting Families with Newborns
JD Super, JD.com’s omni-channel supermarket division, successfully concluded its ninth annual “Baby Party” campaign, which ran from April 1st to 14th. Collaborating with leading brands from home and abroad, the campaign introduced new products and services designed to improve the shopping experience and reduce expenses for families with newborns.
Pioneering services included the “Fresh Milk Powder Express,” guaranteeing delivery of farm-to-consumer baby formula within 28 days, and the “Free Diaper Offers for Newborns” initiative, set to distribute one million diaper packs annually. Moreover, the “Life’s First Bottle” project significantly reduces the costs of high-quality milk bottles by offering them exclusively online at a 50% discount.
JD Super’s specialized after-sales services extend to over 90% of the company’s self-operated products, offering services such as free returns or exchanges. Another highlight was the introduction of the Chun Rui milk formula, developed in partnership with Feihe, a leader in infant milk production. This collaboration ensures top-quality products at better value for families.
Additionally, JD Super launched an online portal dedicated to public welfare activities, which promotes cost-saving measures, shares knowledge on baby care, and supports charity initiatives.
As part of its commitment to philanthropy, JD Super donated essential baby supplies valued at over one million yuan to 1,000 families in the economically disadvantaged Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province, supporting local parents in this region.
The 2024 Report on Cost of Childbearing and Childrearing in China shed light on the challenges faced by parents, including limited free time and growing anxiety over rising costs and product safety. JD Super aims to mitigate some of these concerns by providing support to families nationwide.
JD Joins Chinese Medical Experts Sharing Anti-Virus Experiences
