Oct 16, 2026|
JD.com Joins World Retail Congress’ First World Retail Lab Asia in Hong Kong
This week, JD.com joined retail leaders from across Asia and around the world at the inaugural World Retail Lab Asia, organized by the World Retail Congress in Hong Kong from October 12 to 14. The event brought together senior executives and industry experts to exchange perspectives on the future of retail, emerging technologies, and opportunities for international collaboration.
Dr. Jianguang Shen, Vice President and Chief Economist of JD.com, delivered a keynote presentation titled “AI and the Future of Retail: Where Will the Next Wave of Growth Come From?”
Dr. Shen shared how AI is reshaping the retail value chain, from helping consumers make better purchasing decisions and improving merchant productivity to making physical supply chains more intelligent and efficient. “The next wave of retail growth will not come simply from more traffic or more products. It will come from AI reshaping the entire retail value chain,” he said.
A key part of this transformation is physical AI — taking AI beyond the screen and into real-world environments such as stores, warehouses, delivery networks and services. With more than two decades of experience across retail, logistics, healthcare and more, JD.com is exploring how AI can connect digital intelligence with real-world operations, turning predictions into decisions and actions across the supply chain.
Hong Kong offers a tangible example of this approach. Alongside JD MALL, JD.com is building deeper connections with local consumers through Kai Bo, which operates more than 100 stores across Hong Kong, while JD Logistics provides supply chain and logistics capabilities in the market. JD.com also aims to help Hong Kong brands connect more efficiently with consumers in the Chinese mainland and other global markets through its retail, logistics and supply chain network.
During World Retail Lab Asia, international retail delegates also visited JD MALL in Hong Kong as part of the program’s retail tours, offering an opportunity to see firsthand JD.com’s approach to integrated online and offline retail.
Through its participation in World Retail Lab Asia, JD.com continues to engage with the global retail community, sharing practical insights from its retail and supply chain operations while learning from peers across markets. As AI increasingly connects the digital and physical worlds, JD.com looks forward to working with retailers and partners in Hong Kong and globally to explore the next wave of retail innovation.
(vivian.yang@jd,com)
Sep 21, 2026|
JD.com Delivers iPhone 18 Pro Series to Over 30,000 Customers Within First Hour of Launch
Within the first hour of the iPhone 18 Pro series officially going on sale in China, more than 30,000 customers nationwide received their new devices from JD.com, with some deliveries completed just minutes after the 8 a.m. launch.
In Beijing’s Fengtai District, Mr. Wang received a call from a JD Now delivery rider shortly after 8 a.m., informing him that his new iPhone had arrived. Having secured a 512GB iPhone 18 Pro through JD.com’s early-bird pre-order programme on September 12, he had expected his device to be dispatched on launch day, but was surprised by just how quickly it arrived.
“I knew it was going to be shipped today, but I never expected it to arrive this quickly. My alarm hadn’t even gone off yet!” he said.
Ms. Liu, a customer in Shanghai’s Pudong District, was equally impressed after receiving her pre-ordered iPhone, remarking that buying a new phone felt even faster than ordering takeaway.
Customers in dozens of cities across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Wuhan, were among the first to receive their new devices on launch morning.
To prepare for the launch, JD.com forecast consumer demand in different regions and planned inventory allocation in advance, positioning stock across its nationwide network of warehouses, local fulfilment centres and service stations, bringing products closer to customers before the official release. Once sales began, its warehousing, inventory management, retail and delivery operations worked together to process and fulfil a large volume of orders within a short period.
JD.com also leveraged its network of more than 10,000 front warehouses and stations, alongside tens of thousands of offline retail stores across China, to bring the new iPhones closer to customers. This extensive network allows popular new products including iPhone to reach customers within minutes in major cities, while also supporting deliveries to more remote areas.
Alongside fast delivery, JD.com introduced a range of services for customers purchasing the new iPhone 18 Pro series including trade-in. JD.com’s nationwide network of more than 3,000 Apple product service stations also provided support including trade-in, device activation, data transfer, screen protector installation and assistance with eSIM services. More than 20,000 service appointments had been booked ahead of the official launch.
According to the 2026 iPhone Consumer Survey by Nanfang Metropolis Daily, more than 60% of respondents identified JD.com as their preferred channel for purchasing new Apple products. Product authenticity, availability at launch, delivery speed and reliable delivery times were among the key factors influencing their purchasing decisions.
