Aug 7, 2020| ESG

JD Supports Farmers to Move from Exports to the Domestic Market

Vivian Yang

by Vivian Yang

Carp and pigeon farmers crushed by export order cancellations due to COVID-19 have turned their products into hot sellers on JD.com for domestic customers. This is made possible through the “National Fresh Produce Green Channel” that JD established in February to support sales of agriculture products and provide customers access to more high quality and fresh produce during the special period.

For carp farmers in Kuandian county of Liaoniang province and pigeon growers in Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, export revenue accounts for more than half of the whole year’s income. In one month’s time from January to February this year, the virus had reduced Kuandian’s carp price from RMB 20 yuan to 15 yuan per kilogram and the price of Hotan’s pigeons dropped from RMB 17 yuan to 5 per bird.

As farmers seek help from domestic sales channels, JD immediately realized these agricultural products are a good fit for its farm-to-table initiative which works to provide support to farmers and bring naturally-farmed products to customers.

The carp and pigeon products joined JD’s special projects, which enabled them to enjoy more online traffic, marketing and promotional support. In the meantime, JD’s cold chain logistics ensured fast and secure transportation of the products directly from the farms to JD’s warehouses.

To date, nearly 500,000 carp and 300,000 pigeons have been sold on JD, almost doubling the year-on-year sales and sparing farmers more than RMB 6 million yuan in economic losses.

In addition, compared to trading with purchasers in the past, farmers selling on JD through more direct formats such as livestreaming and flash sales get to know about consumers’ demands and preferences firsthand.

With the unsalable crisis brought by export restriction in the first half of the year now solved, farmers in both Kuandian and Hotan have now started a new round of breeding.

(Vivian.yang@jd.com)

Jul 23, 2021| ESG

Donations from JD’s Warehouses in Henan Reach Stranded Passengers and Hospital Patients

Vivian Yang

by Vivian Yang

On July 21st, JD Logistics delivered over 540 boxes of food and mineral water from its nearby warehouses to Tielu train station in Zhengzhou, Henan province, where hundreds of passengers have been stranded on the railway for more than 40 hours due to the ongoing massive floods in the region.

The train K226/7 left Zhengzhou headed for Lanzhou of Gansu province in the afternoon of July 19th, but service was suspended not long after departure due to the flooding. The ferocious storm cut off all rescue channels around the station, posing grim challenges to railway staff attempting to provide necessities for the stranded passengers.

JD Logistics’ local team contacted station head Yabin Zhang shortly after learning what was happening, and quickly sourced and delivered supplies from its warehouses close to the station, providing much needed relief for the hungry and tired passengers.

“Thank you so much,” wrote Zhang in his Wechat communication with the JD courier in charge of this mission. “I just want to express our gratitude on behalf of all the passengers on K227.”

On the same day, another batch of rescue supplies from JD’s local warehouses were sent to designated hospitals in Henan. It is estimated that there are over 5,000 medical workers and patients stranded at the No.1 Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; and 4,000 at the No. 5 Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. JD’s timely delivery of relief supplies has greatly alleviated their urgent needs.

JD is China’s largest retailer with an extensive logistics infrastructure including a network of around 1,000 warehouses across the country. Since 2012, the company has abided by a rule that if a disaster happens anywhere in the country, the nearest JD warehouse should immediately donate and deliver its goods to meet the emergency demands. The manager in charge of the warehouse is entitled to make such a decision on the ground without waiting for approval from upper management.

In order to reduce operating pressures for merchants from Henan on JD’s platform, the company also announced 10 supportive measures on July 22nd to help tide them over during this difficult time while maintaining business operation. These measures include a number of operating fee exemptions on JD.com, including exemption from penalties for product delivery delays, and offering merchants employer liability insurance at no cost, and more.

(vivian.yang@jd.com)

Jul 21, 2021| ESG

JD’s Rescue Supplies Rush to Rain-Ravaged Henan from Local Warehouses

Vivian Yang

by Vivian Yang

JD.com initiated emergency support for the central China province of Henan on July 21^st as heavy downpours continued to lash the region.

Over 20 trucks of rescue supplies donated by JD and transported from JD Logistics’ closest warehouse arrived in Henan on the second day of the heavy rainfall, including raincoats, rubber shoes, spades, instant noodles, mineral water and more.

JD Retail launched a dedicated service hotline for customers and merchants in order to provide emergency goods coordination.

JD Health opened a free 24-hour hotline for local people’s medical consultation, and sourced and donated healthcare supplies for disinfection, epidemic prevention, mosquito prevention, treatment of wounds and anti-inflammation.

AllianzJD, JD’s insurance arm and a joint venture with German’s Allianz, has also opened a green channel for 24-hour claims settlement and rescue services for clients in Henan.

Many touching scenes of JD couriers have been captured by Internet users as they lend their hands in helping the local community in escorting children and elderly people wading in the water, or pushing cars out of the deep puddles.

In 2012, JD.com’s founder Richard Liu announced a company regulation stating that if a disaster happens anywhere in the country, the nearest JD warehouse should immediately donate and transport its goods to meet the emergency demands and that the management of any such warehouse would not need to obtain prior approval.