by Ling Cao

JD plans to provide comprehensive senior-friendly services on its app, targeting to begin in May, according to a domestic media Ceweekly on Apr. 7. The services will include optimized design and operation appealing to senior customers, covering nearly the entire shopping process, from login, homepage, search, product description page to payment.

Seniors may face challenges when purchasing online, such as small font size, unfamiliar shopping processes, or navigating after-sale services. By searching “长辈版” （Zhangbeiban, which means seniors’ version）on JD’s app, all of these problems can be solved immediately.

In the seniors’ version, JD has made the font size larger. The version also includes access to a special customer service team for seniors, who are available to help with after-sales queries and other issues. More importantly, the service will emphasize the relationship with senior customers’ family members, enabling them to ask for help from their children within the app by just clicking a button. For example, their children can pay for their orders remotely. In the future, JD will also consider enhancing the audio function to add local language variants like Sichuan and Chongqing dialects, for example.

Zhiqiang Wang, head of the seniors’ version of the JD app program said, “JD will continue to adjust our shopping process specifically for seniors, providing a safer and easier experience for them, covering purchasing, medical service, as well as travel. We also hope to work as a bridge between them and their children, and promote them to enjoy a healthy, high-quality and happy lifestyle, by addressing the ‘digital gap.’”

 

(ling.cao@jd.com)

by Rachel Liu

JD released the 2021 Online Consumption Liquor Trends White Paper on Apr. 6. The white paper shows that more customers are looking for high-end baijiu and sauce-flavored baijiu. As for beers, sales of black beers and crafted beers are increasing quickly. Female and Gen Z are new growing customer groups for liquor. Sparkling wine and low-alcohol liquor are their favorites.

The white paper shows that sales of high-end liquor is growing quickly: Sales of liquor that is over RMB 600 yuan per bottle increased 160% YOY on JD, and accounted for 55% of total sales of liquors. Sales of high-end baijiu are increasing particularly fast.

Sauce-flavored baijiu is a hot product recently. The market of sauce-flavored baijiu had been growing continuously for 10 years from 2009-2019, as shown in the white paper. Sales of sauce-flavored baijiu increased 10 times YoY on last Nov.11, the height of JD’s Singles Day Grand Promotion.

“We noticed that recently many new baijiu brands, such as Guanyun, Kaishan and Jiangxiaobai, have become popular among customers. Customers are not just looking for time-honored brands or big brands like Moutai and Wuliangye. We think that cultivating new baijiu brands will be important for us this year,” said a sales manager from JD Liquor.

Sales of yellow beer ranked No.1 on JD among the beer category in 2020, followed by black beer and craft beer. Craft beer like IPA, Trappist beer and stout are most popular among Chinese consumers.

Gen Z customers are more reasonable and responsible when drinking, and they like low-alcohol liquors such as sake and fruit wine. They also like to try new flavors such as cream, flower and grape. Female customers especially like sweet wine and sparkling wine. The most popular wine among young female customers is the sparkling wine from Jacob’s Creek. Torre Oria wine from Spain saw a 110% YoY increase in female customers last year.

 

(liuchang61@jd.com)

by Rachel Liu

To bring fresh West Lake Dragon Well tea to more Chinese customers, JD has partnered with local brands in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province to leverage JD’s supply chain to deliver the popular product nationwide. JD and the Hangzhou government held an opening ceremony where the news was announced on Mar. 30^th.

The best Dragon Well tea is picked in spring, and among spring tea, leaves picked prior to Qingming Festival (Apr. 4 of solar calendar this year) is of the highest quality. As time is of the essence in guaranteeing freshness, JD Logistics ensures that over 90% of spring tea can be delivered within 24 hours. JD and local tea brands also formed a “tea tracing alliance” to allow customers check the information of the tea throughout the whole production process, enhancing transparency.

“As a trusted platform for Chinese consumers, JD hopes to provide more diverse and high-quality tea for customers,” said Xiaojun Wang, head of packaged foods at JD FMCG.

Pre-sales for premium spring tea from all over China on JD kicked off in late February. Many brands that produce West Lake Dragon Well tea, such as Luzhenghao (卢正浩) and Lions (狮峰), have been highly popular on JD since March.

JD’s recent consumption report on spring tea shows that West Lake Dragon Well tea is the most popular type of spring tea among JD customers who are willing to buy high-quality products with higher prices. Sales of premium Dragon Well tea pricing over RMB 1,000 yuan accounts for 18% of all pre-sales, a 12% increase YOY. .

 

(liuchang61@jd.com)

by Vivian Yang

Mo Yan, the Chinese novelist and Nobel Laureate of Literature released the audiobook of his latest work “The Late Bloomer” exclusively via JD Books on Apr. 8. The print version which was put on market in August 2020 has been a hot sale on JD’s platform.

“The audiobook is a new attempt for Mo Yan. It also shows the virtuous circle of cooperation between the author and JD.com,” said Tao Wang, head of digital reading at JD Books.

The audible format marks a “childhood dream come true” for Mo Yan as he recounted in his Nobel Prize acceptance speech that when he was a boy he often acted as a storyteller to cheer up his mother.

JD Books invited China’s top-notch actors Mingjun Wang and Xiao Zeng for the 12-chapter audiobook production. Their measured tone and delivery bring the book to life, unfolding the stories and personas from the author’s hometown.

Meanwhile, along with the audiobook release, Mo Yan published “A Letter to the late bloomers” via JD’s platform in which he further elaborated on his understanding of “late bloomers” and sent his blessings and messages to young readers.

Mo Yan’s choice of JD Books as the exclusive partner to release his first audiobook is based on a solid foundation of cooperation. Last year, the author’s appearance on JD Books’ new book recommendation livestream program helped set up records, with more than 100,000 viewers in only 10 minutes and over 100,000 copies sold within 30 minutes.

JD’s reading app now has over 600,000 digital books and more than 500,000 hours of audio data, providing a one-stop reading platform that covers paper, digital, audio and e-learning content.

 

(vivian.yang@jd.com)

by Ella Kidron

JD released a data report on consumption in Wuhan, Hubei province to mark the one year anniversary of the lifting of the lockdown in the city on Apr. 8. The data indicates the rapid post-lockdown recovery of Wuhan and Hubei province in general last year, particularly during the June 18 and Singles Day (Nov. 11) Grand Promotions.

In the first quarter of 2021, e-commerce consumption in Hubei was 52% higher than a year ago at this time. Compared with 2020, the first quarter of 2021 saw the highest users growth from middle-aged and senior consumers; the number of users aged 46-55 on JD 167% YOY. This age group not only flocked to e-commerce platforms during the pandemic but has stuck with the habit since then, explained Yao Chen of the JD Big Data Research Institute.

In stark contrast to being cooped up inside, enthusiasm for outdoor sports is high. Sales of cycling, sports and outdoor shoes and clothing in Hubei province have increased more than 10 times compared with the same period last year. Pets are also getting on the road, with pet travel related products also increasing more than 10 times YOY.

Selected highlights from JD’s data report

Many consumers who honed their cooking skills in lockdown have continued to perfect then. In the first quarter of 2021, sales of baking supplies and vegetables have increased over 10 times while condiments are up over five times.

On the other hand, the outbreak and the attention that was drawn to Wuhan has put the city on map for more travelers. A week before the Qingming Festival holiday, bookings for one-day tours in Wuhan were hugely popular, with Yellow Crane Tower, Yangtze River Bridge and the Hubei Provincial Museum becoming must-see attractions for travelers.

Sales of certain Wuhan related travel guides have also doubled since last year. Products from Hubei province such as Wuchang fish  and Honghu lotus root are up five times, and famous hot and dry noodles have more than doubled YOY.

 

(ella@jd.com)

 

by Ella Kidron

Based on a report jointly released by JD Big Data Research Institute and Economic Daily last Friday, purchases for oneself consistently accounted for nearly 60% of user’s overall consumption in the past three years. The rise of the “treat yourself” economy (referring to purchases made for oneself) is a reflection of a shift in consumer mindset as well as pursuit of more enjoyment of life’s pleasures and self-improvement.

Dr. Yi Zhang of the JD Big Data Research Institute explained that the data shows female consumer habits oscillate overtime, with purchases for oneself as a proportion of total purchases rising in the 16-25 age bracket, and then falling as consumers build families around age 26-35, rising again as kids grow up when parents become empty nesters from 36-55, and then falling at 56 and up. Purchases for oneself tend to fall into two categories – enhancing physical appearance and overall self-improvement.

Consumption for oneself as a proportion of the total for male consumers, however, more or less demonstrates a steady decline in terms of making purchases for oneself which peak around 16-25, to buying more for the family as time goes on. Even when the proportion is at its lowest at 56 and up, however, it is still makes up a higher proportion than consumption for the family does.

In 2020, the top categories for purchases for oneself include medicine, pet life, health products, personal care and alcohol. It’s no surprise that under the influence of COVID-19, medical and healthcare products have risen significantly.

 

(ella@jd.com)