JD.com Recognized in FORTUNE China’s ESG Impact List for Third Consecutive Year

Posted on by Vivian Yang

On May 13, FORTUNE China announced its “China ESG Impact List 2024,” marking JD.com’s third consecutive appearance for its exceptional performance in environmental, social, and governance (ESG).

FORTUNE commended the listed companies for their significant efforts in enhancing environmental sustainability, supporting their workforce, and contributing to their communities, all while achieving continuous and inclusive growth despite economic cycles. JD.com has consistently demonstrated its dedication and standing as a responsible corporate entity across various critical ESG aspects.

Leading Green Supply Chain Initiatives

JD.com has been at the forefront of advocating for a sustainable supply chain. For example, it continually enhances its consumer trade-in services. Data from the Beijing Green Exchange shows that from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, JD.com’s Home Appliances and Household Appliances division reduced carbon emissions by approximately 154,900 tons through recycling eight types of household appliances—equivalent to planting over 20 million trees.

JD.com has pioneered innovative models such as “Internet + recycling,” seamlessly integrating online waste delivery with offline recycling. In 2024, JD.com and its partners invested 6.5 billion yuan to expand and upgrade the company’s trade-in service, now covering over 200 categories, providing efficient and convenient one-stop solutions.

Empowering Employee Well-being

Launched in May 2023, the “JD.com Youth City” project represents one of the largest recent investments in employee welfare, with over 6 billion yuan allocated to provide approximately 4,000 turnkey employee apartments.

In promoting inclusive employment for women, JD.com has shown a strong commitment to gender equality, particularly by creating a supportive work environment for working mothers. This initiative garnered recognition from the United Nations Global Compact and inclusion in their report “Women at Work: Chinese Companies Taking Action on Gender Equality.” Additionally, JD.com was listed in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index (GEI) for the first time in 2023, making it the only Chinese company in the industry included in the index.

Promoting Transparent Corporate Governance

JD.com upholds ethical guidelines and fosters a culture of compliance and integrity driven by technology and data. In 2023, JD.com released the “Report on Analysis of Employee Fraud Cases in Enterprises in the Internet Industry” and the “Guidelines for Evaluating the Maturity Level of Corporate Integrity and Compliance Management,” becoming the first in the industry to publish such guidelines. JD.com also champions the Anti-Corruption Sunshine Integrity Alliance, promoting integrity and compliance across the private sector.

JD.com’s ESG initiatives not only reaffirm its commitment to sustainable development but also set a standard for the industry. Moving forward, JD.com will uphold its corporate mission of “Making Lives Better through Technology,” leveraging its advanced supply chain technology and service capabilities to deepen ESG practices and create even greater value for users, partners, and society as a whole.

 

(vivian.yang@jd.com)

Posted in ESG

JD.com Unveils 2024 618 Grand Promotion: Immediate Access from 8 PM on May 31

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JD.com, a global leader in e-commerce, is set to energize the retail landscape with its annual 618 Grand Promotion, starting at 8 PM on May 31. This year’s theme, “Quality and Affordability,” highlights a diverse selection of products that combine value with excellence, readily available for immediate purchase. JD.com is also offering daily coupons worth RMB 20, providing shoppers with even greater savings.

In recent years, JD.com has led the industry in making changes to streamline shopping for millions during major shopping festivals. During the 2021 Singles’ Day promotion, JD.com pioneered the “Shop from 8 PM” concept to help customers avoid late-night shopping. In 2023, JD.com also became the first in the industry to eliminate pre-sales periods for Singles’ Day, reflecting the company’s commitment to providing consumers with a simple and joyful shopping experience.

This year’s 618 event will kick off with the “10-Billion-Yuan Discount Day.” Special promotions will continue with “9.9-Yuan Items with Free Shipping,” “Super Livestreaming Day,” and “PLUS Membership Day” on June 2nd, 3rd, and 8th, respectively, ensuring shoppers have access to top deals.

JD.com is dedicated to providing a superior shopping experience with tailored services such as free doorstep returns, trade-in options, integrated delivery and installation services, allergy-free guarantees, and a food return policy. A 30-day price guarantee further assures customers of the best value.

 

Read more: 618: From JD.com’s Birthday to China’s Largest Mid-Year Shopping Carnival

 

(yuchuan.wang@jd.com)

JINGDONG Property Continues Global Expansion with Key Overseas Projects

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JINGDONG Property (also known as JDP, or JD Property), a leading and fastest-growing modern logistics infrastructure development and management platform, has made significant strides in expanding its global footprint, marking its presence in Europe and Asia Pacific with 39 projects. This growth highlights JDP’s ability to rapidly establish modern logistics infrastructure in new markets.

JINGDONG Property’s entry into Europe began in mid-2022 with the acquisition of a 361,000-square-foot warehouse in Milton Keynes, marking its first transaction in the U.K. In late 2023, JDP further solidified its U.K. presence by acquiring a state-of-the-art logistics warehouse in Preston. Positioned near major logistics nodes, this newly built warehouse showcases JDP’s commitment to environmental sustainability with features such as substantial EV parking, a seven-acre ecological area, BREEAM excellence certification, 15m eaves height, and 50 docks, making it a prime hub for industrial activities.

In late 2022, JDP also ventured into The Netherlands with a smart logistics park in Utrecht’s ‘Lage Weide’ business park. Ideal for national, regional, and last-mile distribution, this park is close to essential transport routes and features 64 loading docks, 213 parking spaces, and solar panels, furthering JDP’s commitment to sustainable logistics and efficiency.

Another key milestone was the investment in the first and second phases of Apollo, Ansty Park in mid-2023. This development, located 10 miles northeast of Coventry City Centre in the U.K., is now a prime example of a Grade A property within JDP’s portfolio, specifically designed to support the logistics and manufacturing sectors. Apollo comprises seven units across two phases, with the first three units completed in early 2023 and fully let. These units are recognized for their sustainability, achieving BREEAM Excellent and EPC A ratings. The second phase includes four recently new completed units, designed to meet high sustainability and efficiency standards, featuring renewable energy sources like rooftop solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations.

The completion of the Apollo project has significantly improved logistics and transportation efficiency in the region, providing easy access to the U.K.’s motorway network. This strategic location, combined with a focus on green and sustainable practices, not only lowers operational costs but also boosts efficiency for businesses operating within Apollo.

Additionally, JDP’s growth in Asia Pacific was marked by a recent completion of a modern logistics warehouse in Indonesia, located in the Jababeka Industrial Estate next to the Cikarang Dry Port area. With 23,000 square meters of leasable area, this facility adopts a flow-through design warehouse model equipped with high-standard features for optimal logistics operations.

JDP’s overseas projects have attracted partnerships with notable international and local companies, contributing to the development of a high-quality industrial cluster in the area. Looking ahead, JDP is committed to further expanding its global footprint, with a focus on delivering customized logistics infrastructure that meets the diverse needs of businesses expanding internationally.

 

(yuchuan.wang@jd.com)

JD.com’s automated warehouse in California

JD.com Teams Up with Brands to Launch “Trade-in Alliance for Household Appliances and Home Goods”

Posted on by Vivian Yang

JD.com recently announced the “Trade-in Alliance for Household Appliances and Home Goods” in collaboration with over 100 renowned brands. This initiative, unveiled on April 27, aims to expand and enhance trade-in services across China and has already been successfully implemented in 20 provinces and cities.

The Trade-in Alliance allows consumers to access JD’s trade-in services for an extensive range of products, covering over 200 subcategories including TVs, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and more. The initiative caters to a growing demand, with more than 16 million users leveraging JD’s platform since 2023 to exchange their old household items for new ones. This represents a 200 percent increase in first-time users year-on-year.

To further enhance the customer experience, JD.com has introduced the “Three Free & Four Unlimited” trade-in service. This service includes complimentary door-to-door pickup, disassembly, and handling of old goods. Additionally, it places no restrictions on the trade-in items regarding their original purchase channel, brand, age, or condition. With just four simple clicks on the JD app, users can receive generous discounts from their old goods and enjoy the convenience of JD’s one-stop trade-in services.

JD.com also utilizes its logistical strengths to extend these services to even the most remote areas of China. For instance, customers living in Tibet at an elevation of 4,300 meters can now easily access JD’s trade-in options, including doorstep delivery and recycling of old appliances.

The Trade-in Alliance is built on six foundational pillars: service capabilities, brand support, marketing initiatives, industry chain synergies, omni-channel development, and category cooperation. By fostering closer partnerships with leading brands in the household appliance and home goods sectors, JD.com is setting a new standard for hassle-free trade-in services, offering unparalleled convenience and value to consumers nationwide.

 

(vivian.yang@jd.com)

JD Logistics and MINISO Announce Expanded Partnership to Enhance Logistics Efficiency

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JD Logistics (also known as JINGDONG Logistics), a leading global logistics provider, recently announced the expansion of its partnership with MINISO, the renowned household and consumer goods retailer. This collaboration, which began in 2022 with operations in Australia, now extends to MINISO’s network in Malaysia.

JD Logistics’ robust global supply chain infrastructure includes nearly 90 bonded, direct mail, and overseas warehouses across key markets such as the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, France, the United Kingdom, Australia, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Committed to replicating its proven supply chain management expertise from China in international markets, JD Logistics provides extensive support to a broad spectrum of clients, including international enterprises and Chinese brands expanding overseas.

MINISO’s diverse product range and rapid restocking requirements, combined with its strategic store locations in bustling commercial areas, present unique logistical challenges. These include critical delivery lead times and the need for off-hours operations to ensure uninterrupted customer experiences. JD Logistics has effectively met these demands through reliable and adaptable warehousing and fulfillment service solutions.

Notably, the trust built with MINISO has led some store managers to entrust their store keys to JD Logistics’ drivers to facilitate smooth and timely deliveries. Among them is JD Logistics driver Nick Yang, responsible for delivering goods to all MINISO stores in Sydney. Yang’s daily schedule involves commuting between JD Logistics’ warehouse and approximately 10 MINISO outlets throughout the city.

Over the next three years, JD Logistics will continue to develop its comprehensive global supply chain logistics network, which integrates overseas warehouses, international transshipment hubs, local distribution networks, and transnational transportation networks.

This partnership is not only a testament to JD Logistics’ proven expertise and global operational capabilities but also underscores the commitment of both companies to foster innovation in supply chain management for retail operations worldwide.

 

(yuchuan.wang@jd.com)

JD.com Debuts AI Digital Representative of Founder Richard Liu During Livestream, Drawing 20 Million Views in Under One Hour

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

During a livestream on April 16th, JD.com introduced an AI digital representative of its founder, Richard Liu (Qiangdong Liu), nicknamed “procurement and sales manager Brother Dong (采销东哥).” Liu appeared in both JD Home Appliances and JD Supermarket’s livestreaming rooms, attracting over 20 million views within the first hour and generating RMB 50 million in sales throughout the entire livestream.

The digital representative almost perfectly replicates Liu’s facial expressions, body language, gestures, and voice, capturing even the subtlest movements of his fingers. Behind this technology is JD Cloud’s ChatRhino, an advanced large language model (LLM) that brings the avatar to life.

Behind the Technology

The LLM precisely mirrors Liu’s distinctive expressions and movements, naturally weaving in his occasional finger twiddles while he speaks, accentuating points with hand gestures, and adding nods at just the right moments for emphasis, creating a natural and authentic representation. Perfecting the voice proved to be a greater challenge. Those who have heard Liu speak are well-acquainted with the distinct inflections of his Suqian accent—a characteristic touch from his small-town roots in Jiangsu province. Observers will note the brisk pace of his speech, lighter enunciation, and his tendency to meld words in a seamless flow. His “sh” sounds carry a nasal quality, and he often addresses people as “brothers” to boost morale.

While programming the standard Mandarin dialect is relatively straightforward, teaching the AI to adopt the nuances of the Suqian dialect and Liu’s unique vocal patterns required a precise level of customization from the ChatRhino LLM. For example, the LLM had to provide accurate judgments on when to introduce the nasal tonality or the specific moments to merge words, ensuring the AI’s linguistic output mirrored Liu’s signature speaking style authentically.

Beyond replicating vocal characteristics, the AI’s voice must also be suitable for the casual, dynamic atmosphere of e-commerce livestreaming, such as adopting colloquialisms like “xiong di men” — a phrase comparable to “folks” or “guys” in English — to create a friendly rapport with the audience. JD Cloud’s ChatRhino team fine-tuned the model to focus on sociable nuances. The initial dataset for the LLM consisted predominantly of Liu’s formal speeches—spirited and compelling, yet too ceremonious for the interactive world of livestreaming. To cultivate a more congenial and approachable persona, the team utilized Liu’s recent casual conversations as the primary source material, rich with personal anecdotes and travel tales. This approach shaped the AI’s voice into one that is that is not only natural and approachable but also genuinely engaging for the end user.

As a fully self-developed technology product of JD Cloud, the ChatRhino Digital Representative solution has already served over 4,000 brand merchants, contributing to a 30% increase in order conversion rate during idle hours and helping merchants reduce livestreaming costs, enhance operational efficiency, and optimize user experience. Equipped with 50,000 hours of voice data, this technology enables digital representatives to intelligently adapt to various livestreaming styles dynamically.

The AI is also adept at managing 70% of routine live chat inquiries autonomously without any manual intervention, while also optimizing its responses with a self-improving algorithm. For instance, digital representatives can autonomously fields questions using product details and scripts, and post-livestream, and assimilate new information. Mirroring the acumen of seasoned sales professionals, it boasts a 90% accuracy rate in offering tailored product recommendations when solicited by customers.

The recent introduction of a cutting-edge livestream control console serves as the “brain” for the digital representative solution. It diligently monitors real-time inventory, adjusting the showcased products in the livestream and tailoring the script to ensure relevance—sidestepping items that are out of stock and spotlighting those in high demand. It also gauges and fine-tunes the frequency and style of interactions based on live audience engagement. With this advanced platform, businesses managing multiple livestreams can effortlessly operate thousands of sessions concurrently via cloud services, bypassing the need for intricate local setups. This innovation yields a substantial cost reduction of 30%.

 

Human-Machine Synergy

The intention behind digital avatars is not to outshine or compete with human talent but to harness the potential of technology to work in concert with livestreamers, maximizing overall growth. Essentially, the digital representative solution serves as a tool for brands and merchants to leverage long-tail traffic once real livestreamers conclude their broadcasts. JD’s analytics indicate this strategy can boost order conversion rates by 30% during off-peak hours, such as late into the night.

Digital representatives also excel in specific product categories that require detailed explanations, such as health products like nursing beds, electric wheelchairs, and oxygen concentrators.  The solution can provide constant, round-the-clock guidance, adding substantial value to livestreams when traffic is typically lower.

Last week, JD.com announced an investment of one billion yuan into video content creation. This investment underscores JD’s commitment to leveraging the power of short videos and livestreams to transform the online shopping experience for its users and create new growth avenues for brand merchants.

 

(yuchuan.wang@jd.com)

JD.com Unveils Ambitious Plans for 618 Grand Promotion: Aiming to More Than Double High-Performing Merchants

Posted on by Vivian Yang

JD.com is gearing up for this year’s 618 Grand Promotion with an ambitious goal: to more than double the number of merchants achieving sales over one million yuan on its platform. At the recent Conference of Merchants and Ecosystem Partners on April 18, JD.com introduced a range of supportive initiatives aimed at achieving this ambitious target.

Sandy Xu, CEO of JD.com, noted at the conference that the company will dedicate significant resources to bolster traffic support, incorporate advanced AI technology, and enhance service capabilities. These efforts are particularly focused on empowering third-party merchants, including small and medium-sized enterprises in its marketplace.

Key initiatives include optimizing the platform’s traffic distribution ecosystem to prioritize highly-rated stores and products and competitively priced products through enhanced search and recommendation mechanisms. Additionally, JD.com will continue to offer merchants free access to high-traffic channels, which include significant incentives such as the popular 10-billion-yuan discount and free shipping programs.

To engage more content creators, JD.com recently announced that it will allocate over one billion yuan in cash incentives and traffic resources. This investment aims to cultivate a vibrant ecosystem that supports merchants’ traffic, business growth, and innovation.

At the core of JD.com’s strategy is technological innovation, which involves integrating AI-driven solutions into merchant operations. This includes the deployment of JD’s proprietary large language model, ChatRhino, and an AI-empowered merchant operation platform that offers are variety of free AI applications, and more. These technologies streamline various operations scenarios, enhance efficiency, and reduce costs for merchants.

For instance, On April 16th, JD.com unveiled an AI digital avatar of its founder, Richard Liu, as a sales host on its livestreaming platform. This event attracted 20 million viewers in just one hour and generated sales exceeding RMB 50 million ($6.9 million). This AI-driven virtual host technology, developed by JD Technology, is now supporting over 4,000 brands on the platform. Additionally, merchants such as a sashimi knife seller can utilize JD.com’s AIGC content generation tool to quickly produce high-quality demonstration images, bypassing traditional costs associated with product photography.

JD.com also continues to enhance its service capabilities, particularly for small and medium-sized merchants. This includes personalized business guidance, comprehensive training programs, and upgraded after-sales services,  ensuring a seamless shopping experience for customers.

As of March 2024, JD.com has seen a significant increase in active third-party merchants on its platform, surpassing one million. This growth is a testament to the platform’s effectiveness and its appeal to both new and established merchants.

 

(vivian.yang@jd.com)