JD.com Commits to Selling £2 Billion of UK Products to Chinese Consumers

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

From luxury British couture and tea, to chocolate, beauty products, home appliances and other items, UK products have gained popularity in China in recent years. To meet this growing demand, JD.com, China’s largest retailer, has announced plans to sell ￡2 billion of UK goods to Chinese consumers in the next two-to-three years.

The agreement signed today between JD.com and the British Government’s Department of International Trade (DIT) is focused on making it easier for British companies to access the China market via JD.

“Many British brands recognise the huge potential of China’s enormous e-commerce market,” said Richard Burn, Director-General of DIT China. “JD truly understands what Chinese consumers want and has the resources to help British brands ensure success in the region. We’re looking forward to working with JD to bring more British brands to China in the future.”

Prime Minister Theresa May, who is on her first official state visit to China since becoming Prime Minister, met with JD Chairman and CEO Richard Liu at the Residence of the British Ambassador to China. Among the topics Liu and May discussed were JD’s plans to help more UK brands reach JD’s more than 266 million customers.

The number of UK brands on JD has doubled over the last two years, with sales in 2017 growing 100% year-on-year. World famous brands Dyson, Clarks, Johnnie Walker and Lipton are among the most popular with JD consumers. Over the past three years, Dyson sales on JD have increased by more than 60 fold.

“We’re pleased to be working with DIT to make it easier and more convenient for British brands to enter the Chinese market,” said Winston Cheng, President of International at JD.com. “We’ve seen rapid growth in demand for British products from our consumers in recent years, and will look to showcase the ‘Best of Britain’ on our platform even more through this agreement.”

In order to promote even greater sales of British goods, JD will launch special campaigns for seasonal products and undertake other activities to give brands more opportunities to reach Chinese consumers. JD will kick off with a 24-hour “Celebrate Britain” sales promotion for UK products this April to introduce the “Best of Britain” to Chinese customers.

JD has already made a big push into Britain’s renowned fashion industry. Last June, JD partnered with the UK’s Farfetch, the leading global e-commerce platform for the fashion industry, to bring more niche brands from around the world to Chinese consumers. This past fall, the company sponsored shows at London Fashion Week and also partnered with the British Fashion Council (BFC)/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund to help the BFC deepen its engagement with the Chinese market.

JD also counts eclectic British couture house Alexander McQueen as an early adopter of its exclusive luxury platform TOPLIFE. Alexander McQueen’s presence on TOPLIFE will allow the house to engage with a larger local clientele, while maintaining its creative expression and unique brand identity.

Bourjois Launches JD.com Store to Bring Parisian Chic Online with AR Technology

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

French cosmetics brand Bourjois has launched a direct sales flagship store on JD.com, bringing Parisian chic to China’s largest online retailer. Bourjois, a brand with over 150 years of history, has already been popular among contemporary French consumers for decades. Now Chinese consumers will have greater access to the brand through the flagship store.

French cosmetics brand Bourjois has launched a direct sales flagship store on JD.com

JD continues to push into China’s rapidly growing cosmetics market, launching dedicated sales campaigns with several brands including L’Oreal and Clarins. The company also partnered with Bourjois’ parent company, Coty, leveraging JD’s technology to develop and launch interactive augmented reality (AR) features to enhance the online shopping experience for consumers of Coty products. The AR makeup technology gives users an opportunity to “test” products such as lipstick, blush and contact lenses virtually, much like you might in a brick-and-mortar store. This enables the company to connect more deeply with its consumers.

Shoppers at the Bourjois flagship store are now able to take advantage of JD’s AR Makeup Technology to try on any make-up look they like, experiment with colors and have fun sharing the look with friends on social media. Max Factor, another iconic brand from Coty, has already enjoyed huge success on JD.com since implementing AR Makeup Technology in September 2017. Sales for many of Max Factor’s products have increased over 100% and conversion rates have also grown significantly. JD will soon allow online shoppers of more beauty brands to “test” additional products including eyebrow pencils, eyeliner and blush.

Shoppers at the Bourjois flagship store are now able to take advantage of JD’s AR Makeup Technology to try on any make-up look they like

“China is one of the fastest growing markets for Coty and we are confident that the partnership with JD.com will propel our brands to greater heights,” said Shirley Xue, General Manager of Coty Consumer Beauty Greater China. “This partnership will allow us to leverage JD’s vast marketing resources and extensive logistics network to reach more Chinese consumers.”

“Bourjois, a brand with a long history as a respected and admired brand, is a strong addition to JD.com,” said Carol Fung, President of JD FMCG. “As more Chinese consumers look to JD.com to buy cosmetics, we look forward to bringing more international, renowned brands onto the platform.”

JD continues to invest more in helping Chinese consumers access high quality French products. Following the launch of the Bourjois store, JD made a commitment to sell €2 billion of French goods during President Emanuel Macron’s visit to China. The company also held a “Celebrate France” sales event to promote a specially curated selection of French products on its platform.

Chinese Consumers Embrace Sustainable Consumption

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

Sustainable or “green” consumption has become a key focus in China, and that trend is only likely to grow as awareness of environmental protection issues becomes more deeply embedded in Chinese consumers’ consciousness, reveals a new report from JD.com.

According China’s largest retailer’s Trends in Green Consumption Development report, Chinese consumers are both demanding and buying more green products today than ever before, reflecting this increased consciousness. Green products span a wide range of categories, from household appliances to clothing and food, which are made from recycled or recyclable materials, are energy efficient, or which play a role in protecting the environment.

The report reflects insights from a large sample of JD.com’s over 266 million customers in China. Results were released just days ahead of JD’s first appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. JD.com Chairman and CEO Richard Liu will be in attendance and participate in a one-on-one session on Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 13:15 GMT (14:15 in Davos, Switzerland) on the future of retail under this year’s forum theme of “Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World.”

Key highlights from JD’s Trends in Green Consumption Development report include:

 • Millennials aged 26-35 accounted more than half (51.8%) of the total volume of green purchases made on JD’s platform in 2017, and accounted for 48.8% of all users making green purchases.

 • Green consumption per capita was highest for people aged 56 years and above, followed by people aged 46-55.

 • Male consumers appear most willing to pay for green apparel and household appliances. Sales of green apparel and home appliances by male consumers on JD accounted for 70.7% and 62.7% of the total sales in these categories on the platform.

 • Female consumers appear least sensitive to price when it comes to green maternal and childcare products and beauty products. These products enjoyed the highest premiums, 78% and 52% respectively, on JD.

JD has actively been introducing more green products on its platform to meet consumers’ broad range of demands and preferences. In 2017, the total volume of green products available on JD increased by more than half (54.5%). The total volume of green purchases made on JD increased by 71%, contributing to 15.1% of total sales on the platform during the same period.

Based on JD’s “Retail as a Service” philosophy pioneered by Richard Liu, JD is one of China’s leaders in promoting sustainability. Through its self-operated logistics network and advanced technology, JD is empowering its brand partners, suppliers and consumers to lead sustainable lifestyles. The company’s logistics arm recently pledged RMB 1 billion to establish its Green Logistics Fund to promote the use of sustainable, green packaging materials throughout the supply chain. JD will work together with international logistics giants such as DHL, La Poste, Yamato and SF Express, consumer products conglomerates such as Nestle and Danone, and environmental protection organizations in this effort.

JD also continues to make commitments to run its own business more sustainably. JD transitioned from paper to electronic invoices in 2013, and has saved over 1 billion sheets of paper in the last two years alone. In addition, through its efforts to “slim down” its packaging, JD saved enough cardboard last year to fill 6,000 soccer stadiums. The company has also committed to transitioning 700 of its logistics vehicles in Beijing to electric by the 2018 Spring Festival, thus further reducing CO2 emissions. To bring its customers on its sustainability journey, the company recently launched a new feature where its customers in China can generate a report based on their purchases on JD.com to better understand their own green consumption footprints.

“Being a positive contributor to society has been core to our mission as a company since day one,” said Richard Liu, Chairman and CEO of JD.com. “We feel privileged to use our technology and resources to empower our partners to support our customers’ increasing desire to do their part and respond to their demand for a more sustainable lifestyle. In the future, we look forward to continuing to develop our capabilities to cement our position as China’s destination of choice for sustainable retail.”

In 2014, JD launched its JD Foundation. Leveraging JD.com’s signature core business resources, JD Foundation is providing an effective and powerful platform for the entire community across the sectors of poverty relief, education, environment protection and social innovation. In March 2017, JD Foundation launched a platform enabling its consumers to directly donate supplies from its platform to groups in need with a single click. The platform has already initiated over 160 campaigns, served over 60 NGOs, and raised over 1.6 million items for donation, reaching over 450 million people to date.

JD recently partnered with the United Nations Development Programme to further enhance its global leadership in sustainability. “UNDP China is proud to be partnered with JD, who through their JD Foundation have contributed to a variety of sustainable initiatives,” Agi Veres, Country Director of UNDP China. “I am very optimistic that our work with JD will further our success in addressing global climate challenges, eradicating poverty and fighting inequality, ensuring no one is left behind.”

View an infographic of key data from the report here:

UNDP China is proud to be partnered with JD

Chinese E-commerce Giant JD.com Launches Paris Office to Recruit French Brands

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JD.com, China’s largest retailer, has announced the opening of its Paris office, as well as the appointment of Florent Courau as Managing Director for JD.com in France. Based in Paris, Florent will lead JD.com’s French operations effective immediately.

The opening of an office in France is an important milestone for JD.com, as the e-commerce platform seeks to develop its French brand portfolio and is ramping up its European presence. The Paris office will help JD strengthen its relations with existing and future brand partners, particularly in the fast-growing sectors of luxury, fashion, cosmetics, food, wine and spirits. A French presence will give the company an in-depth understanding of the development ambitions of its French partners, who are looking to access the 266.3 million active Chinese customers on JD.com.

This launch comes shortly after JD announced an ambitious agreement with Business France, the country’s official trade promotion agency, to sell €2 billion of French goods to Chinese consumers over the next two years. The company also recently announced a partnership with French industrial engineering giant FIVES, to purchase another €100 million in French industrial products. The partnership with Business France includes the implementation of a “one-stop shop” solution for French brands and retailers to get their products to Chinese consumers quickly and conveniently. Florent Courau will oversee the project, which includes a training program about the Chinese e-commerce market, targeting senior executives across France, as well as the establishment of a logistics center in France to facilitate the transport of French products to China and JD’s customers.

Winston Cheng, International President of JD.com, commented, “JD’s push into France demonstrates our commitment to strengthening our relationship with our French partners. With more than 20 years of experience in the luxury, beauty and wine and spirits industries, both in France and China, Florent’s knowledge will make him an invaluable contact point for French brands and retailers who want to access Chinese consumers through our platform.”

Mr. Courau said, “JD.com is the preferred destination for upwardly mobile Chinese consumers looking for authentic, quality products. Our customers value the quality of French products, making this a critical market for us to further expand our brand relationships. Our Paris office will be committed to providing tailor-made support to our French partners who want to seize the immense opportunity that JD offers.”

A graduate of ESCP Europe Business School and INSEAD (European Institute of Business Administration), Florent is fluent in French, English and Mandarin. He started his career at Schlumberger, then moved to Deloitte Consulting before joining the LVMH Group where he held various management positions in France and China for 12 years, particularly in the wine and spirits and perfumes and cosmetics departments. In 2009, Florent spent more than two years as COO of Sephora in Shanghai where he was in charge of operations in North Asia, before creating his consulting company to support firms wanting to reach the Chinese market.

JD Launches Unmanned Delivery Vehicles in Tianjin in Smart City Push

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JD is bringing its autonomous delivery vehicles to the streets of Tianjin.

As part of its commitment to support smart cities JD is launching a new project today in Tianjin to make the city more efficient. In cooperation with the Tianjin Economic-Technological Development Area (TEDA), JD will seek to leverage its big data, AI and other advanced technologies to support Tianjin’s smart city initiative. JD and the Tianjin government marked the launch of the strategic partnership with the debut of JD’s autonomous delivery vehicles in Tianjin. After extensive testing in campus environments, this is the first time the vehicles will be used in a public, urban setting.

JD and the Tianjin government marked the launch of the strategic partnership with the debut of JD’s autonomous delivery vehicles in Tianjin

As part of the agreement, Tianjin will serve as a research, manufacturing and testing base for JD’s smart logistics technology including robots, drones, and autonomous delivery vehicles. JD, together with the Tianjin Hehai Fund and TEDA, also launched a fund with an initial investment of billions of RMB to support startups in advanced tech industries including robotics, AI, smart manufacturing, smart cities and smart ports.

In addition to this agreement, JD also will conduct pilot testing for its autonomous delivery vehicles in Tianjin’s Sino-Singapore Eco-city. For months, JD has been testing these robots for delivery on China’s university campuses and with its own employees around its headquarters in Beijing. In Tianjin, the tests mark a big step for JD’s vehicles, as they will be required to navigate more complicated public areas with both vehicle and pedestrian traffic instead of confined areas like university campuses and office buildings. JD expects to begin real delivery operations via its autonomous vehicles in Tianjin before the company’s June 18 anniversary this year.

“We are proud to help Tianjin take a major step towards becoming one of the smartest cities in the world,” said Jun Xiao, Vice President and Head of JD X, JD’s logistics innovation lab. “Tianjin offers a range of real-world applications for our technology, and this cooperation will enable us to increase efficiency and convenience for the city’s residents, while providing unlimited scenarios for us to continue to improve our technology and increase its future potential.”

Today, the company also launched two of its unmanned convenience stores in Tianjin. After testing the solution last fall in its headquarters, JD has already debuted its first two unmanned convenience stores open to the public at Joy City mall in Yantai in Shandong province and at Sunrise Shopping Center in Dalian in Liaoning province. The company expects to open approximately 100 unmanned stores this year alone, and is also eyeing opening its first overseas store.

JD.com Announces Investment in Tiki, Vietnam’s Leading B2C E-Commerce Platform

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JD.com, China’s largest retailer, has gained another foothold in Southeast Asia with its strategic investment in Tiki, Vietnam’s leading B2C e-commerce platform. JD has signed the share subscription agreement as co-lead investor in Tiki’s recent Series C round of financing. Closing of the Series C round is subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Upon completion of this investment, JD.com will become one of Tiki’s largest shareholders.

Upon completion of this investment, JD.com will become one of Tiki’s largest shareholders.

JD will partner with Tiki in a range of areas including merchandising, cross-border trade, logistics and fulfillment, technology, financing, and operational capabilities. JD already has an established e-commerce platform in Indonesia, and recently partnered with Thai conglomerate Central Group to enter Thailand. With its investment in Tiki, JD adds Vietnam to its growing Southeast Asia presence.

“We are very excited to continue our Southeast Asia expansion with Tiki, a company that has a deep understanding of Vietnam and a reputation for outstanding customer service,” said Winston Cheng, President of International at JD.com. “With JD’s expertise in leveraging social media for e-commerce, Tiki’s partnership with VNG in social network and mobile payments is a natural fit as we aim to provide differentiated services to suppliers and consumers in Vietnam. We look forward to working with Tiki to deliver a truly world class e-commerce experience to Vietnamese consumers.”

“We are delighted to partner with JD.com, China’s most trusted online retailer, as we enter a new phase of growth,” said Son Tran, Tiki’s Founder and CEO. “JD and Tiki share the same business philosophy: to win market share by winning consumers’ heart. Since inception, Tiki has always focused on best-in-class, authentic shopping experience and amazingly fast delivery. We believe JD.com, with its proven track record in superior user experience, procurement, logistics, and technology will be an invaluable asset for Tiki as we work to become Vietnam’s top e-commerce platform.”

Tiki and JD will cooperate to deliver a wider authentic selection from global brands to consumers, while helping Vietnamese local brands in expanding internationally via JD’s global platform.

Over the past seven years, Tiki has consistently grown triple-digits annually, triple the industry average. Tiki’s vision is to become Vietnam’s largest and most trusted full category e-commerce platform.

JD launched its Indonesia business in 2015 and formed its joint venture with Central Group in Thailand in 2017.

Natural Skin Care Pioneer Jurlique Launches Store on JD Worldwide

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

Australian natural skincare brand Jurlique has launched a flagship store on JD Worldwide, the cross-border e-commerce platform of JD.com, China’s largest retailer.

Jurlique, which started in 1985 and has since grown to become one of the largest skincare brands in the Asia Pacific, is distributed in 19 countries around the world. Now offering its products to JD.com’s 266.3 million customers, the brand looks to deepen its presence in China’s over $30 billion cosmetics market – the world’s largest.

“The Chinese market has enormous potential for us, and we are looking forward to leveraging JD’s e-commerce expertise to maximize the reach of our products in China.”

—Andrea Martens, Chief Brand Officer at Jurlique

The flagship store on JD Worldwide uses JD’s comprehensive logistics network for delivery. Products sourced from Australia are stored in JD’s bonded warehouses, and delivered via JD’s in-house last mile delivery network, within a day, to customers in several major cities in China.

Jurlique also has access to JD’s marketing expertise, including the retailer’s vast quantity of China sales data and ability to predict demand and accurate ad targeting through social media and other Internet services via partnerships with Tencent, Baidu and others. JD can leverage its sophisticated marketing tools to help Jurlique identify new consumers.

“We’re thrilled to work with a retailer as trusted by Chinese consumers as JD.com to give easy and convenient access to our natural skincare line in China,” said Andrea Martens, Chief Brand Officer at Jurlique. “The Chinese market has enormous potential for us, and we are looking forward to leveraging JD’s e-commerce expertise to maximize the reach of our products in China.”

Jurlique adds to JD’s fast-growing offering of natural healthcare and skincare products from Australia, which are increasingly in-demand among its customers. JD has already successfully introduced products from healthcare brands such as Swisse and Blackmores and mother and child products from a2, Bio Island and Bellamy’s among many others. Sales of Australian products on JD Worldwide have nearly doubled in 2017 from last year.

“With over 30 years of experience in natural skincare, Jurlique is a pioneer and expert in this area,” said Kaisi Li, General Manager at JD Worldwide. “We’re excited to introduce this revolutionary brand to our consumers. In the future, we look forward to bringing more of the world’s best natural products to our platform to become China’s number one destination for health and wellness solutions.”

Jurlique was founded by husband and wife duo Dr. Jurgen and Ulrique Klein, with the aim of creating the most effective skin care routine in the world by harnessing the “power of nature”. A global search for the land to grow, harvest and extract the most concentrated botanicals took the Kleins from their home in Germany to the unspoiled Adelaide Hills in South Australia where they established their first Jurlique farm. The ingredients for Jurlique’s unique skincare offerings are still sourced from the company’s organic farm today.

Alexander McQueen Launches Store on JD.com’s TOPLIFE

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

Strengthening its reach among China’s rapidly growing luxury consumer base, Alexander McQueen will partner with TOPLIFE, utilizing its understanding of China’s luxury e-commerce and unparalleled luxury logistics.

Alexander McQueen, under the creative direction of Sarah Burton since 2010, is synonymous with British couture and driven by an unparalleled creative vision. The brand is now collaborating with JD’s stand-alone online luxury shopping platform, TOPLIFE, to launch an online store targeting the high-end of the Chinese fashion market.

“We are proud to collaborate with JD.com with the launch of our store on their TOPLIFE platform,” said Emmanuel Gintzburger, CEO of Alexander McQueen. “It is a strategic addition to our physical presence in China, part of our multi-channel experience. JD.com’s advanced capabilities will allow us to engage with a larger local clientele, whilst respecting the creative expression of the house.”

“JD is thrilled to welcome Alexander McQueen, one of the world’s most visionary and innovative fashion labels, to TOPLIFE,” said Richard Liu, CEO of JD.com. “With our continued push into luxury, we are committed to bringing top-notch service and a vast array of options to our discerning luxury consumers. Alexander McQueen’s critically acclaimed collections are a perfect addition to the growing range of sophisticated offerings available on TOPLIFE.”

Launched in October, TOPLIFE uses advanced technology to provide world-class warehousing facilities and rapid, secure and sophisticated delivery to ensure the highest quality luxury online shopping experience. Through offerings such as delivery through JD Luxury Express white glove service and personalized 24/7 customer care, TOPLIFE aims to combine the best of the intimate offline luxury shopping experience with the convenience and precision of online shopping.