JD Ramps up Australian Imports with InterAgri Partnership on Pure Black Angus Beef

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

Weeks after opening its first office in Australia to support Australian exporters selling to China, JD.com today announced a new partnership with InterAgri, a leading exporter of Australian meat products, to bring premium Pure Black Angus Beef products to Chinese consumers for the first time. JD and InterAgri are also working on a blockchain-enabled traceability system that will provide consumers with even greater transparency on where their beef comes from and how it has been managed at every step of the production process. Following a successful collaboration with Chinese domestic meat producer Kerchin, the project with InterAgri is JD’s latest smart supply chain project that leverages blockchain technology to bring confidence to consumers.

Pure Black Angus Beef is sourced from HW Greenham & Sons Pty Ltd (Greenham), a sixth-generation Australian business exporting the highest quality, sought-after Australian meat from cattle grown in south eastern Australia – mainly Victoria, Tasmania and the lush south eastern corner of South Australia, where the temperate climate is ideal for high quality beef production. When the blockchain system is implemented later this Spring, it will enable consumers to track each piece of Pure Black Angus Beef right back to the farm in Australia where it was produced. Consumers will be able to access a wide range of information, including details of animals, such as where and how the animal was raised, and how the meat was processed and transported.

This focus on quality is a key differentiator for JD.com in China, where consumers are increasingly focused on product authenticity and safety. As part of its smart supply chain initiative, which leverages technology to bring efficiency and transparency to the supply chain, JD is already implementing blockchain tracing technology in several areas of its business. At the end of last year, JD, Walmart, IBM, and Tsinghua University National Engineering Laboratory for E-Commerce Technologies launched the Blockchain Food Safety Alliance, which is designed to enhance food tracking, traceability and safety in China to achieve greater transparency across the food supply chain.

Commenting on the latest partnership, Chen Zhang, JD.com’s CTO, said, “We’re excited to partner with InterAgri to deliver this level of transparency to our 266 million customer base. We’re increasingly implementing blockchain-enabled traceability solutions to give consumers confidence that they are buying safe, reliable products for their families. Consumers in China don’t just want quality imported products, they want to know that they can trust how and where their food is sourced, and blockchain helps us deliver this peace of mind.”

The launch of Pure Black Angus Beef on JD.com comes as consumer demand for premium-quality imported fresh food is soaring.  In 2016, China imported $737.3 million of Australian beef according to Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), but demand for beef is expected to continue growing rapidly. MLA estimates that in 2020 China will consume 82.2 million tonnes of beef, versus just 74 million tonnes this year, while research by Rabobank suggests that imported beef will account for up to 20% of consumption in 2020.

Adrian McCorkell, Director of InterAgri, said, “The demand for premium Australian beef in China has exploded over the last few years, but we are still just scratching the surface of the addressable market. By partnering with JD.com, and tapping into its reputation for quality and ability to bring fresh food to the doorsteps of hundreds of millions of potential consumers, we’re unlocking a huge opportunity for Australian beef exporters to fulfil future generations of consumers in China.”

Fresh food is now one of the fastest growing categories on JD’s platform, and the company now offers tens of thousands of fresh products from over 2,000 global partners. Every day, tens of millions of consumers around China do their grocery shopping on JD.com rather than in a brick-and-mortar store, and get their purchases delivered to their doorsteps.

To make this possible, JD runs China’s largest cold chain logistics network – the only one in the world that is operated in-house by a large-scale e-commerce company, down to the last mile. In fact, JD’s logistics technology is so advanced that consumers can monitor the location, and even the temperature, of their fresh food deliveries in real time via the JD mobile app.

JD Launches New AR/VR Shopping Features for Beauty Products

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JD.com, China’s largest retailer, has launched new AR/VR makeup features to help customers test multiple cosmetics on their own faces at once with real makeup effects, such as matte and pearl lip color finishes, before buying.

The new feature, JD’s “AR Styling Station,” an upgrade from its previous AR makeup platform, was launched at the company’s annual “Butterfly Festival” in Beijing where leading beauty and fashion brands showcase the latest products and industry trends to potential consumers. The festival is marked by a ceremony attended by leading global brands including L’Oreal, SK-II, Maybelline, and Olay, as well as Chinese celebrities.

Using the JD mobile app, which is the most popular way for JD’s over 266 million customers to shop, consumers can virtually “try on” products including lipstick, blush, colored contact lenses and eyebrow pencils.

Testing makeup has been a pain point for many online consumers given that it’s difficult to judge just by looking at photos of products whether or not they will actually work when customers try them on their own faces. JD’s AR technology not only solves this problem, but also has added features which enable potential customers to share their photos with friends. This in turn helps drive customer traffic and increase conversion rates for brands.

The launch of AR Styling Station is part of JD’s broader effort to create cutting-edge and personalized shopping functions for digital-savvy consumers. The technology, which was developed with the help of makeup industry experts, gives consumers the “hands-on” feel of the offline makeup testing with the convenience of online shopping.

“Through AR/VR we’re able to give customers the interactive experience they get in-store, while offering the convenience of having their favorite products just clicks away from arriving at their doorstep,” said Carol Fung, President of JD FMCG. “As more customers flock to JD for their beauty needs, we’re excited to work with our brand partners to use new technology to make the customer experience more personalized and interactive.”

For the past few years, China has surpassed Japan to become the world’s second largest market in for cosmetics products, just after the U.S. Business intelligence firm L2inc predicts that China will become the largest market for cosmetics products by 2020. Meanwhile, with quality of life improving in China, mid- to high-end cosmetics are becoming increasingly popular.

In the last two years, JD has seen an increase in consumers purchasing international beauty brands, particularly as younger consumers are looking for higher-end beauty products. In 2017, the average number of new customers who made high-end beauty purchases increased more than ten times the number a year earlier.

To capture the burgeoning online market for high quality international products, JD has launched sales of a growing list of famous global brands on its platfrom, including SK-II, L’Oreal, Clarins, Aveeno, Avene, Marionnaud and The History of Whoo, among many others in 2017. French brands such as L’Oreal proved the most popular skincare brands among consumers in 2017, while Japanese skincare and makeup brands such as SK-II showed the greatest increase in sales from the previous year.

JD will introduce about 200 more high-end beauty brands to Chinese customers in 2018. Since the start of the year, Biotherm, Helena Rubinstein, philosophy and Jurlique have already launched stores with JD.

JD.com Launches New Accelerator for Blockchain and AI Technology Development

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JD.com, China’s largest retailer online or offline, has launched a new accelerator, AI Catapult, for the development of artificial intelligence and blockchain technologies.

Beginning in March, AI Catapult, which is part of JD’s AI program, will partner with innovative blockchain startups to build new businesses and create and test real-world applications of their technologies at scale. Participating startups will have the opportunity to work with a wide variety of operational teams within JD which, in addition to being the largest retailer in its home market, also operates the largest nationwide last-mile logistics network.

JD.com is already a world leader in commercial AI applications developed by its engineers in China and at its rapidly expanding Silicon Valley lab. These solutions are deployed in JD’s drones, robotics, automation technology, smart supply chain, marketing and customer service applications that are among the world’s most advanced.

The company also leads in the use of blockchain technology in supply chains and for product safety, through a supply chain transparency initiative that enables tracing for products back to their origin. Through AI Catapult, the company hopes to deploy these and related technologies even more widely and in more areas that will increase efficiencies and delight customers.

AI Catapult, which will be based in Beijing, starts with an inaugural roster of companies that have already made advances in their field. They include the Chinese fintech pioneer, Bankorous; Australia’s cryptocurrency leader CanYa; Bluezelle, the blockchain-powered database service based in Singapore; London-based Nuggets, the e-commerce payments and ID platform built on blockchain; and Devery, a blockchain powered, open-source, product verification protocol.

These and future members of AI Catapult will benefit from JD’s and each other’s expertise as well as the unique opportunity to implement their cutting-edge technologies across JD’s various business functions. JD, which has over 266 million customers, also expects to invest in the growth of the AI and blockchain ecosystem through future commercial, strategic and research partnerships.

“JD is in a unique position to explore the potential of AI and blockchain in global commerce,” said Bowen Zhou, Vice President of JD.com’s AI Platform and Research Division. “We are excited to work with some of the world’s most innovative startups to explore ways we can scale these cutting edge technologies for the future of retail and other industries, as well.”

AI Catapult will also help JD’s AI research division find new ways to use AI to improve blockchain technology, with a particular focus in areas including scalability, security, privacy, efficiency and energy consumption that will bring not only business benefits, but positive social impact as well.

Companies interested in joining the AI Catapult accelerator should contact: AIPlus@JD.com

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.