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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.

JD.com and UNDP Promote Sustainable Development in China

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

“We believe that this collaboration will enable us to achieve significant milestones in sustainable development.” —Agi Veres, Country Director of UNDP China

JD.com is reinforcing its commitment to sustainable development through an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The agreement, which was signed today at the UN Compound in Beijing, covers the use of JD’s e-commerce platform to promote public awareness of the UN 2030 agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in China as well as other sustainable development and education efforts.

Areas of cooperation as outlined in the agreement mainly focus on responsible production and consumption. JD will work with the UNDP to explore the establishment of a sustainable recycling platform to connect previously segmented players and creatively address waste and pollution issues during the production and consumption process. By utilizing the UNDP’s global network and JD’s extensive logistics and big data resources, the two sides will also engage government, industry associations, and experts to explore innovative recycling methods. Launching campaigns to raise awareness of the UN SDGs, especially Goal 12, Responsible Production and Consumption, is also a priority. This week JD published a CSR report, which is in line with the SDGs.

“JD.com has been a pioneer in using e-commerce to drive creative, trackable and reliable donation and sustainability efforts, and we are pleased to partner with them,” said Agi Veres, Country Director of UNDP China. “JD’s efforts are closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and we believe that this collaboration will enable us to achieve significant milestones in sustainable development.”

JD.com previously cooperated with the UNDP on Green Planet Sustainability Week, a campaign launched in October 2017 to encourage consumers to recycle and reduce waste. During Green Planet Sustainability Week, JD deployed couriers across eight cities to collect unused clothing from customers for recycling. That same week, JD jointly hosted a Sustainability Fashion Week in Shanghai, exhibiting an array of cutting-edge, eco-friendly apparel and accessories.

“We are honored to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals as we work to promote greater sustainability in China and around the globe,” said Rain Long, Chief Human Resources Officer and General Counsel of JD.com, chairman of JD Foundation. “Sustainable development has been one of our core values since our start and we continue to look for innovative ways to use our resources to benefit not only our partners but society generally. We look forward to working with the UNDP to shape a cleaner and more sustainable future.”

JD continues to expand its commitments to run its business sustainably. JD transitioned from paper to electronic invoices over five years ago, saving 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 to fill 6,000 soccer stadiums. In 2017, JD launched China’s trusted online donation platform, leveraging its e-commerce expertise and cutting edge technology to ensure transparency in the donation process. All donated goods are delivered by JD’s own logistics network.

JD.com Unveils the First Chinese Large-Display Smart Speaker, JD DingDong Play, at CES 2018

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JD.com today announced the launch of JD DingDong Play, the first Chinese large-display assistant. The latest version of the smart assistant, which was developed by Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com and is powered by Intel, brings new and advanced features into Chinese homes and could revolutionize online shopping.

At the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show, JD.com, China’s largest retailer, debuted its advanced smart speaker at the Intel booth. The first personal assistant with a display to be launched in China, JD DingDong Play features an 8-inch LCD screen and integrates facial recognition, a camera and video calling capabilities, making possible a rich new interactive shopping experience. This is the first time that a facial recognition system has been used in a home personal assistant device.

The unique new display and facial recognition capabilities required new levels of computing and processing power, which is why JD DingDong Play, the most advanced flagship product in the industry, incorporates LingLong Tech, and features an Intel Atom® processor. JD and Intel have collaborated to develop a powerful smart voice assistant that recognizes Chinese and can serve hundreds of millions of families in China.

The Intel Atom processor has particularly strong advantages in mobile and smart home devices, including comprehensive performance assurance and advanced processing capabilities; quick response to user commands with seamless connectivity for voice recognition and control; and intelligent audio, video and graphics processing performance that supports multiple still pictures and video stream capture.

“JD.com is already the premier provider of smart speakers in China with a range of available products,” said Dr. Kefeng Li, a Vice President at JD.com. “With today’s launch, JD extends its lead in the smart speaker industry. Combining the power of Intel’s advanced processor with JD’s smart engineering for the future, JD DingDong Play is sure to hasten the transition to a brand-new smart life for families all across China.”

Miles Kingston, general manager of Intel’s Smart Home Group, said, “At the forefront of the Smart Home era, Intel is developing sophisticated cognition with processors powerful enough to harness the data that make devices at the edge truly intelligent—and allow them to connect, communicate, and learn from everyday interactions. By adding facial recognition capabilities to the smart assistant, JD DingDong Play provides a peek into how our homes are evolving to be more perceptive, responsive and autonomous.”

JD Dingdong Play retains the most popular functions of earlier DingDong versions, including calling, weather reports, music play, schedule management, and connectivity to a huge range of smart home products. With the addition of facial recognition, the Play also learns the gender and age of different users, recognizing them with appropriate greetings and will remember preferences after they register their face. The new Play can also monitor the distance between the display and the user when playing video, reminding younger users, for example, when they are too close for comfortable viewing.

With the addition of the camera, the product also integrates photo and video capture functions with facial recognition. For example, a user can take a selfie or family portrait with voice control, and in the “smile” mode, JD DingDong Play will take pictures automatically when it recognizes everyone is smiling. The unit also supports video calling between two JD DingDong Play devices or between it and a mobile phone, which could lead the product to become the home phone of a new generation.

At the same time, the large display significantly improves the shopping experience via smart speaker, an enhancement that customers have requested. The interactive, seamless way of combining voice and visual interfaces makes shopping easier than ever before. Moreover, the Play can also bring a more intuitive experience with AR functionality. For example, before buying lipstick or cosmetics, the user can use the AR feature to preview the colors on her own face.

“JD DingDong Play has attracted widespread attention both within and outside the industry,” said Dr. Li. “Many see the device as a new Internet gateway for families throughout the country. Its creative new uses of facial recognition technology bring new possibilities for smart speakers. We expect this will result in more cutting-edge technologies added to consumer products connected with JD DingDong Play, and greatly promote the development of technology integration. This collaboration highlights the vision and determination of Intel and JD: to work together to create future-oriented product design and to provide an unparalleled user experience.”

JD DingDong Play will be available for sale in China in the first half of 2018.

JD.com Commits to Sell €2 Billion in French Imports as President Macron Meets CEO Richard Liu

Posted on by Yuchuan Wang

JD.com, China’s largest retailer, has announced plans to sell €2 billion of French goods to Chinese consumers over the next two years, and to purchase another €100 million in French industrial products.

With French President Emmanuel Macron on hand during his official state visit to China, JD.com signed an ambitious agreement in Beijing today with Business France, France’s official trade promotion agency. JD Chairman and CEO Richard Liu and Business France CEO Christophe Lecourtier were on hand for the signing. President Macron also met with Mr. Liu to discuss opportunities for more French brands reach JD’s 266.3 million customer base.

Separately, JD also signed an MOU with French industrial engineering giant Fives Group to purchase €100 million of Fives’ technology. Fives has been assigned by the French Government to lead the “Industry of Future” and “Made in China 2025” plans, and the company’s advanced sorting technology will be used in JD’s highly automated “Asia No.1” warehouse network around China.

President Macron also met with Mr. Liu to discuss opportunities for more French brands reach JD’s 266.3 million customer base.

The agreements come as JD launches its ‘Celebrate France’ sales promotion for French goods on its e-commerce platform, showcasing unique promotions and discounts on a range of carefully curated, high-quality French products from brands including Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), Remy Martin, Evian, L’Oreal, Lacoste and others. Such sales promotions are hugely successful for suppliers and brand partners, including brands that are lesser known in China but have significant potential on JD because they leverage the company’s immense marketing resources and consumer insights to reach new audiences, often achieving record sales.

JD is already a key channel for French products to reach Chinese consumers, and counts popular beauty brands L’Oreal, Clarins and Sephora as key beauty partners. In 2017, sales of fresh food from France on JD.com, including oysters and cod, increased 640% year-on-year. Sales of French brands on JD’s cross-border e-commerce platform, JD Worldwide, increased nearly 200% in the same period. In addition, JD is now the biggest online retail channel in China for Lafite. At the end of last year, La Poste jointly launched a La Boutique France flagship store on JD.com to promote more French products in the Chinese market.

JD and Business France will work together to hit the target of €2 billion in sales by the end of 2019 by building out a ‘one-stop shop’ solution for French brands and retailers to get their products to Chinese consumers quickly and conveniently.

In addition to access to JD’s unparalleled supply chain and logistics capabilities, quarter billion-plus customers, and marketing solutions, JD will offer education and training programs about the Chinese e-commerce market targeting senior executives across France. It will provide a dedicated express enrollment service for French companies to get them up and running on JD.com as quickly as possible.

Future collaboration is expected to include logistics support on the ground in France to facilitate the transport of goods from France to JD’s customers in China.