As the festive season looms, marked by iconic sales events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, businesses are gearing up for a surge in order volume. To efficiently handle the anticipated demand, JD Logistics is replicating elements of its world-class logistics operation in China and bringing those capabilities to address supply chain challenges in North America. Central to this strategy is the adoption digital twin technology in its U.S. warehouses.
What Is Digital Twin Technology?
Simply put, digital twin technologies offer a dynamic mirror of a physical environment, allowing businesses to simulate real situations. Whether it’s forecasting order volumes, refining algorithms, or making savvy business decisions, these digital replicas are game changers.
JD Logistics has harnessed this innovation to simulate the fulfillment process of millions of parcels within minutes. This technology becomes indispensable during high-demand periods, aiding logistics managers in orchestrating the perfect ballet of employees, devices, and vehicles.
Plus, it can even predict potential hiccups like inventory backlogs, ensuring that brands and merchants remain cost-efficient. A testament to its effectiveness, our data reveals an accuracy rate of over 90% in simulation forecasts.
A Track Record of Excellence
By embedding digital twin technology into our operations, we are gearing up to offer an even more adaptive, reliable, and smart supply chain solution for our clients.
“Advanced technology is reshaping the global business scene, heralding an era marked by efficiency and convenience,” said Tian He, CTO of JD Logistics (including North America). “Digital twin technology stands at the forefront of this change, offering shrewd strategic insights to boost operational prowess in logistics. At JD Logistics, our vision is clear — we’re committed to continually enhancing the logistics experience by delving deeper into groundbreaking technologies like AI, machine learning, and robotics.”
JD Logistics operates multiple state-of-the-art automated warehouses in the U.S., with digital twin technology acting as the catalyst for boosting efficiency. Our clients can look forward to quicker, greener, and more cost-effective solutions. And the innovation doesn’t stop there. Soon, we’ll be rolling out intelligent sorting robots to our U.S. warehouses, boasting a near-perfect sorting accuracy rate of 99.99%.
On October 23rd at 8:00 p.m., JD.com kicked off its highly anticipated Singles’ Day Grand Promotion. Within the first 10 minutes of the event, both user orders and overall transaction volume skyrocketed, achieving over four times last year’s figures.
Foregoing the traditional pre-sale period, JD.com showcased an expansive inventory available for immediate purchase. Popular smartphones from renowned brands like iPhone, Xiaomi, and Huawei surpassed 100 million yuan in sales in mere seconds. Over 100 top-tier home appliance brands witnessed a tenfold YoY sales jump. Automotive products, especially new energy charging stations and innovative car accessories reported a 60-fold YoY surge. Notably, electric wheelchair sales saw a tenfold increase, highlighting a growing demand in elderly care products. JD Worldwide, JD.com’s import division, doubled its YoY sales across 280+ imported categories.
This year’s shopping festival features over 800 million products, all competitively priced and backed by a more than 30-day price guarantee. Products under JD’s 10-billion-yuan discount program exceeded 100 million yuan in sales within the first 5 minutes. Standout categories included toys from the industrial belts, growing by 200%, and Suqian hairy crabs which saw a 30-fold sales boost. Jewelry and accessory flash sales also crossed the 100-million-yuan mark.
JD.com’s superior service was a significant draw for shoppers. The home appliance trade-in program witnessed a 13-fold YoY spike within the first 10 minutes, and digital products in the 3C category saw sales triple. Omnichannel services through JD Super, catering to fast-moving consumer goods, surged elevenfold. Eyewear products, providing a 180-day exchange window, saw a 240% rise, and the autumn flu vaccine online booking service grew tenfold.
On the logistics front, a Bosideng down jacket dispatched from JD Logistics’ flagship Qingdao industrial park was commemorated as China’s 100 billionth express delivery in 2023. Enhancing its seamless service, JD.com partnered with 400,000+ brick-and-mortar stores to offer on-demand retail, ensuring rapid one-hour delivery to consumers across 2,000+ regions. This efficiency means some deliveries are in customers’ hands in just moments.
On October 17th, JD.com announced it has joined the UN Global Compact’s “Forward Faster” initiative, underscoring the company’s commitment to sustainability and global development. The announcement coincided with Sandra Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and CEO and Executive Director of UN Global Compact, visiting JD.com’s headquarters in Beijing, which marked the first enterprise visit of her China tour this week.
The UN Global Compact’s Forward Faster initiative, launched on September 18, 2023, calls on business leaders worldwide to take measurable, credible, and ambitious action in five areas — gender equality, climate action, living wage, water resilience, and finance & investment. These areas have the power to accelerate progress across all SDGs, enabling the private sector to collectively make the biggest and fastest impact by 2030.
“It is a great pleasure connecting with JD.com’s first female CEO, Sandy Xu, and gaining insights into the company’s history and impressive e-commerce platform,” saidSanda Ojiambo. “JD.com has effectively integrated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its core operations. We appreciate and welcome the company’s commitment to Forward Faster.”
Sandy Xu, CEO of JD.com, said, ” With our extensive supply chain, technology prowess, and a strong workforce of hundreds of thousands of employees – predominantly from rural backgrounds -JD.com is proud to offer diverse employment avenues. We look forward to collaborating with the UN Global Compact as we strengthen our endeavors in green supply chains, poverty alleviation, and holistic employee welfare. As part of ‘Forward Faster’, our immediate focus is gender equality, underscoring our broader commitment to the global Sustainable Development Goals.”
Sandy Xu (left) and Sanda Ojiambo look at JD’s recyclable delivery boxes, known as the Green Stream Boxes
JD.com has actively participated in various sustainable development activities through the UN Global Compact. The company’s low-carbon operating practices under its Green Stream Initiative, such as promoting green packaging, adopting new energy delivery vehicles, utilizing rooftop solar power for logistics parks, and incorporating sustainable building materials in office buildings, were recognized as best practices in the UN Global Compact’s 2021 whitepaper “Corporate Net Zero Pathway.” JD.com was also among the early adopters to join the UN Global Compact’s Climate Ambition Accelerator (CAA) and Target Gender Equality (TGE) programs in 2022. Notably, JD’s “Sunshine Angel” initiative, which provides people with disabilities with online customer service job opportunities led by women leaders, has been included as a best practice case in TGE.
As JD.com gears up for its upcoming Singles’ Day Grand Promotion from October 23 to November 11, the company has joined forces with several renowned fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies to establish the Green Impact Partners Alliance. This ambitious venture aims to jointly implement actions for green consumption. Covering hundreds of millions of consumers, it is the largest green consumption initiative in the FMCG industry. The initiative includes tree-planting based on sales volumes and a one-yuan donation for afforestation with every consumer purchase. Through carbon-reducing efforts on both the supply and demand sides, JD.com effectively supports responsible production and consumption.
JD.com announced its 2023 Singles’ Day Grand Promotion will kick off on October 23rd at 8 p.m. This year’s promotion aims to exceed expectations by offering a wide range of products readily available for immediate purchase, doing away with the traditional pre-sales. With price guarantees covering over 800 million products for 30 days, shoppers can rest assured they are getting the best deals.
At the heart of this year’s shopping festival is JD’s commitment to providing customers with exceptional value in response to customers’ growing appetite for cost-efficiency shopping. As part of this commitment, JD.com is offering cross-store discounts of RMB 50 yuan for every 299 yuan spent. Additionally, a first-come, first-served basis subsidy of 20 yuan will be available. JD’s “10-billion-yuan Discount” program this year boasts twice the number of participating products compared to the mid-year JD 618 Grand Promotion.
Lijun Xin, CEO of JD Retail, emphasized JD’s long-standing commitment to providing genuine low prices compromising quality. “By conducting honest operations and continually optimizing the supply chain, JD aims to pass on the savings achieved through utmost efficiency to its users and partners, said Xin. “This approach not only stimulates consumption but also invigorates the market with truly affordable prices.”
Lijun Xin, CEO of JD Retail, speaking on JD.com 2023 Singles Day Kick-off Press Conference on Oct. 19
Starting from 8 p.m. on October 23rd, JD’s “Price Guarantee” Will Cover Over 800 Million Products
To ensure customer convenience, JD will kick off the Grand Promotion at 8 p.m., a practice established since 2021 so that customers do not need to stay up late. Once again, JD breaks industry norms this year by making a vast array of products available for immediate purchase as soon as the sale commences on October 23rd. Shoppers can directly order sought-after items such as the iPhone 15, Wuliangye liquor, SK-II facial treatment essence, and more, ensuring quick delivery without any deposits or pre-sale wait periods.
Customers making purchases between 8 p.m. on October 23rd and midnight on November 13th will benefit from JD’s price guarantee service for 30 days or even longer.
During the Grand Promotion, the company is set to roll out a plethora of enticing promotional activities. Highlights include the “Super Flash Sale,” offering 50% discounts on electronics, and the opportunity for shoppers to purchase best-selling items for only 1 yuan. The “10-billion yuan Discount Day” guarantees free shipping on all orders, a double compensation feature if a more affordable price is spotted elsewhere, and the chance for consumers to buy the iPhone 15 at half price. There will also be a special “JD Plus Day” dedicated to providing low prices for premium and popular products exclusively available to JD Plus members, among other exciting offers.
“10-billion-yuan Discount” Program Doubles Offerings from 618 Promotion
Throughout this year, JD.com has intensified its focus on affordability, pioneering several initiatives like the “10-billion-yuan Discount” program, “9.9-Yuan Items with Free Shipping” channel, and “Double the Price Difference” guarantee, as well as lowering the free shipping threshold to RMB 59. The Spring Dawn Plan further propelled JD.com’s outreach, enticing a surge of new merchants, thereby expanding product offerings for consumers.
Merchant participation for this year’s Singles Day has increased 1.5 times compared to last year. The offerings under the “10-billion-yuan Discount” program have doubled since the 618 Grand Promotion in June. More, JD will also collaborate with over 2,000 special agricultural product sources and industrial belts in China to bring consumers high-quality agricultural goods. Additionally, during the Singles Day sales period, shoppers will see the introduction of over 500 million new products.
Tens of thousands of offline stores in JD’s omni-channel ecosystem, including JD Mall, JD Home, 7Fresh Supermarket, JD Auto, and more, are set to partake in the sales, ensuring varied consumer needs are adeptly addressed across multiple channels.
A JD courier in Hong Kong
One-hour Delivery and Expedited Logistics in Hong Kong and Macau
JD Logistics recently upgraded its express delivery service in both Hong Kong and Macau, offering residents accelerated self-operated intra-city and cross-border delivery services. With the debut of JD Express in these regions, customers can look forward to receiving their JD.com orders swiftly, delivered by JD’s dedicated couriers right to their doorsteps, with orders from Hong Kong often fulfilled by the next day.
JD’s on-demand retail business, JD Daojia, will partner with over 400,000 physical stores to provide consumers across more than 2,000 counties and districts with “free shipping and delivery within hours across all product categories”, ensuring they have immediate access to a plethora of high-quality, cost-effective products.
JD Logistics, the logistics division of JD.com, announced today an expansion of its self-operated express delivery business in Hong Kong and Macau via JD Express. The enhanced delivery network will comprise several operations centers to offer fast intra-city express delivery in Hong Kong and Macau, express delivery between Hong Kong and Macau, and express delivery between either location and Chinese Mainland.
JD is also offering customer-centric services to provide greater value, such as complementary doorstep delivery. In Hong Kong, users can enjoy expedited intra-city deliveries as fast as four hours and nighttime delivery hours extended to 10:00 PM, giving users more flexibility and convenience in receiving parcels. In Macau, users can receive their intra-city packages as soon as the next morning.
JD Logistics became a stand-alone subsidiary of JD.com in 2017 and currently boasts one of the largest logistics networks of any e-commerce company in the world. While JD Logistics has provided B2B and B2C warehousing and distribution logistics solutions across Hong Kong and Macau for over five years, the company’s newly launched self-operated express delivery services enable JD.com’s cross-border online shoppers in Hong Kong and Macau to enjoy the self-operated logistics services that have made JD.com an industry leader in Chinese Mainland.
“With our recent expansion of delivery services into Hong Kong and Macau, we are proud to bring JD Express’ quality service, honed over a decade, to these regions for the very first time,” said Wei Ma, General Manager of JD Logistics Express Business Hong Kong. “With a humble and practical approach, we are committed to providing our customers in both cities with a reassuring and worry-free express delivery experience.”
The enhanced offerings announced today fortify JD’s logistics connections among Hong Kong, Macau, and Chinese Mainland, strengthening JD’s presence and operational prowess throughout the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.
About JD Logistics and JD Express
JD Logistics is a leading technology-driven supply chain solutions and logistics services provider. With a mission of driving superior efficiency and sustainability for global supply chain through technology, the company is committed to becoming the world’s most trusted supply chain infrastructure service provider. As the quality express delivery business under JD Logistics, JD Express provides a swift, efficient, and convenient express delivery service that caters to both individual and business needs. JD Express has always offered doorstep delivery as one of its standard services, and its service area reaches nearly all districts and counties in China as well as China’s total population.
JINGDONG Property, Inc. (“JDP”), a leading and the fast-growing infrastructure investment and asset management platform of JD.com, and EZA Hill Property Management Pte Ltd (“EZA Hill”), a Singapore-based real asset business, successfully completed the joint acquisition of a logistics portfolio from ESR-Logos REIT for a total consideration of approximately SG$350 million including land premium. This represents the first acquisition for both JDP and EZA Hill in Singapore. In conjunction with the investment, JDP and EZA Hill have jointly established Primus Partners Management Asia Pte Ltd (“Primus”), a new operating platform to manage the portfolio.
The investment comprises a portfolio of five high-quality logistics assets totaling 1.9 million square feet of GFA strategically located in the key logistics clusters in Singapore. Primus intends to invest in asset enhancement initiatives that adapt this portfolio of assets to the growing needs of a diversified customer base.
“We are excited about this portfolio acquisition in Singapore and the establishment of a new operating platform. This is an important milestone towards building our business in Asia. Logistics is one of our key investment themes supported by favorable market fundamentals. We will continue to look for value-creation investment opportunities to scale our portfolio in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Richard Law, Head of Asia at JDP.
“Over the past few years, we have been actively acquiring and developing logistics assets within the region. This portfolio represents an attractive opportunity for JDP to further strengthen our foothold in the market. The strategic locations of these assets, coupled with the rising logistics demand, will provide stable and resilient returns to our stakeholders,” commented Kevin Shao, Head of Southeast Asia at JDP.
Frank Ng Tze Wei, Chief Investment Officer at EZA Hill highlighted, “This deal marks an important milestone for EZA Hill, as its first entry to Singapore’s industrial market. It is a testament to the team’s ability to execute sizeable and complex transactions. Over the long term, we believe EZA Hill will be well-positioned to capture the emerging growth taking place in the industrials and logistics markets in Southeast Asia, driven by shifts in manufacturing and industrial activity, and coupled with an undersupply of high-quality, well-located assets.”
About JINGDONG Property, lnc.
JINGDONG Property, Inc. (www.jdp.com.cn) is a leading and the fast-growing infrastructure investment and asset management platform of JD.com. Its business includes investment, development and asset management of logistics parks, business parks, data centers and others in China, Asia and Europe. As the cornerstone of JD.com’s supply chain ecosystem, JDP is equipped with deep insights into merchandise and logistics flows and a distinct ability to integrate business resources. We are uniquely positioned to serve consumption-oriented demand and transform local economies. Leveraging the four pillars of our core competencies of infrastructure assets, development expertise, service capabilities and actionable insights, we provide bespoke, holistic and intelligent infrastructure solutions and have continuously expanded our customer base in the third-party logistics, e-commerce, manufacturing, retail and other new economy industries.
About EZA Hill
EZA Hill is a real estate investment platform (www.ezahill.com) that invests, holds, and develops industrial, logistics, and business park real estate opportunities in Southeast Asia. Leveraging its proprietary industry research and operational expertise, the platform aims to take advantage of the growth potential in Southeast Asia’s real estate market and create value through strategic investments in sustainable and innovative infrastructure solutions. EZA Hill is committed to delivering value and sustainable growth while fostering innovation in the region’s building and infrastructure sectors.
Ochama, an innovative omni-channel retailer, today announced the expansion of its home delivery services into 19 additional countries, strengthening its European presence and continuing its commitment to making shopping simpler and more accessible.
First launched in the Netherlands in January 2022, ochama offers a retail model that merges online and offline shopping experiences. The company ensures a seamless customer experience by providing the flexibility to collect online orders from ochama’s pick-up points or choosing the comfort of reliable home delivery.
For the first time, customers in Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden can explore ochama’s expansive product range and enjoy direct doorstep delivery. This expansion brings ochama’s home delivery service to a network spanning 24 countries, seamlessly integrating with existing services in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, and Germany. All orders will be packed at ochama’s automated warehouse in the Netherlands before being delivered.
For customers in the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium, they can now benefit from next-day pick-up options, with ordering time extended until midnight at over 500 pick-up points. Ochama is actively collaborating with vendors to introduce additional flexible pick-up time slots for enhanced convenience.
Any Li, Head of Delivery and Transportation at ochama, said, “At ochama, we are tirelessly innovating to cater to our customers’ evolving needs and to deliver on our brand promise of ‘shopping made simple.’ By extending services to 19 additional countries, we are thrilled to offer more customers across Europe a seamless, customer-centric, and easy shopping experience right to their doorsteps.”
About ochama
Ochama is an omni-channel retailer, a one-stop shop with a full range of A-brand products. Online orders can be collected from ochama’s pickup points, or delivered right at the customer’s home, aiming to provide a seamless customer experience. Our brand slogan “Shopping made simple” says it all: ochama is an innovative shopping solution, a new go-to store for both foods and non-food goods, ochama offers efficient and cost-effective shopping experiences with a wide variety of product categories, including fresh food, home appliances, electronics, beauty cosmetics, maternal and baby products, and more.
On September 27, JD.com announced the establishment of the Green Impact Partners Alliance, a milestone in the company’s commitment to fostering sustainable commerce. The Alliance is an integral facet of JD’s ongoing Green Impact Initiative, an expansive commitment to offer environmentally friendly products on its platform.
Several high-profile fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands, including Breeze, OMO, and BABO, are among its inaugural members. The Alliance aims to foster collaboration and advocate for green products across three key fronts: efficient supply chain management, insightful consumer-to-manufacturer product design, and impactful marketing cooperation.
Under the banner of the Alliance, JD Super, the supermarket division of JD Retail, is embarking on a series of transformative partnerships:
JD Forest in Hainan: In collaboration with leading tissue paper manufacturer Breeze, JD.com is establishing JD Forest in Hainan, contributing to reforestation efforts.
JD Bamboo Forest in Sichuan: Partnering with bamboo pulp tissue manufacturer BABO, JD is creating dedicated bamboo forests in Sichuan, supporting sustainable bamboo production.
OMO Tree Planting Initiative: JD.com and detergent leader OMO are launching an initiative where every purchase of OMO laundry capsules triggers a one-yuan donation towards tree planting, fostering a virtuous cycle of environmental care.
To encourage environmentally conscious consumption, consumers who purchase these eco-friendly products will receive shopping rewards in their accounts based on their expenses, further incentivizing green choices in everyday shopping.
The Alliance was officially announced at an inauguration ceremony in Beijing, where Qu Feng, CEO of Golden Hongye Paper Group, the parent company of Breeze, Zhang Shuyi, Vice President of the Home Cleaning Division at Unilever China, and representatives from JD jointly reaffirmed their dedication to the shared cause.
Niu Yinghua, Vice President of JD.com and General Manager of the Cleaning, Personal Care, and Maternal and Baby Product Department at JD Retail, stated that nearly one hundred green products have been introduced through the Green Impact Partners Alliance so far. By 2024, the Alliance plans to welcome an additional 20 reputable brands from major FMCG categories, tripling the number of green-labeled product offerings.
The Alliance is poised to benefit from JD’s vast market insights and industry trends, ensuring a broader spectrum of sustainable consumer-to-manufacturer products in collaboration with brand partners. Furthermore, the Alliance partners are poised to co-develop numerous environment-centric marketing campaigns, driving a comprehensive push towards eco-friendly lifestyles.
JD.com’s environmental stewardship has been evident since the launch of its “Green Stream Initiative” in 2017, a collaboration that saw JD Logistics partner with giants including Lego, Wyeth, Kimberly-Clark, and Unilever, focusing on carbon footprint reduction across multiple facets of the supply chain, from warehousing, packaging, and transportation to recycling and engaging over 300,000 companies and millions of consumers. This was further bolstered in 2020 with JD’s “Green Impact Initiative,” which saw partnerships with P&G, L’Oréal, PurCotton, Nestlé, and Abbott to boost sustainable consumption.
With its unwavering dedication to green advancements, JD.com is not just setting industry benchmarks but is also leading by example, steering a global shift toward sustainable
