Today JD, China’s second-biggest ecommerce site, announced the launch of JD Worldwide, a standalone website where Chinese consumers can purchase overseas goods.
JD Worldwide is a standalone website, accessible via www.jd.hk. Users who browse through the listings will notice a range of international brands featured prominently, particularly for child care and health (hello baby formula).
A company spokesperson tells Tech in Asia that JD Worldwide works with vendors who have no registered Chinese entity or partner-distributor in China. By storing inventory in warehouses located in China’s new free trade zones, overseas goods can reach domestic consumers without tariffs that would otherwise raise prices. Still, JD Worldwide will also offer a marketplace tier in partnership with eBay’s top sellers. JD claims that there are 450 online shops carrying more than 150,000 products at the start of the launch.
The move closely mirrors Alibaba’s Tmall Global, which the Hangzhou-based firm launched in February 2014. Like JD Worldwide, Tmall Global is accessible via a .hk domain, and its goods are stored in bonded warehouses located inside China’s free-trade zones. Alibaba’s delivery network relies primarily on third parties, while JD keeps logistics in-house in order to ensure next-day (or still-speedy) shipping.
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