The pandemic has revealed just how important e-commerce is to the future of luxury goods. When many stores were forced to close, brands have to transform and focus on digital sales – and often relied on more established platforms like JD.com to reach digital customers, especially in lower-tier cities and in the absence of international travel and shopping.

This year, luxury giant LVMH has inked a series of partnerships with JD for iconic brands including Givenchy, Berluti, Guerlain, Sephora and Zenith, with more on the horizon.

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What drove LVMH and JD.com to form a partnership?

JD is keen to better understand brands’ needs and also offer more flexible digital solutions to our brand partners, especially the top luxury ones. JD introduced a unique model when Louis Vuitton launched on JD in April 2021. Through the model, consumers can type “LV” in the search bar on the JD app and enter LV’s official mini program to enjoy the brand’s exclusive shopping experience.

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Will selling luxury watches and high jewellery online be the next big thing?

As millennials and Gen Z consumers are growing to be the major consumer group for luxury products, and with the pandemic accelerating the development of e-commerce, we’ve seen an increasing online penetration of luxury brands.

In terms of categories, in addition to fashionable leather goods, and beauty and make-up, there will be great potential for the market of watches and jewellery. There will be more lifestyle and cultural trends in the future, and brands will be more focused on content marketing and creating interactive experiences with consumers.

High-end watches and luxury jewellery are also benefiting from the general trend in self-gifting. The Chinese consumer used to buy jewellery for the weight of gold; now they’re buying it because it’s a wonderful way to show their personality. As more and more consumers move online to buy luxury products, watches and jewellery are indispensable choices as gifts.

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In China’s highly digitised society, how important are physical stores for luxury retail?

Luxury brands entered China by opening flagship stores in high-end offline department stores and malls in first-tier cities, addressing the store image and shopping experience. Digital transformation, combined with the new shopping habits of the younger generation and the impact of Covid-19, has seen growing online penetration.

Technology and logistics infrastructure enable online platform JD.com to provide similar luxury shopping experiences as offline, through AR/VR and JD Luxury Express for example.

In addition, enormous demand from lower-tier markets cannot be met with limited [numbers of] luxury shops in big cities, so the trend of online and offline synergy is ready to go ahead.

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What’s JD’s focus for the next three to five years?

We look forward to providing e-commerce capabilities for more luxury brands and to provide an even more premium e-commerce experience for shoppers, through JD.com’s reliable supply chain and logistics abilities, high-quality consumer base, innovative business models and technology solutions.

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Work experience

2018-present: President of international fashion and lifestyle, JD.com

2014-2018: Vice-president of Sasseur Group

2012-2014: Vice-president of PCD Stores (Group) Limited

2009-2013: Director and vice-president of Grosvenor Vega China Retail Fund

2009-2011: Assistant vice-president of PCD Stores (Group) Limited

2007-2009: Consultant for Bain & Company