JD.com launches cross-border e-commerce platform in direct challenge to Alibaba's Tmall
JD Worldwide will allow Chinese shoppers to buy imports from US firms such as Nike, Starbucks and Ocean Spray Cranberries, as well as products from countries like Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
JD.com, China's No. 2 e-commerce player, on Wednesday launched its JD Worldwide cross-border online shopping platform, a challenger to Alibaba Group's Tmall Global service.
JD Worldwide will allow Chinese shoppers to buy imports from US firms such as Nike, Starbucks and Ocean Spray Cranberries, as well as products from countries like Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, JD.com said in a press release.
Overseas suppliers will provide more than 1,200 brands, without those merchants requiring a presence in China.
JD.com said the selection of launch products was based on internal data on what were the most popular categories for foreign goods. The company said that in future it may expand the categories available depending on consumer demand.
The venture adds to a host of online retail rivals for Alibaba and Amazon.com catering to fears about the quality and safety of Chinese goods after a number of scares, and comes on the back of a Chinese government push to promote e-commerce and relax import restrictions.
"The current Chinese model of online shopping for foreign goods involves purchasing them from agents. It raises risks for customers that they will buy fake products," said Shen Haoyu, chief executive of JD Worldwide.
"[We] will be able to provide direct sales to customers and make sure products are genuine."