As Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com continues its effort to “go overseas” (出海), it unveiled the next stop of its global expansion: the UK. On 9 April, it was reported that JD.com had trial-launched its self-operated retail platform Joybuy in the country. However, in its current state, the e-tailer is only available in the London region.
At present, Joybuy is testing its services among a small group of “seed” users in London while conducting large-scale scouting for merchants. The platform covers a wide range of categories, from electrical appliances, FMCG, pet-related items and beauty, including Chinese and global brands. Currently, there are new user discounts such as 5 GBP (6.38 USD) off every 10 GBP (12.76 USD) spent, free postage and other perks.
Recently, JD.com completed its latest round of restructuring, including naming a new head for its global business: Li Shuai, who used to head up JD.com’s furniture and electrical appliances department. Joybuy was first introduced as JD.com’s cross-border e-commerce platform, similar to AliExpress from Alibaba, in 2015, but was terminated in 2021. In 2022, JD.com launched its European omnichannel retail service “Ochama”, which now services 24 countries in Europe. JD.com was recently reported to have become an “official enhanced partner” of the UEFA Champions League, trying to raise awareness in the European market.
Competitors such as TikTok Shop are also expanding in Europe. With the tariffs disrupting trade between the United States and the rest of the world, especially China, diverting businesses to Europe is the step that many platforms and merchants have taken. As JD.com prides itself on its global logistics capabilities, Joybuy, its UK platform, is also competing with its advantages in providing same-day and next-day delivery options.
Need to boost your China strategy? Dao Pro delivers bespoke insights on marketing, innovation, and digital trends, direct from Chinese sources. Find out more from our Dao Strategy Team here.
