JD.com Inc, China's second-largest e-commerce company, plans to open more than 1 million JD convenience stores across the country in the next five years, with half of them located in rural areas, said its CEO Liu Qiangdong.
He said owners of the stores could order goods, including consumer electronics, home appliances, clothing and home furnishings through JD's application software.
JD will be responsible for logistics and distribution to the stores, according to the company.
This is JD's third offline cooperation project after launching 10,000 JD home appliance stores, an important measure in the expansion of its offline retail channel.
JD launched the New Market Programs at the end of 2015, which aimed to build a new channel targeting small and medium-sized stores in small cities, becoming their suppliers and partners. This program is set to cover 500,000 stores this year.
The penetration rate of e-commerce players in the small cities is not high. In contrast, convenience stores play a vital role.
E-commerce giants have stepped up the combination of online and offline retail channels. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Bailian Group Co Ltd reached a strategic partnership in February. The two sides will co-design bricks-and-mortar stores that merge online and offline shopping experiences.
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