JD.com launches 'Korean Mall' imported goods platform in Seoul

SEOUL -- Chinese B2C e-commerce giant JD.com Inc on Thursday launched its online imported goods platform " Korean Mall" in Seoul, a major step of developing its South Korean market.

Liu Qiangdong (Richard Liu), Founder and CEO of JD.com on Thursday officially announced the open of "Korean Mall" in a seminar co-held by South Korea's leading e-commerce solution provider cafe24, which is also one of JD.com's local partner.

Liu said "Korean Mall" will focus on satisfying rising demand driven by K-pop among Chinese consumers for Korean products, including clothes, cosmetics, electronics and others. By opening online shops on JD.com, Korean entrepreneurs will have more opportunities to offer goods directly to Chinese customers, diversifying sales channels.

"The surprising growth rate of JD.com will be a great opportunity for any local companies to enter into the Chinese market," said Lee Jae-seok, CEO of SimpleX Internet which operates cafe24, adding that they will closely work with JD.com to help stimulate e-commerce trade between China and South Korea.

In 2014, JD.com has sold approximately 3.8 million mobile phones, more than 4.02 million IT products and nearly two million cosmetics of Korean brand with the total turnover of ten billion RMB ($1.61 billion). JD.com estimated that the turnover of products with Korean brand will exceed 50 billion RMB ($8.05 billion) in the next three years.

"We aim to absorb more than one thousand Korean enterprises to sell their products on JD.com by the end of this year," said Liu.

Liu added that JD.com plans to set up storage base in South Korea to reduce the intermediate stages of sending Korean products to Chinese customers, trying best to lowering the logistic cost and making sure Korean brands have more competitive price in the Chinese market.

"Our final goal is to lower the logistic cost to only two dollar when sending a Korean product from South Korea to China's countryside," said Liu.

Liu said JD.com has made agreement with China's customs in Hangzhou, Ningbo and Guangzhou on fast customs checks and logistic bonded, which can enable Chinese customers receive Korean products in three to seven days after ordering. More time will be saved after JD.com signing agreement with Qingdao, Weihai and Lianyungang, cities closer to South Korea.

Liu also told Xinhua that besides helping Korean companies sell products to China, JD.com will cooperate with South Korea's local e-commerce enterprises to selling Chinese products to South Korea by the end of 2015.

Liu said JD.com will start develop its overseas market at full- scale in 2015 since it has already launched "Korean Mall" and " French Mall" JD.com will continue strengthening its overseas direct purchase and open more online exclusive mall in Japan, Australia, the U.S. and many European countries in future.