JD.com launches express delivery service with WeChat mini-program
Tencent News is reporting that JD Logistics CEO Wang Zhenhui announced that the company has launched express delivery services for individuals.
The e-commerce platform’s logistics subsidiary has offered supply chain and logistics services for retailers since launching in 2017. However, the latest news marks the company’s first foray into the field of express delivery in China. The service is currently available for individual customers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, although the company plans to eventually expand across the country.
A WeChat mini-program named “JD Express” (京东快递) currently offers mostly standard options for shipping packages, with a couple exceptions.
Image source: WeChat screenshot
From the main page, customers can choose to ship goods (pickups available) or check their packages’ progress. One option offers bulk deliveries, while another allows users to “scan QR code to mail.” A final function, “use voice recognition to mail,” is not yet active.
Currently, customers based in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou can mail items via JD Express to any location in mainland China.
According to the official website, JD Logistics currently boasts over 500 warehouses covering a total of 11.6 million square meters across China. The sheer size and scale of its logistics network has enabled it to make same- or next-day deliveries on 90% or more of JD.com orders in the past.
Previously, JD.com has pushed forward the use of drones to reach rural customers in remote areas as well as autonomous delivery robots. The latest logistics push comes during a relatively rough patch for the e-commerce giant. Besides a PR crisis over an accusation of rape against CEO Liu Qiangdong, the company also reported net losses of RMB 2 billion in the second quarter of this year.
In the field of express delivery in China, JD.com faces competition not only from its old opponent Alibaba but also well-established services like SF Express, YTO Express, and ZTO Express, among others.