Delve into the world of eCommerce with JD.com, one of China’s leading online retailers. Find out what you need to do to successfully sell your fashion brand in this market! When it comes to selling online, the Chinese market is a prime destination for fashion brands. With over 900 million internet users, there’s a huge potential customer base waiting to be tapped into. And with Chinese eCommerce platforms like JD.com, brands have an easy way to reach these consumers and start making sales. So what do you need to do to get your fashion brand up and running on JD.com? Keep reading for our top tips!
Introduction to the JD Marketplace
JD.com, which stands for Jing Dong (京东), is one of the most popular marketplaces in China today. It offers various kinds of products, such as electronics, household items, fashion, and more. It has become one of the largest e-commerce platforms in the country due to its accessible platform, efficient logistics systems (JD logistics are the most developed in the country), and a wide array of products to choose from.
JD was first established in 1998. It started out as a magneto-optical store, but it soon branched out into different categories of products once the platform began gaining traction. JD.com, the online retail platform, was established in 2004. Since then, JD.com has accumulated millions of customers, having reported over 500 annual active customers in 2021 alone and registered the fastest growth amongst all Chinese eCommerce companies.
Why You Should Begin Selling Fashion on JD Marketplace
JD eCommerce is mostly known for its selection of electronics and appliances, but as the fashion industry in China continues to grow, sellers are taking every chance they can get by selling their items on different retail platforms. JD Marketplace is steadily making its way to the top of the chain and has been named the second-biggest shopping site for Fashion & Apparel in China.
JD has recently begun collaborating with foreign luxury brands such as Prada, DKNY, and Kappa. The selection of items on the site is gradually widening its horizons, offering popular styles such as streetwear, sportswear, and more.
JD is an International Cross-border Trading Platform
Like many leading Chinese companies in the eCommerce realm, JD offers its seller and customers a cross-border eCommerce option more commonly referred to as JD Worldwide.
The JD Worldwide solution allows foreign merchants to sell in China with no Chinese business license to sell on the marketplace platform.
Frequently Asked Questions About JD Ecommerce
JD has decades of experience offering customers and merchants quality services. Gaining the trust of consumers allowed the marketplace to attract many international brands. In the last few years, JDcom has slowly started to lower its entry criteria as well as offer an accelerated onboarding process.
How do you start selling on JD Marketplace?
Setting up your business on JD Marketplace is easy as long as you complete all of their requirements. We’ve broken down the process into four steps to make it easier to understand.
- Setting Up Your Business: You need to establish yourself as an authorized seller in China before anything else. Read through JD Marketplace’s merchant contract and ensure that you properly comply with all of their requirements. Double-check your documents and make sure you have everything you need. If you already are an established non-Chinese company with a company business license for China, then congrats you can start selling on the local version on JD.
- Starting Your Account: The next step is preparing your JD Wallet. This is where all payments will be handled. After that, begin registering your account on JD Marketplace. Input all of the necessary information about your store and submit the merchant contract from the previous step.
- Going Through the Application Process: You need to wait while JD processes your application. Check their platform regularly to see if the status has changed.
- Finishing the Last Steps: You’ll know that your application has been approved when your status changes. From there, you must provide your address and contact information, secure your account, and pay the required fees before you can begin selling on JD Marketplace.
How much does it cost to start selling fashion items on JD Marketplace?
It depends. First of all, you need to consider all the fees that automatically come with JD eCommerce. Like many other retail platforms, they require sellers to pay certain fees that keep the site running.
JD Marketplace will ask for a deposit that could cost as much as $8,000–$50,000, then an annual fee of up to $15,000. The deposit is refundable. In terms of the commission fee, you will need to pay at least 5%–8% once you begin selling your items. There are other management fees as well, but it’s hard to put an exact price on it because it depends on the performance of your store. Factors such as the scale of your brand and your revenue are two of the most important things to consider.
For the fashion and apparel category specifically, it can be quite expensive. The annual service fee is set to $3,000 and the commission fee for all products is fixed at 6%. However, the deposit remains similar to other categories and is typically set at $15,000.
Who can become a seller on JD Marketplace?
All companies are welcome to apply as long as they comply with JD Marketplace’s requirements and submit their complete documents for approval. What you need to consider the most is how you can sell your products through JD eCommerce.
To qualify for their registration process, you need the following:
- A US bank account for payments
- Proof that your business is registered
- A complete record of your items or products
- History of your transactions to vouch for your authenticity
- Good standing as a foreign company with trademark registration
- Your company is able to respect the 7-day return service promise and offer a great customer experience
How do companies and sellers get paid on JD Marketplace?
Payments can be wired directly to your registered business bank account. Take note that JD eCommerce only supports payment in US dollars. In order to cash out your earnings, be sure to prepare a US bank account ahead of time to avoid any delays and speed up the application process.
Things to Consider As an international Brand on JD Marketplace
Selling on a new website means that you will have to get used to its terms, conditions, and features. The fact that it is a foreign platform also means that you’ll be dealing with an entirely different demographic and platform than what you’re used to.
Below, we have listed a few things you must keep in mind when selling your products through JD eCommerce.
Know What You Should and Should Not Sell
Like foreign companies such as Amazon, JD Marketplace has a wide variety of items available on its retail platform. Many customers turn to JD eCommerce for their electronics, fashion needs, and even groceries. However, you also need to take note that JD strictly monitors its products, so you must not sell any items that are prohibited by their guidelines. These items include:
- Hazardous products, such as flammable items
- Religious artifacts
- Medication
- Live products, such as pets
- Substances like tobacco
- Gambling materials
Listing Your Fashion Items on JD Marketplace
When listing your items on the JD Marketplace, you must keep your audience in mind. Despite being a platform that welcomes foreign brands and companies, the vast majority of active customers on JD Marketplace are still Chinese. With this in mind, you must write in simplified Chinese for all of your product titles and descriptions.
Chinese consumers prefer to see the items in detail before they go through with the purchase, so it’s better to include at least five photos in your listing and at least one video to show how the products look and work. Make the description as detailed as possible by describing the style, color, material, and texture of your items.
Interact with Your Customers
Chinese consumers are highly dependent on social media when it comes to the products they consume. Foreign companies can be hard to establish in China, especially if they aren’t well known as long-standing or luxury brands. To make up for this, foreign companies turn to social media to promote their products. Engagement fuels trust, so with frequent interaction, consumers will likely be encouraged to support your brand.
Create and Moderate Your Content Carefully
Given the widespread reach of technology and social media in China, it’s the fastest way for news to spread. Consumers in China can be quite sensitive when it comes to certain topics. When it comes to creating your content, make sure to study your audience and do your research beforehand. Avoid sensitive topics such as politics and state affairs. Keep your content relatable and appealing, but not too carefree. Stay up to date with the recent news in China to identify whether a topic is safe to talk about or reference in your social media engagement posts.
What to Sell on JD Marketplace: Most Popular Fashion Items in China
A recent survey conducted in 2020 has revealed the most popular fashion and apparel items in China. Trends may come and go, but it seems that many of these items are versatile pieces that will never go out of style.
Streetwear
Streetwear brands were the top choice within the poll, garnering 24.3% of the total votes. Streetwear consists of various styles and subcategories, but the media has recently popularized designs inspired by hip-hop. Many consumers feel inclined to add more streetwear to their wardrobe because they often see their favorite celebrities and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) wearing their brands in promotional shoots and shows. This emphasizes how large of an impact influencers leave on their audience.
Fast Fashion
Fast Fashion is one of the top options on the survey, falling just below Affordable Luxury with a total of 17.9%. Despite their love for durable and quality items, Chinese consumers often go for the most cost-efficient option as well. However, many consumers have also expressed their concerns about how the production of fast fashion is affecting the environment. With that, sustainable fashion options are gradually becoming popular in the Chinese marketplace as well.
Understanding Social Media Marketing in China
As mentioned before, social media is the key to capturing your audience’s attention as a foreign brand. Expect Chinese consumers to be skeptical of your brand’s launch, as they typically prefer to spend their money on known and reliable brands to get their money’s worth. Seeing as there is no Facebook or Instagram in China, consumers turn to their local sites instead.
We have provided a brief but comprehensive guide of popular platforms and connections that you can use to promote your brand.
WeChat is the most popular social media platform in China, so it is also one of the most useful tools you can utilize once you begin selling on JD Marketplace. WeChat has many unique features that can be used to boost your brand awareness and engage with potential customers. It’s worth noting that JD Marketplace and WeChat are both owned by Tencent, so WeChat fully supports JD eCommerce and its online store. You can promote your brand on WeChat by making interactive posts, releasing promo codes and vouchers, making an online brochure, and more! Be creative in coming up with content and use the platform wisely.
Baidu SEO
SEO is widely known in digital marketing as one of the most useful tools when it comes to enhancing your brand awareness. However, SEO is quite different in China. Unlike most countries that rely on Google for their searches, Chinese consumers prefer to use a similar search engine called Baidu. This makes it more complicated for online brands since they will have to get used to utilizing a completely new tool for SEO. Although it may be tricky at first, Baidu’s advanced features can help your relevant products rank higher on searches. This makes it truly worth the effort of learning how it works.
Create a Chinese Website for Your Brand
Chinese websites and Baidu SEO go hand-in-hand. Producing a Chinese website for your brand provides a higher chance of appealing to customers because of how accessible it is. These websites make it easier to produce unique and relevant content that can draw your audience’s attention. Pair your website with Baidu SEO and you can begin releasing relevant content that ranks high on Baidu’s searches, paving the way for more consumers to become aware of your brand and spark their interest in your products.
PPC on JD Marketplace
The JD eCommerce platform itself offers opportunities for sellers to promote their brands. This is possible through their pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements. Through these ads, you can flash your promotional content on their website through banner ads. It draws attention to your products and generates sales. However, advertisements on platforms such as WeChat, Baidu, and other social media platforms still generate more leads because of their versatility and vast audience.
Key Opinion Leader (KOL)
Chinese consumers rely heavily on opinions and reviews when it comes to the products they support. They value authenticity and reliability, which is why they are often doubtful of products they aren’t familiar with. As we mentioned before, KOLs can be considered China’s influencers. Having a KOL to promote your brand could contribute greatly to your brand’s reputation, as it informs the public about your products while letting them know that they have been proven and tested by a reliable source.
Kol marketing combined with live-streaming is wonderful to create an interactive experience for consumers and famous brands have all jumped on the opportunity. To separate yourself from the competition, you’ll have to offer your customers not just a product but an Online shopping experience.
Want to start selling on Chinese Online Marketplaces?
We help you with your market expansion: from logistics services to JD flagship store setup, promotion, and customer services. We make sure you rise to your full potential in China with solutions that will have a meaningful impact. Let’s schedule a call and discuss how you can make it on one of China’s leading one-stop e-commerce platforms.