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Tag: Toplife

  • Shanghai Tang sold to Chinese Lunar Capital fund

    Shanghai Tang sold to Chinese Lunar Capital fund

    Chinese luxury fashion label Shanghai Tang has been acquired by Chinese investment fund Lunar Capital. The new owner specialises in growing mid-sized Chinese firms, already holding a range of clothing brands. Their acquisition signals a new direction for the brand, which has just opened a flagship store on JD’s luxury platform TopLife, the brand’s first domestic online retail space. Shanghai Tang’s creative director Massimiliano Giornetti will be resigning following the handover.

    The rapid turnover just one year after its acquisition by Italian clothing firm A. Moda, Alessandro Bastagli, and Hong Kong private equity firm Cassia Investments follows disagreements between the buyers. The brand was purchased last year from Swiss luxury goods firm Richemont Group, one of the brand’s original investors and owners since 2008.

    Shanghai Tang is thought to be China’s first contemporary luxury brand, and pulled in estimated sales of US$45.57 million this year.

  • Louboutin’s first online pop-up store on Toplife

    Louboutin’s first online pop-up store on Toplife

    Christian Louboutin’s signature red-soles have tiptoed their way onto Toplife.

    Joining numerous international leading luxurious brands such as Fendi, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen or Oscar de La Renta, Christian Louboutin has partnered up with JD’s luxury e-flagship platform Toplife earlier this July to make its debuts on the Chinese e-commerce platform scene. Its online pop-up store features the full offering from the brand’s most recent collection.

    JD President of International Fashion and Head of Toplife, Xia Ding, said “No matter where you are, Christian Louboutin’s signature creations are ubiquitous with style, poise and individuality,”. In this effort to bring a seamless omnichannel experience, clients can enjoy JD’s signature white glove service, JD Luxury Express. Rounding out the online luxury experience with an offline, personal touch, customers can have their goods hand-delivered to their homes by professionally-dressed couriers driving electric cars.

    Leveraging its RaaS capabilities, JD has supported many brands in their debuts on the Chinese e-commerce scene. The company is expecting to welcome more international luxury brands on its luxury e-flagship platform Toplife.

    Christian Louboutin’s signature red-soles have tiptoed their way onto Toplife.

    Joining numerous international leading luxurious brands such as Fendi, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen or Oscar de La Renta, Christian Louboutin has partnered up with JD’s luxury e-flagship platform Toplife earlier this July to make its debuts on the Chinese e-commerce platform scene. Its online pop-up store features the full offering from the brand’s most recent collection.

    SEE ALSO: JD.com debuts Toplife, its ecommerce ecosystem for luxury brands

    JD President of International Fashion and Head of Toplife, Xia Ding, said “No matter where you are, Christian Louboutin’s signature creations are ubiquitous with style, poise and individuality,”. In this effort to bring a seamless omnichannel experience, clients can enjoy JD’s signature white glove service, JD Luxury Express. Rounding out the online luxury experience with an offline, personal touch, customers can have their goods hand-delivered to their homes by professionally-dressed couriers driving electric cars.

    SEE ALSO: Red soles are Christian Louboutin’s trademark

    Leveraging its RaaS capabilities, JD has supported many brands in their debuts on the Chinese e-commerce scene. The company is expecting to welcome more international luxury brands on its luxury e-flagship platform Toplife.

  • Alexander McQueen partners with JD.com to expand in China

    Alexander McQueen partners with JD.com to expand in China

    Alexander McQueen China has partnered with JD.com to launch a store on the e-commerce giant’s luxury platform Toplife.

    It will offer the full Alexander McQueen fashion ranges as well as accessories.

    While the UK luxury fashion brand already has 15 on-ground stores throughout China and Hong Kong, it aims to bolster its online reach through JD.com’s logistical infrastructure as well as its understanding of the Chinese luxury e-commerce.

    “This is a strategic addition to our physical presence in China, part of our multi-channel experience,” says Alexander McQueen CEO Emmanuel Gintzburger. “JD.com’s advanced capabilities will allow us to engage with a larger local clientele while respecting the creative expression of the house.”

    Launched in October, Toplife aims to fill a gap in the Chinese e-commerce market by offering only full-priced items from premium global brands. It offers international luxury brands access to its allround system, which seamlessly incorporates an online store, premium customer service, delivery services and marketing and branding expertise.

    The move follows the launch of Saint Laurent’s stand-alone store on Toplife earlier this month.

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  • Santander and JD.com to support UK brands expanding into China

    Santander and JD.com to support UK brands expanding into China

    Santander UK has partnered with Chinese retailer JD.com to give British brands access to China’s massive retail and consumer market.

    As part of the agreement, small and medium-sized business customers at Santander with turnover of at least £10 million and international trading experience will be able to launch stores on JD.com, which is known as one of China’s largest B2C online retailers.

    The online marketplace has a customer base of over 266 million people, and its extensive delivery network has attracted top European and American brands. Luxury brand Saint Lauren was the latest to join the platform this week as it announced its launch on JD.com’s Toplife.

    The Santander/JD announcement comes after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in July 2016.

    Deputy general manager of JD.com worldwide Kaisi Li commented: “This partnership with Santander opens up many more opportunities to small and medium-size enterprises across the UK. Demand for imported products in China is strong and growing rapidly, and we’re excited to work with Santander to enable more UK-based brands to benefit from the growth of this huge market.”

    JD rival ecommerce site Alibaba features brands such as Burberry, Hugo Boss and Gucci.

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  • Saint Laurent joins Toplife

    Saint Laurent joins Toplife

    French fashion label Saint Laurent, part of Kering, will start selling online in China through a JD.com portal, joining shopping players like Alibaba in trying to tap strong luxury goods demand from Chinese consumers.

    The French brand created in 1961 by its late founder Yves Saint Laurent, said  it was partnering with Toplife, a platform launched last October by JD.com, which aims to woo luxury buyers with same-day deliveries and premium services.

    “Thanks to the sophisticated logistics network and personalised platform provided by our partnership with Toplife, Saint Laurent will be able to implement its omnichannel development in China, securing a top-level luxury journey to our clients,” said Francesca Bellettini, president and chief executive of Saint Laurent, in a statement.

    Brands on the platform will have access to “JD.com’s upper middle class user base” and “an online luxury experience that can match the in-store experience,” said Xia Ding, president of JD.com’s fashion division.

    Toplife rivals Luxury Pavilion, a similar portal launched in August, which is backed by Alibaba’s Tmall platform and features products from fashion groups such as Burberry.

    Chinese shoppers made up 32 percent of the worldwide luxury market in 2017, more than any other nationality, consultancy Bain & Co said, making it a crucial market for fashion brands.

    KPMG has projected, meanwhile, that half of China’s domestic luxury consumption could come from web sales by 2020.

    Online shopping has proved a potent earnings driver for fashion brands even if many were initially reluctant to distribute their wares too widely.

    Top labels such as Kering’s Gucci or LVMH’s Louis Vuitton recently started marketing directly to Chinese buyers with their own websites in the country.

    High-end fashion houses are still wary of alliances with mass-market platforms such as Amazon, however, fearful they will lose control of their image.

    JD.com and Alibaba’s specialist luxury platforms have already lured several other brands, touting themselves as more exclusive, selective sites.

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  • JD.com surprises with first profitable quarter

    JD.com surprises with first profitable quarter

    JD.com profit soared 50 per cent after a 39 per cent increase in sales during the Chinese online retailer’s latest quarter.

    Its unaudited results for the three months to the end of September show revenue of RMB83.7 billion (US$12.6 billion), with a record 50.3 per cent surge in gross profit to RMB13 billion. Non-GAAP gross profit was RMB12.8 billion, up 51.9 per cent.

    Active customer accounts increased by 34 per cent to 266.3 million in the 12 months to September 30.

    Chairman/CEO Richard Lio says the company is building robust product content and enhancing user engagement with innovative tools that enable brands to launch highly targeted online marketing programs.

    “The scale economies of our model are becoming clearer with every quarter,” says CFO Sidney Huang. “Looking ahead, we will continue to prioritise investments in technology and leading R&D talent as we execute on our vision to revolutionise China’s retail industry.”

    While releasing its third-quarter figures, JD.com also listed its latest business developments…

    In October, JD and Tencent expanded their partnership with the launch of a marketing initiative that integrates insights on consumer behaviour from Tencent’s social-media platforms with online and offline shopping data from JD and its brand partners. As well as enabling more precise target marketing, the move benefits consumers by offering them wider access to sales promotions and preferred discounts.

    Strategic partnerships

    During the past three months, JD.com also formed strategic partnerships with Baidu, iQIYI, NetEase, Sogou and Qihoo 360 with their big-data resources, massive user bases and AI algorithm technologies.

    JD also continued to strengthen its position among top-tier international brands, expanding its partnership with high-fashion brand Armani with the opening of official online stores for Armani Exchange and Emporio Armani.

    JD Worldwide also launched flagship stores for such companies as Reckitt Benckiser, Spectrum Brands and Tiger, while its new Toplife platform attracted marquee brands like Dyson, La Perla, Rimowa (LVMH) and Trussardi.

    During the quarter, JD Logistics test-launched an unmanned sorting centre, the first of its kind in the logistics industry. JD also signed agreements to lay the groundwork for the rollout of China’s largest drone network.

    In September, JD Logistics expanded its environmentally friendly logistics and packaging campaign, working with brands including  Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, Lego, L’Oreal, P&G, Nestle, Unilever, Watsons and Wrigley. The aim is to minimise environmental impact by cutting back on packaging materials.

    Customer demand

    JD also enhanced its fresh product offerings during the quarter to meet customer demand. In July, it launched the Canadian Fresh Food Pavilion, the first country pavilion for fresh products on the JD.com platform. Live lobsters from Canada can now be delivered to customers’ doorsteps in China in as little as 48 hours. During JD’s Super Canadian Day, 140,000 lobsters were sold within 24 hours.

    In September, JD.com, JD Finance, Central Group and Provident Capital announced agreements to establish two JVs in Thailand covering e-commerce and fintech services, with an aggregate investment of $500 million. JD.com is providing its expertise in technology, e-commerce and logistics while Central Group is drawing on its retail store network, brand and merchant relationships, and retail behaviour insights from its loyalty program.

    In October, JD and Sam’s Club launched a promotion offering customers discounted bundled memberships for Sam’s Club and the JD Plus paid-for membership service.

    By the end of October, JD.com JV New Dada had partnered with 146 Walmart stores and 301 Yonghui stores, as well as many other supermarkets and grocery stores, to provide online fresh grocery shopping with one-hour home delivery.

    At the end of September, JD.com had 405 warehouses and provided scheduled delivery services in 250 Chinese cities. It had about 160,000 merchants on its online marketplace, and 137,975 full-time employees.

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