What is JD.com and how to get started?

JD.com, also known as Jingdong, is one of the two massive Chinese B2C online retailers by transaction volume and revenue and a significant competitor to Alibaba-run Tmall.

About JD.com

JD.com, also known as Jingdong, is one of the two massive Chinese B2C online retailers by transaction volume and revenue and a significant competitor to Alibaba-run Tmall. It is partly owned by Tencent, which has a 20% stake in the company.

JD is very similar to Amazon, with its vast product offering covering everything from fresh food and apparel to electronics and cosmetics. It has a reputation for quality control, fast next-day delivery, and a 7-day refund policy. As of March 31, 2022, JD has 580.5 million active users.

How To Get Started On JD.com

China-registered merchants may sell on JD.com while offshore merchants may sell on JD Worldwide, both following the steps below:

Step 1: Create a seller account on JD.com

Step 2: Fill in your company information and upload your business license and supporting documents.

Step 3: Fill in the store information, including store type (“POP” Sellers, Suppliers, or Partners), business category, brand name, and the name of the store you wish to use.

Step 4: Sign the contract and submit the application.

Step 5: Wait to receive verification from JD.com in 6 business days

Step 6: Upload products and connect with operators

You can also refer to JD.com’s seller guide for more specific guidelines.

Cost To Sell On JD.com

1. Security Deposit

Typically the deposit is 1,000 yuan, but it depends on what category you are selling in. After signing the contract, the deposit must be remitted to the designated account, which can be refunded when the merchant exits the platform.

2. Platform Service Fee

It typically costs 1,000 yuan per month and is paid once a year.

3. Commission

JD.com is a commission-based platform and charges an additional monthly fee determined by your selling category, ranging from 3%-8%.

The total cost varies from category to category. For reference, women fashion sellers would pay RMB ¥30,000 as a security deposit, an 8% commission off of sales, and RMB ¥1,000 per month for platform use; Business travel service providers would pay RMB ¥10,000 for the deposit, an 2% commission off of sales, and RMB ¥500 per month for platform use.

You can also check the cost of your specific category at https://zhaoshang.jd.com/index/qualificate.

Cost of different seller categories on JD.com

Business Requirements To Be A Seller On JD.com

Local merchants

For local merchants, it is required by JD that the registered capital of the merchant’s company must be at least RMB 500,000 yuan and must be established for at least one year.

You need to submit:

Business License
Chinese ID Card of your legal entity
Tax documents
Certificate of a company bank account in China
Other supporting documents depending on your category

A list of documents you're required to submit to become a seller on JD.com

Global merchants

For global merchants, JD prioritizes reputable overseas businesses with offline physical stores, famous brands with no prior exposure in China, or those in Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan.

You need to submit:

Overseas business license
Business bank account information (in USD)
Contact info of a legal representative in China

Do not have a Chinese entity, Chinese phone number or Chinese ID? We can help!

If you do not have a Chinese entity, Chinese ID, or Chinese phone number, which is essential to get started on JD.com, 21YunBox is here to help.

We can provide the necessary supporting documents to get started on JD.com and walk you through the process. Meanwhile, we will also bring your company, product, and service into full compliance with Chinese law.