China's e-commerce company JD.Com Launches store on Google Shopping Platform
Chinese e-commerce company JD.Com Inc has launched a store on Google Express, the online shopping site owned by Alphabet's Google.
The launch marks the latest development in an ongoing tie-up between Alphabet and JD.Com, as each aims to take on respective rivals Amazon and Alibaba Group Holding.
The site, called Joybuy, offers a range of simple consumer electronics like battery chargers, dashboard phone mounts, electric kettles. Most of the products listed in the store are priced under $100 and come from little-known brands.
Google agreed to invest $550 million in JD.com in June 2018. That deal came after Google funded several small Chinese tech companies, most of which specialized in artificial intelligence. Google’s search engine has been inaccessible from China since 2010, though the company maintains sales and engineering teams in the country.
The two companies have also invested in Go-Jek and Indonesian ride-hailing company. JD.Com also received funding from Walmart, which until recently was one of several companies to operate online storefronts on Google Express.
Google launched Google Express in 2013 as an attempt to challenge Amazon, which competes with the search giant for advertising revenue.