Zhang Yu, Zhou Junshu

JeniZhang13@163.com

CHINESE e-commerce giant JD.com is doubling down on brick and mortar stores in Shenzhen to further its ambitions to strengthen omnichannel presence.

The e-commerce behemoth will officially open its flagship 10,000-square-meter home appliances and electronics store in Shenzhen on March 15, which represents a key milestone for its offline expansion in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, according to a launch ceremony Thursday.

Located in the bustling Huaqiangbei, which is renowned for its electronics markets, the store boasts a vast selection of over 200,000 3C (computer, communication, and consumer electronics) products, home appliances, and household items.

“The flagship store aims to become an offline product exhibition center, a user experience center, and a service center for some 16.9 million JD.com members in Shenzhen,” said Shan Yan, general manager of the Shenzhen branch of 5STAR, a wholly owned electronics subsidiary of JD.com.

According to Shan, the store also features a top-notch offline e-sports competition venue, a naked-eye 3D large screen, and 3C and digital product experience areas. In addition to trying out products, consumers can also explore more cost-effective options available online with the help of staffers.

It was disclosed at the ceremony that JD.com will accelerate the opening of two JD malls in Shenzhen to improve its omnichannel capabilities. Each JD mall will cover an area between 30,000 and 50,000 square meters.

The e-commerce giant plans to open 10 flagship stores in Shenzhen, Heyuan, Shanwei, Jieyang, Shantou, Chaozhou, and Meizhou by 2026.