BEIJING: China’s JD.com Incorporation has partnered Gap Incorporation to sell the US clothing retailer’s apparel online in China, as the Beijing based e-commerce company goes head to head with Alibaba Group Holding Limited to woo big foreign fashion names.
China’s No. 1 and 2 e-commerce companies Alibaba and JD.com respectively are vying to ink deals with some of the world’s most recognized brands, which offer big boosts in both sales and image at home and overseas.
By announcing its partnership with JD.com in a joint statement on Thursday, Gap which already has a store on Alibaba’s Tmall website would be the latest in a list of foreign companies to sign with some of China’s biggest Internet firms, including Tencent Holdings Limited.
JD.com this year signed international brands including Levi’s, Skechers USA Inc and Quicksilver. Meanwhile, Alibaba has been bringing in brands such as Fast Retailing Company Limited’s Uniqlo, ASOS Public, and high fashion names like Burberry Group Public.
Chief executive officer of JD.com’s Shen Haoyu said Demand for international brands in China has always been tremendous but the traditional retail network is fractured and problematic.
