JD will expand the threshold for self operated free shipping of 59 yuan to more third-party products. On March 4th, JD.com announced that it will further optimize the open platform's free shipping rules, based on the current 90% free shipping of third-party products. For the remaining nearly 10% of third-party products, a maximum of 59 yuan free shipping will be popularized by the end of March (excluding special products and remote areas).
After this service upgrade, third-party products can not only receive free shipping for single items up to 59 yuan, but also support free shipping for products from the same store. It is worth mentioning that all 13 categories of products, including household appliances, kitchenware, and health products, are free of charge for 0 yuan, which means all products are free of charge for any amount. For self operated products, JD.com continues the previous policy of "free basic shipping for ordinary users over 59" and supports cross store consolidation. JD PLUS members are free of charge for unlimited amounts throughout the year.
Free shipping for third-party products over 59 yuan
After returning to its low price strategy last year, JD.com launched a series of changes, adjusting its organizational structure to improve its business combat effectiveness and offering services to attract new and old users. The first service to be implemented was to lower the self operated exemption threshold that has remained unchanged for seven years. Last August, the threshold for self operated free shipping for ordinary users was lowered from 99 yuan to 59 yuan; JD PLUS members enjoy unlimited free shipping throughout the year and do not need to use shipping vouchers.
At the end of last year, JD.com upgraded its "refund only" service, revised its after-sales and dispute resolution rules, and extended it from self operated to third-party merchants. At the beginning of this year, JD.com continues to expand its strategy, targeting the headache of return and exchange shipping fees for consumers. JD has expanded the free door-to-door return and exchange service that past PLUS members and regular users of high-frequency shopping can enjoy to self operated products. Any product with the "Free door-to-door Return and Exchange" label, regardless of size, weight, and quantity, can be returned and exchanged for free. This service is still being promoted among third-party merchants and is expected to cover over 90% of them within the next year.
In addition, in response to the industry pain point of third-party merchants facing difficulties in returning and exchanging large items, JD.com has made adjustments based on the previous "large item freight insurance" service, which had a maximum inclusive shipping fee of 800 yuan per shipment, and can increase the return and exchange shipping fee by up to 10000 yuan per year.
After the service was launched, Nandu reporters tested that whether it was massage chairs, televisions, or frequently purchased kitchen paper, they could be returned or exchanged at home for free. When consumers commonly encounter large items such as dining tables, beds, massage chairs, range hoods, etc., with shipping costs often ranging from hundreds to thousands of yuan, the above services have received positive reviews since their launch.
While upgrading self operated services, another focus of JD's efforts is on third-party products. The threshold for self operated free shipping of 59 yuan will be extended to third-party products this time. After the upgrade, third-party products can not only receive free shipping for a maximum of 59 yuan per item, but also support sharing orders with the same store for free shipping.
It is worth mentioning that all 13 categories of products, including household appliances, kitchenware, and health products, are free of charge for 0 yuan, which means all products are free of charge for any amount. "Finally, there's no need to envy friends in the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai regions." In response, some netizens expressed that they have finally enjoyed nationwide free shipping like in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai.
"Breaking down the Wall" between Self operated and Third Party Goods Services
Southern Metropolitan Daily reporters learned that since October last year, JD.com has vigorously promoted third-party merchants to achieve free shipping, requiring both corporate and individual merchants to directly free shipping for products priced at 59 yuan and above in non remote areas; For products priced below 59 yuan, we encourage customers to share orders with the same store for free shipping.
While consumers like services, some third-party merchants are concerned about rising logistics costs. A merchant told a reporter from Nandu that the store used to offer free shipping for 300 yuan or more, but after adjusting to 59 yuan free shipping, logistics costs will be passed on to the merchant. "JD is going to implement low-priced free shipping to the end."
In the new competition cycle, Zhuang Shuai, a professional in the retail e-commerce industry, told reporters from Southern Metropolis Daily that one of JD's major goals in this move is to enhance the competitiveness of the entire platform, expand sales scale, and attract more merchants to settle in. It is understood that after the transformation with the theme of low price, JD.com has started to "tear down walls" between self operated and third-party companies.
In April last year, JD Retail launched a reform of the Boss system for procurement and sales units, streamlining the hierarchy and giving greater decision-making power to the business units closest to customers. At the same time, each operational unit is no longer divided into self operated and third-party merchant teams, but comprehensively coordinates all businesses under this category, promoting further "equal rights" between self operated and third-party merchants; In terms of products, JD will gradually expand its self operated product services to third-party products, eliminate uneven services on the platform, and bring users a simpler and more deterministic service experience.
At present, with the trend of cost-effective consumption, more and more platforms are calling out for low prices. After JD and Alibaba, Tiktok also listed "price power" as the primary strategy and joined the price war. The entry of live streaming e-commerce, which has already eroded the traditional shelf e-commerce market and maintained double-digit growth rates, will undoubtedly gradually intensify the battle for low prices. In this context, various platforms will continue to upgrade and enhance around low prices and user experience.