Joybuy must emphasise range and delivery proposition to compete in crowded European market

Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com recently launched its Joybuy online marketplace in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

This is part of its move to internationalise its business, which also includes inking a deal to buy German electronics retailer Ceconomy, owner of the MediaMarkt and Saturn brands, for $2.52 billion. Offering on demand delivery and international brands, it is also an attempt to compete with Amazon in Europe and standout from other Chinese rivals such as AliExpress and Temu.

To gain a foothold in this hugely competitive market, JD.com will need to leverage its core strengths in logistics and buying power, while promoting its delivery proposition, according to GlobalData.

The acquisition of Ceconomy afforded it a large European distribution network to pair with its existing buying and logistical power. This has enabled it to offer a £29 threshold for free same and next-day delivery (versus Amazon’s £35 threshold). Meanwhile, according to GlobalData, its Joyplus membership offers a compelling alternative to Amazon Prime, offering unlimited free same and next-day delivery on any order size for £3.99/month versus Amazon’s £8.99/month.

Oliver Maddison, Retail Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “JD.com’s combined buying and logistical power gives Joybuy a strong foundation and room to grow. Nonetheless, to truly become a threat to Amazon, Joybuy must expand the reach of its same-day delivery beyond its current coverage of London, Luton and Milton Keynes, which will require further investment in distribution centres.”

“Joyplus is competitively priced, but the membership is barely promoted, inhibiting its appeal compared with Amazon’s all-singing all-dancing Prime subscription. Addressing these issues will force a response from Amazon, but the US tech giant still has the fundamental advantage of its UK-wide reach and the breadth of its carried range.”

JD.com initially sought to access the UK market by acquiring and integrating an existing UK retailer. It unsuccessfully attempted to acquire electricals retailer, Currys, in early 2024, and made a further failed attempt at acquiring Argos in September 2025.

Maddison concludes: “Despite JD.com’s strong supply chain and logistics fundamentals, launching Joybuy from the ground up was unlikely to have been its preferred course of action and will involve an uncertain start.”

“To gain a foothold in the UK market, Joybuy will need to win customers from across many UK retailers, chiefly Argos (whose website Joybuy bears a striking resemblance to). Joybuy’s wide ranging general merchandise offering and cheaper same-day home delivery proposition makes it an appealing alternative for Argos’ customer base.”

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Online delivery will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

Check out our 2025 winners here.

Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”

“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”

He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”

Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.