Google today has announced a new strategic partnership with JD.com; Chinese leading e-commerce companies. As part of this partnership, Google will be investing $550 million in JD.com with an aim to accelerate how retail ecosystems deliver consumer experiences that are helpful, personalized and offer high-quality service in a range of countries around the world, including in Southeast Asia.
Google will be exploring a new way for consumers to make shopping effortless for their consumers, giving them the power to shop wherever and however they want. The company also announced that as a part of this partnership, JD.com would also join Google Shopping and bring a selection of their high-quality products to consumers in multiple regions around the world.
Google and JD.com will engage in joint development of retail solutions in a range of regions around the world. Under the agreements, Google will receive 27,106,948 newly issued JD.com Class A ordinary shares at an issue price of $20.29 per share, equivalent to $40.58 per ADS, based on the volume-weighted average trading price over the prior ten trading days.
JD.com’s Chief Strategy Officer Jianwen Liao said:
This partnership with Google opens up a broad range of possibilities to offer a superior retail experience to consumers throughout the world. This marks an important step in the process of modernizing global retail. As we celebrate our June 18 anniversary sale, this partnership opens a new chapter in our history.
Google Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler.
We are excited to partner with JD.com and explore new solutions for retail ecosystems around the world to enable helpful, personalized and frictionless shopping experiences that give consumers the power to shop wherever and however they want.