JD.com said Friday that it is launching a dedicated platform for international home furnishing designers and brands on JD Mall.
The e-commerce giant, Alibaba Group’s number-one competitor, made the announcement to coincide with Milan Design Week, which is being held at Zona Tortona. JD.com is participating at the event for the first time by hosting an exhibition of furniture and interiors from Chinese and Italian designers.
JD.com said its home furnishings business more than doubled in 2015 and there are around 15,000 merchants in the category selling on its platform.
“Demand for home furnishings on JD.com is exploding, and international brands in particular are gaining traction as consumers look for new fashionable styles and designs,” said Lijun Xin, president of JD.com’s Apparel and Home Furnishing Business Unit.
As reported, fashion e-tailer Yoox is also playing an active role in Milan Design Week with its “Doppia Firma” project.