JD.com launches gifting feature to compete with Alibaba, Tencent ahead of Lunar New Year

The Beijing-based tech giant has jumped on the latest trend in China’s e-commerce sector: online gifting

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Published: 6:30pm, 17 Jan 2025

Chinese e-commerce platform operator JD.com on Friday introduced a gifting feature on its mobile app, joining rival Alibaba Group Holding in countering the competitive pressure from social media giant Tencent Holdings, which launched a similar feature last month.

When browsing a selection of eligible merchandise, JD.com app users will see a button labelled “Gifting IT.” After clicking it, users follow a few simple steps to pay for an item and have it shipped directly to the recipient.

The addition of this feature comes ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday later this month. It follows Tencent’s discreet roll-out of a new function in December, allowing WeChat users to buy and send gifts through the super app.

That move sparked discussions about WeChat’s rising potential as Tencent’s latest weapon in China’s fiercely competitive e-commerce market.

Alibaba’s Taobao marketplace followed suit earlier this month with a revamp of its existing gifting service, enabling users to purchase for others. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

A Lunar New Year bazaar in Beijing. Photo: AP Photo

JD.com’s new gifting feature highlights the growing competition in China’s online shopping sector amid sputtering economic growth and increased government scrutiny over unhealthy price wars. Established players such as Alibaba and JD.com already face intense competition from PDD Holdings’ Pinduoduo and ByteDance’s Douyin.