China’s second highest-profile investor behind Alibaba known as JD.com has partnered with another U.S. tech giant that is Intel. Both the companies stated that they will set up a “lab” focused on bringing Internet-of-Things technology into the retail process.
This would probably include new-generationvending machines, advertising experiences and more. That future is mostly offline — or, in China tech speak, “online-to-offline” retail — but combining the benefits of e-commerce with brick and mortar physical retail shopping.
The e-commerce company already works with Intel on personalized shopping experiences, but this new lab is focused on taking things further with new projects and working to “facilitate their introduction to global markets.”
“The Digitized Retail Joint Lab will develop next-generation vending machines, media and advertising solutions, and technologies to be used in the stores of the future, based on Intel architecture,” the companies said in a joint announcement.
JD at present, operates three 7Fresh will develop China and is also aiming to expand that network to 30.It also has forayed overseas, stepping into Southeast Asia with the launch of cashier-less stores in Indonesia this year.