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JD unveils mini convenience-store concept in China, Mini Shop

The new JD Mini Stop store in Xi’an.

Chinese e-commerce giant JD has launched a new convenience-store concept called Mini Shop in China’s ancient capital city of Xi’an.

While the size of a regular JD convenience store is around 80–150sqm, Mini Shop is much smaller in scale at about 15sqm, offering prepared food and refreshments, small bites and stationery. Consumers can check out automatically with a service that utilises JD’s facial-recognition technology.

The store, which offers a self-service shopping experience for professionals working in nearby places of business, is small enough in scale to be adjusted and made adaptable to a range of retail situations.

“The cost of opening such a shop is quite lower,” said store owner Kehao Zhao. “In less than half a month, the store’s turnover can already cover the cost of rent, workers, and water and electricity bills. And it keeps rising.”

Zhao has been supported by JD in terms of the store’s operations, which also involves a WeChat app allowing customers to order items online for delivery by the shop straight to the workplace.

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