(ASEAN Startups) Malaysia-based property developer Country Heights Holdings Bhd said Tuesday it has inked licensing and collaboration with China-based JD.com wholly-owned subsidiary Beijing Wodong Tianjun Information Technology Co. Ltd, to bring its Omni-Channel e-commerce platform to Malaysia.
The collaboration will lead to the development of JD.com’s Omnichannel business model using JD.com technologies and Country Heights’s resources for the Malaysian market, Country Heights said in a bourse filing to Malaysian Stock Exchange.
According to the filing, JDMines Sdn Bhd will be set up and to operate this initiative and it will be 70 percent owned by Country Heights with the remaining 30 percent owned by Star Pulse Sdn Bhd, a technology incubator that will be working with Country Heights on the implementation and execution of the omnichannel business model.
With this collaboration, JDMines will build the first physical store of about 100,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor of Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC), located at the Mines Resort City, Selangor.
According to the agreement, Country Heights through JDMines will receive the following from JD.com:
Stage 1 – the consultancy services on the analysis study of the customers, local market and business trends, and assessment of the stores and the business natures.
Stage 2 – the feasibility plan, digitalization of store, delivery of online retailing and e-commerce business, and operational solutions for the Stores with Omni channels.
Stage 3 – the implementation services, including product and merchandize supply chain configuration, staff training for operation and management of the digital solutions, installation and configuration of hardware, customization of software, concept design, and implementation.
Country Heights said that the execution of the agreements is in line with the group’s digital transformation plan.
“We’ve been planning this with JD.com for almost 1 year and we are pleased to finally be able to announce the collaboration. This initiative is one of the building blocks of Country Heights’s transformation plan whereby we are partnering with one of the leading technology e-commerce companies in China to bring technology and products into Malaysia leveraging on our assets and branding to enhance the consumer experience. At its core, omnichannel is defined as a multi-channel sales approach that provides the customer with an integrated customer experience,” said Jared Lim, Managing Director of Country Heights.
Country Heights Founder and Chairman Lee Kim Yew also said this is a pivotal moment in Country Heights which was founded to deliver “Better Living” to Malaysians.
“In line with our overall transformation plan, a partnership with one of the most successful technology groups in China will allow us to use technology to leverage on our assets and create significant value to our Group. Platforms allow products and services to extend our operations beyond our home state, catering to consumers across the entire market.
“The rapid spread of technology accelerated by the pandemic has led to a pressing need for businesses to adapt. Many businesses, especially in Malaysia and developing economies, are digitally disconnected. To face these challenges, businesses need to embrace technology. The pandemic has pushed to an inflection point where embracing technology is no longer an option but a necessity,” he said.
Listed on the main market of Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad, Country Heights is a property firm that primarily focuses on property development and investment holdings, with subsidiaries involved in diverse industries such as health, hospitality, membership, and tourism, and education.
JD.com is an international e-commerce company headquartered in Beijing. It is one of the two massive business-to-consumer (B2C) online retailers in China by transaction volume and revenue.
The company was founded by Liu Qiangdong in 1998, and its retail platform went online in 2004. It started as an online magneto-optical store, but soon diversified, selling electronics, mobile phones, computers, and similar items. The company changed its domain name to 360buy.com in June 2007 and then to JD.com in 2013.
JD.com has invested in high tech and AI delivery through drones, autonomous technology, and robots, and possesses the largest drone delivery system, infrastructure, and capability in the world. It has recently started testing robotic delivery services and building drone delivery airports, as well as operating driverless delivery by unveiling its first autonomous truck.
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