Chinese online retailer JD.com saw a surge in seafood sales at the start of its annual promotion.
Sales of seafood jumped 160 percent in the first 15 minutes of the “618” sales promotion compared to the same period last year, a company spokesperson told SeafoodSource.
According to the spokesperson, 1.2 million crayfish were sold in three minutes of the first day of June by JD.com, which runs the “618” promotion every year between 1 June and 18 June, the day on which JD.com was originally founded. The spokesperson didn't provide a year-over-year comparison or crayfish sales or a breakdown of the seafood varieties sold in the first 15 minutes of this year's 618. Crayfish have become a popular summer species in China, particularly among younger diners who frequently pair the crayfish with beer.
The 618 promotion festival also encompasses sales of produce from offline stores, including JD.com’s own 7FRESH chain retailing fresh products, including seafood.
Economists will be closely watching the promotion for clues as to the state of China’s economy, which expanded by 0.6 percent year-on-year in Q1 2021, raising fears that China’s much touted post-COVID recovery may be petering out.
JD.com is seeking to expand its reach further in China, raising USD 3.6 billion (EUR 2.95 billion) in a Hong Kong listing of its logistics arm earlier this month. The cash will help it expand its air and warehouse network to far-flung parts of China, according to a company press release. JD Logistics is also seeking to provide delivery services to third-party companies.
Photo courtesy of JD.com
