Wal-Mart, JD.com plan China projects

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is expanding its partnership with online retailer JD.com, announcing initiatives the Bentonville retailer believes will further boost its business in China.

Wal-Mart and JD.com will integrate their inventory management in an effort to improve the efficiency of deliveries to Chinese customers. When a customer orders an item online, JD.com’s order management system will analyze data from both companies to determine whether a JD.com warehouse or a Wal-Mart store is closer to the customer and will dispatch a courier accordingly, according to a news release.

The pilot will begin in six cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu and Wuhan.

In addition, JD.com is setting up a JD Home store that will sell electronic products inside a Wal-Mart store in Shenzhen. JD.com also is establishing JD pickup stations in Wal-Mart stores.

Wal-Mart’s partnership with JD.com began in June 2016 when Wal-Mart sold Yihaodian, its Chinese ecommerce business, to the online retailer. Wal-Mart owns a 12.1 percent stake in JD.com.