Online retailer JD follows Alibaba into the supermarket game

Beijing

JD.COM Inc has opened the first of a chain of high-tech supermarkets in Beijing, following arch-foe Alibaba Group Holding Ltd into the world of physical retail.

The envisioned chain of 7Fresh stores represents its biggest foray into traditional retail. Like Alibaba, it is counting on reaching new customers and securing valuable data by connecting online and off-line shopping. JD's new stores and Alibaba's Hema chain both allow shoppers to use a mobile app and digital payments to complement their browsing.