JD sees online grocery growth

JD.com Inc's partnership with Wal-Mart Stores Inc will arm it with more ammunition to take on Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, giving the Beijing-based company wider access to online groceries and more resources to expand in eastern China, experts said.

JD, a leading e-commerce platform in China, said on Monday it would take ownership of Yihaodian, an online marketplace run by Wal-Mart, which in return, will hold a 5 percent stake in the Chinese online major.

As part of a strategic partnership deal, the Chinese branch of Sam's Club will open a store on JD's platform, which is backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd. The two will also link up their supply chains and share delivery services.