JD.com plans to open more physical stores

JD.com Inc, China's second-biggest e-commerce player, plans to open 200 more bricks-and-mortar stores - mainly offering consumer electronics products - by the end of this year. In doing so, it will be in direct competition with Suning Commerce Group and Gome Electrical Appliances Holding Ltd, two of the biggest electronic offline retailers in China.

Using a franchise model, the shops will be powered by the company's cutting-edge technology. Upon entering a JD store, a camera recognizes customer faces and tracks the duration of their stay and where they spend the most time.

JD will make use of big data analytics technology to keep offline stores stocked with recommended categories and suggested amounts of products, while localizing the selection depending on consumer-buying preferences in each location.