Lululemon has officially launched its digital flagship store through China's JD JD.com, delivering its yoga and fitness products to the e-commerce site's J Shop. According to the platform, the new additions are responding to the current popularity of fitness and exercise in China, as well as the increased demand for sports equipment.
It added products to the site's J Shop, an "improved" subsidiary of JD's fashion and lifestyle business, designed to help brands expand in China and adapt to the needs of consumers in the region. The news comes shortly after the Canadian retailer's CEO, Calvin McDonald, told China Daily that the brand intends to expand rapidly in China.
During the visit, McDonald said, "Our new goal is to quadruple our international business by 2026. Mainland China will be an important part of this opportunity as we continue to invest in markets, stores, digital, And build a community." McDonald pointed out that while the brand currently has 71 stores in China, it intends to increase this to 220 in the next five years, most of which will be located in mainland China. In addition, the retailer expects its digital expansion in the market to double its revenue over the same period; it previously reported that its revenue tripled between 2018 and 2021.
Brand frustration
Despite Lululemon's promising prospects, the fitness brand has also received a big domestic rebound after it was fined more than $12,000 by Beijing's Xicheng District Market Supervision Administration in May for selling inferior products. Following the news, the brand became a trending topic on Weibo, China's popular social media platform, with the hashtag "#Lululemonsellspoorlyqualifiedproducts".
According to Jing Bao, Lululemon quickly apologized via Weibo, but at the same time closed its comment area to avoid negative interactions. However, JD hopes that the brand can regain favor in the Chinese market through its community-focused strategy and use of exclusive materials.
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