Facing the experience era: Uniqlo plays a "JD.com" card

In China, Uniqlo has never lacked the spotlight.

It is not only synonymous with the "national wardrobe" but also one of the few international clothing brands that have successfully rooted, expanded, and evolved in the Chinese market.

As the second half of the year approaches, Uniqlo has been making more frequent moves. First, it officially announced Cate Blanchett as its new global brand ambassador, sending out a new signal for its global narrative. Then, it launched its reinvented classic autumn and winter collection at an exhibition on Wukang Road in Shanghai.

Meanwhile, Uniqlo continues to expand its offline presence. After opening its first city flagship stores in Wuhan's Chuhe Hanjie and Chengdu's Mixc, it will open its first city flagship store in Hunan Province in Changsha at the end of September.

Recently, Uniqlo made another move. On September 8th, the Uniqlo mini - program on JD.com was launched. Users can search for "Uniqlo" on JD.com to enter the mini - program, purchase its products, and enjoy the integrated delivery and after - sales services provided by JD.com.

In addition, Uniqlo will bring new surprises to consumers through new channels during the Super Brand Day event jointly held with JD.com from September 11th to 12th.

From appointing brand ambassadors to launching new products, from expanding offline flagship stores to strengthening online channels, Uniqlo has been sending out continuous signals. With these frequent moves, what gives Uniqlo the confidence?

In the experience era, will JD.com be Uniqlo's trump card?

The essence of retail is to meet consumers' needs. Uniqlo's cooperation with JD.com answers a specific question: What do Chinese consumers expect when buying a piece of clothing today?

Data is the most persuasive common denominator. The "China Shopper Report 2025" jointly released by Bain & Company and Kantar Worldpanel shows that more than 60% of consumers believe that the stability and trustworthiness of the shopping experience are more important than price.

This is where JD.com stands out. In addition to its well - known logistics and delivery services, JD.com has also built barriers in settlement, payment, and after - sales services. Take the Uniqlo mini - program on JD.com as an example. The platform supports functions such as "buy now, pay later" and interest - free installments with JD Baitiao. The former lowers the threshold for consumption decisions, while the latter makes new products with medium - to - high prices more acceptable.

The transparency of the after - sales system also gives consumers more confidence when returning or exchanging products. Coupled with the logistics performance revealed in JD.com's latest financial report, where over 90% of self - operated orders are delivered on the same day or the next day, this closed - loop experience throughout the entire process is gradually transforming into a sense of "certainty" in consumers' minds.

On the surface, this is just a cooperation between a brand and a platform. But from a broader perspective, it is a two - way pursuit of a better retail experience.

On the one hand, Uniqlo can package and deliver its product and service capabilities on a platform that has been long - term verified by consumers. Technologically functional clothing such as sun - protection jackets and AIRism, collections collaborated with masters, and even co - branded new products can all be delivered to users at the same speed and standard, enabling consumers to make more confident shopping decisions in different scenarios.

On the other hand, it is in line with Uniqlo's consistent online strategy. The principle of "EC (e - commerce)=Marketing" means that Uniqlo's choice of online channels is not based on simple distribution logic but is regarded as the core for user reach and brand management.

Take the launch on JD.com as an example. Uniqlo also chose JD.com for the first - release of its new products. The co - branded UNIQLO: C series by international designers, the autumn and winter collection co - created with Comptoir des Cotonniers were first launched on JD.com, and the co - branded series with Pop Mart's WE ARE THE MONSTERS was also launched simultaneously.

Co - branded collection with Comptoir des Cotonniers

UNIQLO: C series

Stability and convenience now have a new online fulcrum.

Broad online reach, in - depth offline presence: Uniqlo's "omni - channel offensive"

The cooperation with JD.com may be an inevitable part of Uniqlo's retail strategy in China.

The Chinese retail market is experiencing two significant trends: First, the online penetration rate is still accelerating. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in the first half of 2025, the national online retail sales reached 7.4295 trillion yuan, a year - on - year increase of 8.5%. Among them, the retail sales of physical clothing increased by 1.4% year - on - year, which means that "buying clothes online" is no longer a supplementary scenario but a mainstream consumption habit in daily life.

Second, consumer touchpoints are rapidly fragmenting. The "China Shopper Report 2025" shows that Chinese consumers purchase fast - moving consumer goods through more than seven channels on average each year, and almost everyone has become an omni - channel consumer.

This means that a single entry point is not enough to support long - term growth. Brands must continuously establish their presence in different scenarios. Uniqlo's decision to cooperate with JD.com is in line with this trend. It uses more touchpoints to strengthen its relationship with consumers and fills in the "high - certainty, strong - fulfillment" link in the chain.

Overall, this cooperation makes Uniqlo's e - commerce matrix more complete. Previously, its official website, APP, "Uniqlo on Hand" WeChat mini - program, Tmall flagship store, and Douyin flagship store had already covered most online scenarios.

Whether it is "order online and pick up at the store", "order online and have the store deliver urgently", or directly place an order through the Uniqlo mini - program on JD.com and have the products delivered to home by JD Logistics, consumers can easily buy Uniqlo clothing in different scenarios. What this represents is not just a clothing purchase but a trustworthy and predictable lifestyle choice.

However, Uniqlo's "all - round offensive" does not stop at the online level.

Uniqlo's first city flagship store in Southwest China · Mixc Chengdu store

Uniqlo's first city flagship store in Central China · Chuhe Hanjie, Wuhan store

Offline, the layout of local flagship stores is still accelerating. Flagship stores in areas such as Wuhan's Chuhe Hanjie, Chengdu's Mixc, and Changsha's Peace Hall have been successively opened. Their value lies not only in a larger area or more products but also in making differentiated attempts based on the climate and consumption habits of different cities.

By adjusting the product mix and in - store experience, Uniqlo has shifted from "simply providing clothes" to "providing regional lifestyle solutions". Flagship stores are no longer just sales terminals but offline spaces for brand storytelling, allowing consumers to establish a deeper interaction and identification with the brand concept of "LifeWear" in a familiar urban context.

Currently, the addition of the JD.com entry fills in the certainty link for Uniqlo's online omni - channel operation, while the expansion of regional flagship stores allows the brand to be further embedded in local lifestyles. In the context of the overall pressure and slowdown in the fast - fashion industry, Uniqlo's omni - channel layout is building a network that covers all scenarios of Chinese consumers by continuously increasing touchpoints.

Online touchpoints provide breadth and efficiency of coverage, while offline stores bring in - depth immersion and a sense of locality. The combination of the two forms a closed - loop omni - channel system for Uniqlo in China. Whether consumers are in first - tier cities or emerging markets, online or offline, they can encounter Uniqlo in multiple scenarios, fulfilling its long - term commitment to "meet customer needs and create customers".

The continuous online and offline layout is also based on this: Uniqlo hopes to deliver high - quality clothing and stable experiences to more consumers through richer and more convenient shopping channels.

In this process, Uniqlo not only ensures the consistency of delivery quality but also provides differentiated value to consumers in different scenarios. This is precisely its particularly scarce competitiveness in the current retail competition.

Uniqlo's moves are a bet on the future of Chinese retail

The more in the spotlight, the more likely to be scrutinized.

In the past two years, Uniqlo has indeed adjusted its store layout in the Chinese market, which has once led to the interpretation of "contraction". However, from a longer - term perspective, this adjustment is more of an inevitable result of retail logic than a retreat.

The retail industry has always followed the efficiency principle. Any variable, such as rising rent, unbalanced location, or fluctuating consumer power, may disrupt the input - output ratio of a single store. In this case, closing inefficient stores and concentrating resources on more potential regional flagship stores is a common choice. Almost all international retail brands are going through a similar process of "eliminating inefficiency and preserving the core".

The difference is that Uniqlo's moves are not just about "closing" but also "opening" at the same time. On the one hand, it eliminates small and inefficient stores. On the other hand, it continuously opens large stores and flagship stores in core cities and emerging regions, enhancing the value of stores through scale and scenarios.

(Image source: Internet)

Brand ambassadors, autumn new product exhibitions, cooperation with JD.com, new flagship stores... Through these frequent moves, it can be seen that Uniqlo is increasing its layout in the Chinese market.

Online, it realizes the integration of payment, logistics, and after - sales services, allowing consumers to have a frictionless experience in a familiar path. Offline, regional flagship stores provide an immersive local experience, strengthening the connection between the brand and urban life.

Going back to the initial question, what gives Uniqlo the confidence? This confidence is actually a bet on the future of Chinese retail.

It has shifted from quantity competition to quality competition and from distribution density to scenario depth. From an industry perspective, this approach is quite restrained. When the "long - termism of products" meets the "certainty of services", rationally, it is a reliable guarantee for the supply chain and channels. Emotionally, it is the lifestyle imagination carried by clothing.

The combination of the two, through repeated fulfilled experiences, allows Uniqlo to truly penetrate into consumers' daily lives.