A new player is entering the European market. JD.com, one of China’s largest online retailers, launched its platform Joybuy in six European countries earlier this year, including the Netherlands. The ambitions are significant: a top-5 position among online retail platforms in Europe. But what exactly is Joybuy, why is it coming to Europe, and can you sell on it as an entrepreneur?
What is Joybuy?
Joybuy is the European e-commerce platform of the Chinese company JD.com. In China, the company is one of the largest online retailers, comparable to what Amazon is in the West. In March 2026, Joybuy officially launched in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, as Ecommerce News reported in detail.
Unlike platforms such as Temu, Shein or Alibaba, Joybuy did not start as an open marketplace. The company sells products from its own inventory, with its own warehouses and its own delivery service called JoyExpress. That service promises same-day delivery in major cities and next-day delivery across a wider area. The focus is on quality control and speed, not on attracting as many external sellers as possible.
Why Europe, and why now?
JD.com’s European expansion is no coincidence. In China, competition is fierce: Alibaba, Temu and other giants are putting pressure on prices and margins. JD.com reported a loss in the final quarter of 2025, with profits falling by more than half compared to the previous year.
Europe offers a way out. The Dutch market is attractive due to strong interest in online shopping, as NOS reported. In addition, JD.com is pursuing an acquisition of Ceconomy, the parent company of MediaMarkt and Saturn. That deal, worth 2.2 billion euros, is currently being investigated by the European Commission over concerns about possible Chinese state subsidies. If the acquisition goes through, Joybuy would instantly gain a large customer base and a strong brand in the Netherlands.
A threat to Bol and Amazon?
Bol has long held the top position in the Netherlands and has a clear head start. Amazon is growing, but has not yet overtaken Bol. Joybuy therefore needs to compete in a market with established players.
Yet experts are taking the new competitor seriously. JD.com has a direct connection between factories in China and consumers in the West, which makes lower prices possible. They also have relationships with Chinese brands that Bol and Amazon do not, meaning they can negotiate better purchase prices. This could make a real difference, particularly in the electronics category.
Whether Joybuy will truly become a top player in the Netherlands depends in part on the outcome of the MediaMarkt investigation. But the firepower is there, and the intentions are clear.
Can you sell on Joybuy as an entrepreneur?
This is where things get interesting for e-commerce entrepreneurs. Joybuy started as a pure retailer, without external sellers. That is about to change.
In the second half of 2026, Joybuy will open up to selected third-party sellers from Europe and China, through what it calls a curated marketplace, as confirmed by a Joybuy spokesperson to The Grocer. Sellers will be able to choose whether to use Joybuy’s warehouses, similar to Fulfilment by Amazon, or manage their own logistics.
Joybuy emphasises that it will not become a fully open platform, which sets it apart from players like Temu and Shein. The goal is to attract a controlled group of sellers. In addition to European brands, Joybuy plans to onboard around one thousand selected Chinese brands. That means you as a European entrepreneur could find yourself alongside Chinese suppliers offering the same product category at a lower cost price.
The terms for sellers have not yet been made public. If you want to get in early, keep an eye on Joybuy’s announcements.
