Seller or Vendor? How JD.com’s Direct Sourcing Changes the China Entry Playbook [GeXPs26-0814EN]
Global 1P vs 3P Channel Strategy · GeXPs26-0814EN Seller or Vendor? What JD.com's Korea Sourcing Push Says About 1P vs 3P Cross-border growth is no longer just a question of which marketplace to join . The more strategic question is which operating role your company should own : third-party seller, fulfillment user, brand-store operator, or first-party retail vendor. The Core Decision Do not compare channels by revenue potential alone. Compare who owns demand, who funds inventory, when cash returns, who controls the brand, and how much bargaining power moves to the retailer . That control stack often matters more than the size of the first purchase order. 1. JD.com's Korea Move Is a Useful 1P vs 3P Case Study KOTRA's JD Kick-Off Summit 2026 , held in Seoul on August 12, was designed around JD.com's direct-purchase program for K...