JD.com’s 618 shopping festival, held on 18 June 2026, demonstrated the company’s growing reliance on artificial intelligence to manage large‑scale e‑commerce operations. During the three‑week event, the retailer’s logistics arm processed 34 million orders through its LangzuTech automated warehousing system and moved 5.53 million parcels with autonomous delivery vehicles, underscoring the role of automation in meeting consumer demand.

The automated warehousing solution, deployed by JINGDONG Logistics, handled 34 million orders between 8:00 p.m. on 30 May and 11:59 p.m. on 18 June. The system’s tote‑handling technology enabled rapid sorting and storage, allowing JD.com to keep pace with the high volume of purchases during the festival. Complementing the warehouse throughput, autonomous delivery vehicles transported a cumulative 5.53 million parcels to customers, reducing the need for manual last‑mile delivery.

Beyond order fulfillment, JD.com expanded its installation and after‑sales services. Orders for home appliances and home‑living products that required delivery and installation rose by more than 120 % year‑on‑year. Delivery and installation of electric‑vehicle charging stations increased by 80 %, while doorstep repair services for two‑wheelers—including electric bicycles and motorcycles—experienced an 800 % jump. These figures indicate that consumers are not only buying more products but also demanding integrated support services.

The retailer’s cross‑border capabilities grew during the promotion as well. User numbers and transaction volume on JD Global Sales more than doubled compared with the previous year. JD.com introduced direct shipping for large home appliances and furniture to Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand, offering shipping incentives to encourage purchases. Sales in these categories increased by more than sixfold year‑on‑year, reflecting the effectiveness of the expanded international network.

AI integration underpins the entire operation. JD.com has embedded artificial intelligence across more than 3,000 business scenarios, spanning retail, logistics, healthcare, industrial services, food delivery, and home services. The 618 campaign itself saw significant growth: new product launches increased by more than 500 % year‑on‑year, and new small and medium‑sized merchants participating in the promotion rose by 62 %. Additionally, more than 3,000 merchants taking part in 618 for the first time surpassed RMB 1 million in transaction volume.

The data from the 618 festival illustrate how JD.com’s investment in automated warehousing, autonomous delivery vehicles, and integrated fulfilment services supports the company’s ability to handle rising order volumes while expanding service offerings domestically and abroad. While the event highlighted operational strengths, it also points to ongoing challenges such as maintaining margins amid increased logistics costs and ensuring the reliability of AI‑driven systems. Nonetheless, the 2026 618 promotion demonstrates that JD.com’s technology‑driven logistics strategy continues to scale with consumer demand.