Alibaba Rival JD.com Opens Its First U.S. Office In Silicon Valley

JD.com’s market share isn’t as large as Alibaba Group and it doesn’t enjoy the same high profile in the U.S. yet, but it’s eager to change that. The e-commerce company, one of China’s largest with 118 million active users, opened its first office in the U.S. yesterday.

Based in Santa Clara, the location not only has a research and development lab, but will also liaison with American companies as JD.com grows its cross-border retail business. The Santa Clara office is still hiring, but JD.com expects it to have about 100 employees.

The sale of imported goods, which have a reputation for better quality and safety standards, to affluent Chinese consumers remains an important vertical for e-commerce companies even as the country’s economy slows.

JD.com launched a platform for U.S. brands in July. The company hasn’t disclosed exact figures yet, but spokesman Josh Gartner says the number of brands on it is expanding rapidly and that North American products are the most popular imported items among its customers.

Gartner told TechCrunch that having an office in Silicon Valley will allow JD.com to attract more engineers and give its employees flexibility about where they are based. It will also brings JD.com closer to potential partners in Silicon Valley as it builds its big data technology, which will help its predictive algorithms not only deliver more accurate recommendations to shoppers, but also figure out what users in different neighborhoods are likely to order. 

Since JD.com operates its own logistics network, this will help it improve its delivery network and warehouses.

J&D Custom builds a brat bob from a Bajaj Pulsar

Vadodara based J&D Custom and Co. sent us these images of their latest build, which involves transforming a Bajaj Pulsar 220 into a brat style bobber, something, that its creator Jay D. Patel thinks is a one-of-a-kind specimen in India. Apart from the engine, transmission, rims and front forks, everything else has been fabricated in-house. The oval shaped petrol tank has been built from scratch, replete with a chrome cap, while half the frame, the custom swing-arm complimenting a mono-shock suspension have been all built or assembled in house as well.

However, Jay takes special pride in how the custom handlebar has turned out. All plastic switches from the stock handlebar has been done away with, and replaced with metal switches. He says “Handlebar was most challenging part of this whole build, because we got digital 2013 model pulsars which have all digital systems in it. So we can’t put metal switches with those digital systems, because every switch is connected with some sensors. So it was very difficult to customize that digital wiring & make a unique & simple thing.”

He adds that repeated trips to mechanics, wiremen and even some Bajaj guys in order to resolve the issue went futile, as they advised him agaianist it. Not wanting to give up, Jay burnt the midnight oil on hard work and research, and ultimately appointed all the metal switches succesfully. He also thinks that that they are the most eye-catching part of the whole build.

The grips are crafted out of brass, while illumination is handled by a vintage yellow 5 inch headlamp accompanied by two white LED fog lamps. The tail lamp is hand-crafted, and features LED elements which “shine like a rear red light of formula one car”. LED side blinkers also went into the mix. The alloy wheels are stock, but don a mirror finish contrasted with strips painted in black.

This custom motorcycle was built for a client, who insisted on a comfortable seat, hence the black leather job with more cushioning for the pillion rider, complimented by quilted stitching. A chromed tool box with leather belts and a warped, custom exhaust try to uplift the vintage charm. The foot pegs and levers have also been crafted in-house. Most of the wiring has been hidden with copper piping.

While the frame and swing-arm are painted in black, the tank and custom made side panels are painted with metallic bronze paint & airbrushed with off-white strips with the  J&D logo on it.