Comparative Analysis of Digital Supply Chain Strategies: Insights from Walmart and JD.com in the Era of Industry 4.0

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-748-9_8How to use a DOI?

Keywords

digital supply chain; e-commerce; Industry 4.0; Walmart; JD.com

Abstract

In the era of Industry 4.0, the digitization of supply chains has emerged as a critical driver of competitiveness and innovation, especially in the e-commerce sector. Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain are transforming traditional supply chain management by enhancing efficiency, transparency, and resilience. Against this backdrop, this study examines the digital supply chain strategies of two global leaders - Walmart and JD.com - representing Western and Asian markets, respectively. Using a case study methodology, the research analyzes these companies’ practices in logistics infrastructure, technology adoption, customer satisfaction, and sustainability. The findings show that Walmart leverages mature technologies such as RFID and employs a hybrid supply chain model that emphasizes cost efficiency and transparency. In contrast, JD.com integrates advanced technologies like 5G IoT to create a fully digitized and vertically integrated logistics system that prioritizes speed and service quality. Both companies have made notable strides in operational efficiency and market competitiveness, but have different approaches to sustainability and customer engagement. While Walmart and JD.com are taking different paths to supply chain digitalization, their innovations offer valuable lessons for global companies. These strategies provide insights into optimizing supply chain operations in diverse markets.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Yiran Tan
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/07/03
TI  - Comparative Analysis of Digital Supply Chain Strategies: Insights from Walmart and JD.com in the Era of Industry 4.0
BT  - Proceedings of the 2025 International Conference on Financial Risk and Investment Management (ICFRIM 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 57
EP  - 65
SN  - 2352-5428
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-748-9_8
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-748-9_8
ID  - Tan2025
ER  -