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JD's OCHAMA REBRANDS TO JOYBUY
And there you have it ...
A few months ago, jd.com launched a UK webshop using the name of a project that had previously failed several times: Joybuy.
I soon noticed that it looked an awful lot like JD's Ochama website in design, but it was even selling Ochama products.
Ochama is the 'robot store' pick-up concept that launched in the Netherlands some 3 years ago. After a year, all its Dutch managers left, and management was handed over to a team in China. Three of the four stores closed, and Ochama changed to a pick-up concept that resembles community group-buying in China. Since pick-up has never been popular in the Netherlands, I didn't think it would be a success. Besides a few hundred Blokker stores, which all disappeared when Blokker went bankrupt, most of the other pick-up locations were Chinese tea houses, stores and restaurants. Why? Ochama only actively promoted itself on WeChat! So it mainly became a niche player for the Chinese/Asian diaspora.
The name, which is supposed to mean 'OmniCHannel AMAzing' was not well chosen either. In Dutch, it sounds like 'oh, poor thing'. In English, it sounds like the neither very popular Osama.
Previously, I mentioned that I would not be surprised if Ochama would rebrand to Joybuy. And it was just announced by e-mail to their clients (no mention whatsoever on their website or social media yet). On August 15th, the Ochama accounts will migrate to Joybuy.
Will Media Markt eventually also become Joybuy? Who knows ...
- Ed
