Inside JD.com’s ‘Qinglong’ Logistics Engine: Architecture, AI, and O2O Innovations

In 2015, China’s major e‑commerce platforms shifted focus from price wars to the last‑mile and O2O (online‑to‑offline) logistics, with mobile and social commerce driving the change.

JD.com launched the JD Daojia O2O platform and its logistics backbone, the Qinglong system, to achieve disruptive improvements in delivery speed.

Using big‑data analysis, Qinglong predicts demand for core products in major cities, pre‑positions inventory at regional hubs, and delivers orders within roughly two hours, surpassing previous time‑limited services.

1. Qinglong System Workflow

The logistics network comprises warehouses, sorting centers, distribution stations, and couriers. The workflow is:

Warehouses process orders (printing, picking, invoicing, packaging).

Sorted packages are handed to sorting centers for further sorting, packing, and dispatch to distribution stations.

Distribution stations receive, verify, and allocate packages to couriers for final delivery.

This rapid flow of goods, information, and funds ensures timely delivery, payment collection, and accurate communication.

2. Qinglong System Architecture

The system consists of an overall architecture and core subsystems.

Overall Architecture – Qinglong serves as JD Logistics’ core, exposing front‑end interfaces to all platforms and connecting internal logistics operations and third‑party providers.

Core Subsystems – Six major modules support external expansion, terminal services, transport management, sorting centers, operational support, and basic services. The pre‑sorting subsystem is crucial for fast delivery, linking order placement to warehouse production.

3. Fast Logistics Powered by Qinglong

The pre‑sorting subsystem leverages deep neural networks, machine learning, search technology, GIS mapping, information extraction, and knowledge mining, analyzing address, keyword, special‑configuration, and GIS databases to automate sorting 24/7 for both JD self‑operated and POP platforms.

4. Core Subsystems (the “spine” of Qinglong)

Terminal System – Couriers use PDA devices; JD is testing wearable data collectors to improve efficiency. Delivery‑person apps and self‑pickup lockers also support last‑mile operations.

Waybill System – Tracks shipment status, records address and operation data, and provides status and payment queries for external systems.

Quality Control Platform – Monitors logistics damage, records exceptions, and ensures timely follow‑up to reduce loss.

Monitoring and Reporting – Centralized deployment enables real‑time monitoring of regional operations for decision‑making.

GIS System – Supports enterprise functions such as site planning, vehicle dispatch, pre‑sorting, navigation, route optimization, and personal LBS services, extending logistics value through IoT and O2O capabilities.

5. Evolution from Qinglong 1.0 to 3.0

Qinglong has undergone rapid iteration:

1.0 – Improved performance, supported diverse business models, and provided comprehensive, fine‑grained information management.

2.0 – Integrated supply‑chain operations (vehicle management, reverse logistics, order interception, appointment delivery, etc.) and introduced self‑pickup lockers with expanding functions.

3.0 – Opened an external platform ecosystem, supporting third‑party orders, APIs, and cross‑platform operations, transitioning JD Logistics toward a socialized logistics model.

Overall, Qinglong is a strategic asset driving JD’s O2O community strategy, agile supply‑chain operations, and expansion into fresh food and crowdsourced last‑mile logistics.