Ochama, the origins of Joybuy in Europe

 

Chinese e-Commerce giant, JD.com, launches a new platform, Joybuy, in six key European markets: the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. However, Joybuy is not entirely new: it used to operate in 24 countries as an omnichannel supermarket Ochama. 

 

 

What was Ochama

Ochama, the Chinese omnichannel supermarket, was available in 24 countries in Europe, including Germany, France, Spain, Poland, and Italy. Until its closure in August 2025, the mobile-first marketplace offered a large selection of groceries and household items, most of them with next-day delivery.

 

Launched in 2022 in the Netherlands, Ochama was a subsidiary of Chinese e-Commerce giant JD.com. Offering a unique hybrid shopping experience, the brand launched four physical stores in larger cities, operated entirely by robots.

 

This feature didn’t last long, though. As analysts pointed out, instead of great futuristic endeavours, customers mainly encountered conveyor belts and robotic arms placing carts with their purchase on the belts. Besides, problems with the ordering process and shopping app have often made the collection of items more tiresome than fun.

 

Although the shops have closed since then, Ochama still combined online and offline shopping experiences by offering the choice of pickup or home delivery. The marketplace operated over 500 pickup points across the continent, where shoppers could have their order shipped if they didn’t opt for home delivery.

 

 

Logistics developements

At the end of October 2024, Ochama opened a new warehouse in Poland, located near the country’s border with Germany. The fully automated facility, encompassing 27,000 square metres, is strategically located to deliver 48-hour shipping services across Europe. The warehouse was necessary to meet the needs of Ochama’s growing customer base. The company reported a 284% surge in orders from the start of 2024 in Germany and Poland.

 

 

Screenshot of ochama.com’s former homepage

 

 

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While Ochama is no longer in operation, Joybuy continues to serve European consumers in six countries - and provide an opportunity for fraudsters to post IP-infringing product listings. Contact us if you’re worried about counterfeiters and grey market sellers infringing on your IP rights on Joybuy, or anywhere else on the internet!