JD launched a crowdfunding platform today with 12 smart hardware and fashion culture products.
JD is currently promoting the crowdfunding service with giveaways including JD vouchers and Google Glass to supporters who at least follow and comment on the crowdfunding projects.
At the time of writing, the project that raised most money is a multi-function smart hardware called Zivoo for watching videos, singing karaoke, and playing games. This project targets to raise RMB 20,000 (about USD 3,225) and it has so far raised RMB 17,257 with 35 backers.
Crowdfunding platform is not new in China following the success of Kickstarter and there are several ones struggling to make a success among which the most popular one is Demo Hour. With the same or similar way how Kickstarter operates in the west, crowdfunding platforms can hardly make it; at least not at the moment.