JD.com was called 360buy before it adopted its current name in 2013.
Richard Liu founded the business in Beijing in 1998 as an electronics retailer. The company first operated through physical stores, then moved online as internet commerce developed in China. Its online identity became 360buy, a name used widely before the later rebranding.
In 2013, the company changed its name from 360buy to JD.com. The new name reflected the initials of founder Richard Liu’s Chinese given name, Jingdong, and created a shorter international brand. JD.com became especially known for direct retail operations, warehouse infrastructure, and delivery services.
360buy is sometimes confused with 360, the Chinese internet-security company, but the two businesses were separate. JD.com also differs from marketplace platforms that primarily host third-party sellers: its business has historically emphasized selling inventory directly, alongside marketplace services.