JD.com charged its PLUS members more — the loyalty program that penalised loyalty

In May 2025, JD.com was accused of 'big data price discrimination' (大数据杀熟) after multiple PLUS members reported being shown higher prices than non-members for the same products. One consumer found that a mobile phone was priced ¥247 higher when logged into a PLUS member account — despite paying an annual membership fee for 'exclusive benefits.' Other complaints included PLUS members being excluded from promotions available to non-members and long-term members being charged ¥198 for renewal while newer members received offers of ¥99–128.

The allegations struck at the core promise of JD's PLUS programme: that members pay for better treatment. Instead, the pricing data suggested the opposite — that JD was using its customer data to identify and charge more to its most loyal users. JD did not issue a direct public response to the specific allegations. The incident became part of a broader Chinese consumer backlash against platform price discrimination, following similar cases involving Meituan and Ctrip.