JD.com is to ally with three domestic retailers to deepen its transformation from a retailer to a platform provider with a strategic cooperation agreement worth eight billion yuan ($1.16 billion) signed on Feb 6.

According to the contract, JD.com will cooperate with Maikaoli, Fun Talk, and Heng Da He, three retailers which have managed to maintain steady growth in China, in warehouse logistics, finance, and after-sale services.

The alliance is expected to boost sales by integrating online and offline sales.

Based in Guangzhou, capital of South China’s Guangdong province, Guangdong Heng Da He Information and Communication Technologies Co has been seen as a dark horse in information and communication technologies since its establishment in 2013.

Founded in 2003, Fun Talk now has more than 2,000 branches in 230 cities all over China and has become one of the leading telecommunication retailers.

Maikaoli is a Beijing-based company, established in 2007.

JD.com has been seeking partnerships with third parties to strengthen its role as a platform provider. Earlier, on Jan 3, JD.com signed a strategic cooperation agreement with lusen.com worth 3 billion yuan. On Jan 6, JD.com signed contracts worth more than ten billion yuan with 17 key retailers.