The business to customer (B2C) online retailer JD.com, or Jingdong, has become the first Chinese e-commerce website to launch an electronic invoice system.

It will initially only be used for book, music and film products. Customers can choose whether to have a paper invoice or an electronic one.

"Gradually, JD.com will expand the service to more products," Zhao Guoqing, co-chairman of JD.com, said.

"Moreover, the electronic invoice is an energy-saving and low-cost way to hand out tax certificates," Chai Yueting, a Beijing-based e-commerce expert, said.