Electromart Introduces Camera Rental Service

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Emart is launching a camera rental service in line with the expanding trend of social network services (SNS) such as one-person media.

Starting from the 11th, Emart announced that it will begin the 'Sony Camera & Lens Rental Service' at seven stores nationwide, including Electromart Yeongdeungpo, Starfield Goyang, and Shinjeju.

Through this service, customers will be able to rent a total of 37 types of camera lenses, ranging from Sony's entry-level models to high-end models priced up to 16 million KRW (Sony FE 600mm F4 GM OSS). Rental prices range from 10,000 KRW to 120,000 KRW per day.

In addition, it is possible to rent and return various products for the desired period, including 10 types of camera bodies and 15 types of accessories.

This camera rental service is being implemented in anticipation of increased demand for rental cameras due to the recent development of one-person media and SNS. The Media Future Research Institute projected that the domestic one-person media market would grow from 3.87 trillion KRW in 2018 to 8 trillion KRW in 2023.

Moreover, with the introduction of the 52-hour workweek system, the number of people enjoying photography as a hobby is increasing. Therefore, instead of immediately purchasing expensive cameras or broadcasting equipment, it is expected that demand will grow for renting to try before buying or renting only when needed.

Accordingly, Emart expects continuous growth in demand for offline camera rentals where customers can see and try the products themselves. They plan to actively utilize the 44 Electromart stores to enhance service accessibility and attract customers.

Meanwhile, Emart also plans to strengthen its Apple A/S service centers to enhance offline differentiated competitiveness beyond camera rentals.

Currently, Electromart operates Apple A/S service centers at five stores nationwide, including Jukjeon, Yeongdeungpo, and Starfield Goyang. Additionally, they plan to sequentially open centers at Eunpyeong on March 23 and Wolbae on April 27, expanding the total number of centers to around 10 within the year.

Electromart's Apple-related sales grew by 60.5% in 2018 and increased by 77.5% in 2019. Consequently, demand for high-quality A/S services has risen, leading Electromart to open official Apple A/S service centers.

The Apple A/S service centers are also analyzed to be contributing significantly to the sales growth of the stores where they are located.

In 2019, the three Electromart stores with Apple A/S service centers recorded an average sales growth rate of 14.4%. Electromart Starfield Goyang showed the highest growth rate at 15.2%, while Starfield Hanam and Yeongdeungpo stores also increased sales by 13.8% and 14.2%, respectively.

Nam Hyunjoong, Emart's home appliance buyer, stated, “With the rise of the sharing economy, the rental industry is gaining attention as a new business model. Along with the expansion of one-person media and social media, demand for camera rental services is expected to increase, which is why we have launched this related service.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.