"Stock Available but Sold Out?"... Checking 'Mask Quantity' App Service Before Visiting Pharmacy

Goodoc and Wearmask Begin Real-Time Inventory Disclosure from Today
"Convenient to Check Real-Time Sold-Out Status"... Some Pharmacies Experience Surge in Visitors
Some Pharmacies with Remaining Stock Say "No Adult Sizes"... No Size Distinction

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] "What should I do if there is no large size?" On the morning of the 11th, Jin-young Kim, born in 1983, who visited a pharmacy in the Gangdong area of Seoul in accordance with the 5-day mask purchase system, had to turn away empty-handed in frustration. Although she found a pharmacy with remaining stock through an application that shows inventory status, she was told, "Only baby (small) sizes are available." Kim expressed her embarrassment, saying, "I thought I wouldn't have to line up anymore, but I didn't consider the sizes."

With the government's public mask data opening, an app and web service that allows real-time checking of sales status via mobile phones and PCs started on this day, raising expectations that mask queues would disappear. However, on the first day of the service, there were still many cases of people coming up empty at the site, indicating a need for improvement.

Developers of mask inventory-related apps and web services such as Goodoc and WearMask have been publicly disclosing the public mask sales status in four stages with colors since 8 a.m. that day. The categories are 'None (gray)', '2-29 items (red)', '30-99 items (yellow)', and '100 or more (green)'. These developers announced that due to data processing and transmission, there might be a 5 to 10-minute difference from the actual inventory status.

When accessing Goodoc's 'Mask Scanner,' a hospital and pharmacy search app, and clicking on the mask icon with a red background on the map, users can see the pharmacy name along with the message "Insufficient public mask stock." Pharmacies with no stock are marked with a gray background and the word "Sold Out." The website WearMask is considered even more useful as it updates not only inventory status but also pharmacies' mask restocking and update times.

Accordingly, users can check the sales status and visit pharmacies with remaining stock instead of wandering around or standing in long lines to buy masks. Eun-jin Lee (36, female), living in Yangsan, Gyeongnam, said, "It's convenient because I can check whether it's sold out in real time," adding, "I plan to visit a place marked green in the afternoon." Nam-hee Kim (36, female), who bought a mask at a pharmacy in Saha-gu, Busan, said, "I succeeded in buying by going directly to a pharmacy marked yellow on the app," but also shared, "However, information did not appear on the app for a pharmacy closer to my home that seemed to be selling masks."

As users' interest concentrated, some services experienced data load delays and outages due to a surge in visitors in less than two hours after launch. Portal companies such as Naver and Kakao are also promoting similar services through their map apps, Naver Map and Kakao Map.

There were also cases where masks could not be purchased at pharmacies visited after checking inventory. Visiting five pharmacies near Dangsan Station, which showed stock in red or yellow, all were sold out. A pharmacist at Pharmacy A admitted, "The numbers on the app are inflated," explaining, "We couldn't update the sales volume from the previous evening." A pharmacist at Pharmacy B said, "Only small sizes for children are available," and requested, "The remaining stock on the app is small sizes, so please come according to the restocking time."

This highlights concerns that confusion could increase if the inventory of over 23,000 pharmacies nationwide is not accurately reflected in real time. Regarding this, WearMask explained, "Inventory information includes small and medium sizes, so there may actually be no large sizes in stock," adding, "We are discussing improvements with relevant government departments." On the other hand, in areas with many infants and children residents, parents were seen frustrated because they could not find small masks.

For some pharmacies that distribute numbered tickets, this service itself is practically useless. Pharmacy C near Dangsan Station finished distributing 125 numbered tickets within less than five minutes after opening at 8:25 a.m. Around 9 a.m., after checking the inventory status and visiting the pharmacy, they only received a sold-out response.

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