[Report] Even After Waiting 3 Hours in the Rain... If Only I Could Buy This Handbag (Comprehensive)

Visited the Offline Sales Site of Overstock Luxury Goods

Over 250 People Lined Up Before Lotte Department Store Opening
Families Including Grandmothers and Grandchildren Gathered in a Spectacle
Full Crowds Also Seen at Giheung and Paju Outlets
Entry Tickets Ran Out Within an Hour Due to Admission Limits

Although Overstock, 30% Are New Products
Discount Rates Raised Up to 40% Compared to Regular Prices
Consumer-Preferred Brands Featured, Raising Expectations

On the 25th, when Lotte Shopping started offline sales for the duty-free luxury goods event, citizens hoping to make purchases lined up in front of Lotte Department Store in Nowon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy reporters Minyoung Cha and Seungjin Lee] Although the heavy rain had subsided, light drizzle continued from early morning, and people holding various types of umbrellas began lining up at Lotte Department Store Nowon Branch and Lotte Premium Outlet Giheung Branch located in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. A remarkable scene unfolded as people took time off work to purchase half-price luxury brand stock items, hurriedly running to join the already long queues right after getting off taxis.

◆Three hours of queuing in the rain= At 10 a.m. on the 25th, a long waiting line of about 250 people stretched in front of the main entrance of Lotte Department Store Nowon Branch. It was the first day that luxury brand stock items, previously sold only online, were being sold at offline stores. Despite growing concerns due to the recent resurgence of COVID-19, the long queue resembled that of an amusement park. Families such as daughters and mothers, sons and mothers, grandmothers and grandchildren came together, creating a unique spectacle.

At the entrance of the special exhibition hall on the first floor of the Nowon Branch, a clean system resembling an airport baggage inspection system was installed. Customers had to pass through this system to enter the event hall. The system checks body temperature and takes facial photos to create a database (DB). This is to prepare for any future COVID-19 confirmed cases. The event hall, arranged in a ㄷ-shaped layout, featured brands such as Saint Laurent, Chlo?, and Givenchy. Customers entered in groups of about 30, enjoying shopping while listening to product explanations.

Jiyeon Hee (pseudonym), a housewife in her 50s who arrived at 8 a.m., received ticket number 3 and was among the first group to enter. She shyly said, "I live near Nowon, and since there was an event nearby, I came out to get some fresh air." Despite the damp weather, the line grew longer after 10 a.m.

Another housewife in her 50s, Eunha Lee (pseudonym), said, "My daughter overseas told me not to be bored at home alone and to come see this once," adding, "Feeling trapped and frustrated, I came out for a little outing and a trip to the department store." There was also a mother and her 22-year-old college student daughter. The daughter, Jiyoung Kim (pseudonym), said, "I found out about this from an article online," adding, "I don’t know much about the brands or products, but I came out to go out with my mom." A man in his 30s who came with his mother in her 60s said, "My mom has never known luxury brands in her life, so I wanted to take her to see them and give her a gift this time."

On the 25th, when Lotte Shopping started offline sales for the Duty-Free Luxury Brand Event, visitors were selecting products at the event hall of Lotte Department Store in Nowon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

At the same time, at Lotte Premium Outlet Giheung Branch in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, customers kept arriving even an hour before opening. Despite the rainy and unpredictable weather, many people hurried to get there early. At the Paju Branch, about 660 people gathered, and the daily admission tickets (about 660) were sold out within an hour of opening. The customer who received ticket number 1 at the Giheung Branch arrived at 4 a.m. The customer with ticket number 1 at the Premium Outlet Paju Branch arrived at 7 a.m.

When entry began at 11 a.m. at the Giheung Branch, the expressions of customers who had waited a long time showed excitement and determination. With a 20-minute time limit, they immediately focused on popular products upon entry. Some customers shared photos of products with acquaintances to ask if they wanted proxy purchases. The most popular products that day were bags, and some popular items were expected to sell out completely.

Eunji Koo (pseudonym), in her 30s, who came with her mother in her 60s to the Giheung Branch, said, "My mom has lived her whole life without owning a luxury bag, so I wanted to take her here to give her a gift this time," adding, "I arrived at 9 a.m. but was surprised by how many people there were."

An employee at Giheung Lotte Premium Outlet is showing a numbered ticket. On this day, the first customer visited Giheung branch at 4 a.m., and by 10 a.m., half of the 600 limited entry tickets were distributed.

◆Although stock luxury items, 30% are new arrivals= From the 26th, Lotte Duty Free will sell duty-free stock items at a total of eight offline special stores including department stores and premium outlets. On the 25th, a day before the official start, a pre-opening sale was held at three locations: Lotte Department Store Nowon Branch, and Lotte Premium Outlet Paju and Giheung Branches.

The offline special exhibition offers the advantage that consumers can directly check products, make payments, and receive items immediately. Additionally, the psychological effect of purchasing luxury goods cannot be ignored. Despite the recession caused by COVID-19, consumers have shown particular interest in luxury brands. Professor Kumju Kwak of the Department of Psychology at Seoul National University said, "Purchasing luxury goods is driven by psychological factors such as self-satisfaction, desire for display, and halo effects," adding, "Demand for high-priced luxury goods continues because people perceive luxury goods as part of their self-image."

Participating overseas luxury brands include Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Salvatore Ferragamo, Max Mara, and Valentino. Notably, 30% of the items are new products from the 2020 Spring/Summer (SS) season. The remaining 70% are selected as bestsellers from each season. Discounts were raised up to 40% off the regular price, raising expectations in advance. At the Giheung Branch alone, 180 types of products totaling about 1 billion KRW in value, with a total of 1,000 items, were on standby.

When the Nowon Branch store opened at 10:30 a.m., a remarkable scene unfolded as customers rushed toward their desired luxury brand stores. Ji-hyun Kim (pseudonym), a woman in her 30s whom we met at the Max Mara store in Lotte Department Store, said, "Since overseas travel is difficult, I went luxury shopping for the first time in a while," adding, "Even with a 50% discount, it’s expensive, but it’s worth it, so I plan to buy the product I had my eye on and quickly check other stores."

On the other hand, many people covered their faces not only with masks but also with opaque sunglasses and umbrellas, seemingly conscious of critical public opinion toward luxury purchases. Many turned their backs or avoided showing their faces.

A Lotte Department Store official said, "The biggest advantage is that many of the most preferred brands and key products by consumers are available, making the purchase very attractive," adding, "Since this is an event carefully prepared by Lotte Duty Free and the department store working together, we hope it will breathe new life into the struggling duty-free business."

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