Lotte Department Store Releases Duty-Free Inventory Again... But 'Luxury Love' Fades

Second event at 7 locations until the 12th
Shorter waiting lines than the crowded first event
Interest wanes after multiple online and offline events

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Although duty-free luxury goods worth a total of 7 billion KRW were released offline, they did not enjoy the same popularity as before. While long lines formed in front of stores and online sites were overwhelmed to the point of being inaccessible, repeated releases of discounted stock items have somewhat diminished the excitement.

On the 10th, Lotte Department Store held the second phase of the Duty-Free Luxury Goods Fair. Until the 12th, luxury stock items are being sold at seven stores: Mia Branch, Pyeongchon Branch, Bundang Branch, Ilsan Branch, Jeonju Branch, Dongnae Branch, and Premium Outlet Icheon Branch. Six additional brands joined the seven brands that participated in the first event, raising expectations for continued enthusiasm for luxury goods. However, due to multiple releases of duty-free luxury stock items both online and offline, the response to this event was somewhat subdued.

At 7 a.m. that day, about four customers were waiting in front of Lotte Department Store Mia Branch to purchase luxury goods. Bundang and Ilsan branches also had about 30 customers each, a stark contrast to the hundreds who had gathered at previous events.

This was different from the first event held on the 26th of last month, when hundreds of customers flocked from early dawn upon hearing the news that luxury goods could be purchased at low prices. A customer who arrived first at Mia Branch at 6 a.m. said, "I left home early because I was worried I wouldn't be able to get anything due to the hundreds of people who came last month," adding, "There are fewer people than I thought, so on one hand, it's a relief."

After 8 a.m., the number of customers gradually increased but remained around ten. A woman in her 40s who came from Dasan New Town in Gyeonggi Province said, "I bought a bag online, but I still wanted to see and purchase it in person, so I came from far away," adding, "My goal is to buy a bag and shoes."

Lotte Department Store plans to limit entry sequentially according to COVID-19 prevention guidelines to ensure safety during this second luxury goods fair, allowing an average of 600 to 700 customers per day per store.

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