Naver 'Gift' Transaction Volume Increases 2.5 Times... Targeting 'Contactless Chuseok'

[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] Amid the increase in non-face-to-face (untact) consumption due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the mobile 'Gift Sending' market has emerged as a battleground in the IT industry.

According to Naver on the 30th, as the untact situation has prolonged recently, the transaction amount of 'Naver Gift Sending' has steadily increased, with the transaction amount in July rising 2.5 times compared to the same period last year.

Naver has been offering the Gift Sending service since 2015. It features personalized product recommendation technology called 'AiTEMS,' which recommends preferred gifts based on gender and age. For example, it suggests gifts tailored to recipients such as women in their 20s or appropriate gifts for occasions like birthdays and housewarmings.

Kakao is also expanding its 'Gift Sending' service area. Kakao launched the industry's first 'Gift Sending' service in 2010, and its current transaction amount reaches 3 trillion won. KakaoTalk users can send simple drinks to each other, and recently, luxury gifts such as Chanel and Dior cosmetics have been added.

Recently, Baedal Minjok (Baemin) has also entered the market. Baemin announced that it will sell 'subscription vouchers' usable at all registered restaurants, Baemin Order, and B Mart. This service allows users to purchase gift certificates that can be used for delivery orders and send them to acquaintances nearby.

Especially with this Chuseok expected to be a non-face-to-face holiday due to COVID-19, the IT industry is competing to attract customers through gift sending services. Naver anticipates that demand for the gift sending function will expand compared to before as the untact situation prolongs, and plans to further enhance the function. Baemin, ahead of Chuseok, has started subscription voucher gift sending, targeting both delivery demand during the holiday and non-face-to-face gift demand.

As the non-face-to-face culture spreads, the industry expects the 'Gift Sending' function to become a new growth engine. In particular, since it is linked with each platform's product content, curation functions, and delivery services, the service differentiation perceived by users is analyzed to be the key to success.

An IT industry official said, "The growth potential of the mobile gift sending market is very large, and each platform has different strengths, so competition is expected to become more intense," adding, "As industry competition becomes more active, users will benefit from various advantages and convenient functions."

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