eBay Korea, 'Excitement' in Contactless Chuseok

Sales Analysis from September 14 to 23 Before Chuseok
Overall Product Categories See 17% Increase in Sales Volume Compared to Last Year
Fresh Food Up 19%... Hobby and Preference Items Also Rise

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Even during the peak season right before the Chuseok holiday, non-face-to-face (untact) channels achieved overwhelming results. eBay Korea, an online shopping company operating Gmarket, Auction, and G9, recorded the highest-ever sales performance for Chuseok this year.

According to Gmarket and Auction on the 28th, sales volume of major product categories from the 14th to the 23rd increased by 17% compared to the same period last year.

Health-related products were by far the most popular. Sales of health and medical supplies grew more than threefold (226%), showing the largest increase. Respiratory and sleep health products, as well as health measurement devices, saw a 70% increase, eye health products rose by 19%, and massage chair rentals surged by 127%. Health supplements also increased by 19%, with sales of various immunity-boosting supplements such as vitamins and propolis rising by 29%. Korean ginseng increased by 67%, red ginseng by 10%, and health juices showed a 17% growth trend.

As non-face-to-face grocery shopping became widespread, sales of food and daily necessities also increased. Overall fresh food sales rose by 19%, with livestock products such as beef (33%) and pork (44%) gaining popularity. Total fruit sales, including apples (54%) and grapes (115%), increased by 21%. Additionally, seafood (40%), wild greens and mushrooms (30%), and vegetables (20%)?items used for preparing ancestral rites?also increased. Daily necessities rose by 16%, with most frequently used holiday items such as detergent (23%), wooden chopsticks (18%), wet tissues (11%), and kitchen towels (24%) all increasing. However, inexpensive gift sets priced between 10,000 and 20,000 KRW decreased by 1% compared to last year.

Due to the so-called ‘Gwipojok’?people who do not visit their hometowns during the long Chuseok holiday?consumption related to hobbies and preferences also increased. Sales of various hobby items rose by 31%, with golf apparel (63%), gaming products (50%), hiking and outdoor gear (45%), musical instruments and hobbies (46%), and camping and fishing (26%) all showing overall growth. Processed foods such as snacks and instant meals consumed during the holiday period also increased by 11%.

eBay Korea explained that the large-scale discount events prepared to target holiday demand also contributed to these results. In fact, during the two-week ‘2020 Chuseok Big Sale’ event held by Gmarket and Auction from the 14th to the 27th, cumulative sales reached 40.77 million units. Notably, on Gmarket, ‘Pampers diapers’ sold for 1.65 billion KRW, ‘Missha basic cosmetics special sale’ for 1.28 billion KRW, and ‘Roborock robot vacuum cleaners’ for 790 million KRW. On Auction, ‘Hong Sam Jeong Everytime Balance’ sold for 490 million KRW, ‘Parkland autumn fashion suits and shirts’ for 240 million KRW, and ‘KF94 masks’ for 160 million KRW.

Kim Tae-soo, Head of Sales at eBay Korea, said, “This Chuseok shows a different landscape from previous years due to the impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), including the expansion of untact shopping and the rapid increase of Gwipojok.” He added, “Reflecting this demand, we plan to offer services such as same-day delivery until just before the holiday to ensure smooth Chuseok preparations.”

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