Naver Responds to Smart Store Fee Controversy: "Sellers Choose, Not Mandatory"

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] On the 11th, Naver denied allegations that it is effectively forcing small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) operating on its Smart Store platform to bear commission fees, stating that the claims are "not true."

Earlier, Yoon Chang-hyun, a member of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee from the People Power Party, criticized, "Products are not exposed simply by listing on Naver Smart Store, so SMBs also list on Naver Shopping, which has a 2% sales commission, to sell their products," adding, "Some pay fixed listing fees ranging from 3 million to 12 million KRW per month."

In response, Naver explained, "Smart Store is not an open market but a platform that helps build online shopping malls, and there are no commission fees for opening or selling on Smart Store."

Furthermore, Naver stated, "To be exposed in Naver Shopping search results, sellers must pay a 2% commission fee, just like external shopping malls and open markets, but this is entirely the seller's choice," adding, "Transactions through Naver Shopping account for only half of Smart Store's transaction volume, standing at 54% as of August this year."

They emphasized, "Smart Store sellers can utilize various marketing methods beyond just listing on Naver Shopping."

Naver claimed, "The reason sellers think of Smart Store first is because of its low commission fees," and argued, "The benefits of price reductions due to Smart Store's low fees are passed directly to users, creating a virtuous cycle that earns users' preference."

Regarding the 'fixed listing fees' pointed out by Assemblyman Yoon, Naver clarified, "Large comprehensive malls or specialty shopping malls with significant transaction volumes can choose between fixed fees and a 2% commission when listing on Naver Shopping, but this has nothing to do with Smart Store."

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