'Digital' Busan Goejeong Alley Market Overcoming COVID-19

Online Mall 'Goejeong Golmok Baedal' Opens... Free Local Delivery & Next-Day Busan Courier
Sales Increase Sixfold, More Merchants Want to Join... Sojin Gong Supports with Training and Content Development

Online shopping mall operated by Goejeong Alley Market, 'Goejeong Alley Delivery'
Photo by Small Enterprise and Market Service

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] The traditional market, which had drawn frowns not only from customers but also from market merchants due to street vendors occupying fire lanes and old, dirty facilities, has become a hot topic by transforming into a 'digital market.'

The protagonist is Busan's 'Goejeong Golmok Market,' which tried to reinvent itself as a new market through facility and customer service improvements but fell into crisis due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). It revived by transforming into a digital traditional market through the introduction of an online shopping mall.

Located between densely packed apartments and villa neighborhoods, Goejeong Golmok Market is a typical neighborhood retail market adjacent to famous tourist spots such as Saha Sunset Road, Dadaepo Beach, and Gamcheon Culture Village. It was a place where not only customers but also market merchants pointed out the need for drastic measures due to chronic problems of traditional markets such as street vendors occupying fire lanes and old, dirty facilities.

After participating in the 'Specialized Market Development Project' led by the Small Enterprise and Market Service (SEMAS), the market merchants' association first launched the 'Dadaikseon Campaign.' They undertook customer service improvements such as regular disinfection and cleaning, improving merchant friendliness, and achieving 100% price and origin labeling, and also sought to discover market specialization elements to transform into a cultural tourism market.

However, the COVID-19 crisis did not spare Goejeong Golmok Market. Following news of a chain infection among Russian sailors in Saha District, the number of customers visiting the market plummeted, and with the nationwide implementation of social distancing level 2, market sales hit rock bottom. The merchants' association saw hope in an online shopping mall and pushed for its introduction.

Due to the characteristics of traditional markets with many elderly merchants, understanding of online shopping malls was lacking, so progress was slow. However, on June 1, an online shopping mall 'Goejeong Golmok Delivery' was opened with participation from 31 stores. Operating with free local delivery and next-day courier service throughout Busan, Goejeong Golmok Delivery has been sailing smoothly, exceeding six times the sales of its first month within just four months of operation.

As sales of merchants listed on the online shopping mall increased, the number of applicants wishing to join the mall gradually grew. The merchants' association attempted a transformation into a digital traditional market by setting conditions such as introducing consumer-friendly payment methods and affiliating with mobile Onnuri gift certificates for prospective tenants, achieving a successful outcome.

Jang Chae-soon, president of the Goejeong Golmok Market Merchants' Association, emphasized, "Even if it takes time, we plan to guide and educate so that all street vendors in the market can convert to formal businesses and register for mobile Onnuri gift certificates by continuously creating success cases." She added, "If there are traditional markets still hesitating to go online, I want to encourage them to boldly take on the challenge."

A SEMAS official stated, "Goejeong Golmok Market is growing as a leading market for the digital advancement of traditional markets while not losing basics such as the Dadaikseon Campaign and prevention of Onnuri gift certificate misuse." The official added, "The corporation provides customized support such as content development to attract visitors, discovery of specialized products, and education for market merchants according to the characteristics of each market."

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