Seoul City Supports 25 Traditional Markets and 500 Stores to Enter the Online Market

Close Education & Consulting + Order & Delivery Infrastructure + Customized Marketing, Comprehensive Package Support

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 14th that starting in August, it will launch a comprehensive support project to help 500 stores within 25 traditional markets establish a stable online market presence.

Seoul plans to support everything in a "package" format?from laying the groundwork for entering the online market, providing infrastructure needed for ordering and delivery, to sharing sales secrets and know-how for stable operations?so that online sales become a new distribution and sales culture in traditional markets. Various supports for traditional markets, which were previously conducted individually and fragmentarily, will now be systematically and seamlessly carried out from A to Z.

The goal is to build the capabilities of traditional market merchants who have no online experience to sell products skillfully, support the establishment of basic infrastructure for online sales, and add marketing that highlights the strengths of traditional markets, thereby not only increasing sales but also restoring the old reputation that attracted citizens' visits.

Seoul will first provide education and consulting to strengthen the fundamentals of traditional market merchants. The education curriculum is closely tailored and covers everything from analyzing consumer tendencies and sales expansion strategies using traditional market characteristics to online sales processes, delivery product management, and handling customer complaints and out-of-stock situations. Rather than one-time short-term training, it features a process over about four months involving theory → practice → feedback to firmly build capabilities.

In-depth consulting for each store will also be conducted. Marketing experts will diagnose each store’s characteristics and strengths and weaknesses, then provide customized solutions such as online entry strategies, sales menu (product) planning, and marketing methods accordingly. Additionally, methods for selling key products using visual merchandising (VMD), which helps offline sales, will be taught.

To address the chronic hygiene issues in traditional markets, hygiene and quarantine consulting will be provided with experts visiting stores directly. Based on the Food-Related Basic Act, hygiene diagnoses will be conducted for each store, followed by necessary pest control. Cleaning know-how for key areas such as entrances, kitchens, and showcases will also be shared.

Support will also be provided for building ordering and delivery infrastructure essential for online sales. Considering that traditional market shopping typically involves “multi-item bundled delivery,” priority will be given to establishing delivery centers within markets to serve as intermediate collection points. Along with this, devices for processing orders, specialized packaging materials and coolants needed for fresh and safe delivery, as well as eco-friendly vinyl and boxes for packaging, will be provided.

Once all preparations are complete, support will be given for entry into comprehensive shopping platforms. Participating stores can choose to enter multiple representative shopping platforms. Upon entry, detailed guidance will be provided on how to use services such as product photography that attracts consumer attention, writing introduction pages, and operating order and delivery systems. Platform companies, as part of their social contribution to revitalize traditional markets, will also partially support delivery fees and offer various marketing, promotions, and discount coupons leveraging the strengths of traditional markets, helping merchants effectively reduce costs.

Seoul is recruiting 25 traditional markets to participate in the comprehensive online support project until the 28th. Registered and recognized markets and shopping districts are eligible, and each market can apply by selecting 20 participating stores. However, among the 20 stores, at least 15 must be food service and food and beverage retail, manufacturing, wholesale, or service businesses.

Seo Seong-man, Director of Labor and Livelihood Policy at Seoul City, said, “Traditional markets, which are the livelihood base of merchants, are facing great difficulties due to the spread of online consumption. We will provide systematic and comprehensive package-type support so that traditional market merchants can generate stable sales in the new online market and turn the current crisis into an opportunity, helping to revitalize neighborhood commercial districts.”

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