Gwangju City Launches 'Live Commerce' to Revitalize Traditional Markets

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Gwangju Metropolitan City is taking steps to revitalize traditional markets by utilizing live commerce.

On the 16th, Gwangju City announced that from the 20th of this month to September 3rd, every Friday at 11 a.m., it will produce sets composed of representative excellent products from eight traditional markets and shopping districts in Gwangju and support their sales through Naver Shopping Live.

This initiative was promoted to revitalize traditional markets that have been stagnant due to COVID-19 and to prepare for the transition to non-face-to-face distribution methods in the post-COVID era.

‘Live commerce’ is an online channel that sells products through real-time video streaming, enabling two-way communication with viewers via chat windows, representing a non-face-to-face, contactless economic activity.

In celebration of the summer vacation season, on the 20th, sets will be composed and sold including dried seafood from Yangdong Dried Seafood Market, home tool sets from Yangdong Industrial Supplies Market, and coffee from Wolgok Market for a home-cation set. On the 27th, snack sets will be composed and sold including Hangwa (traditional Korean sweets) and cheesecake from Malbau Market and Choco Pie from 1913 Songjeong Station Market.

Ahead of Chuseok, on the 3rd of next month, holiday sets will be sold including sesame oil from Mudeung Market, ritual fish from Yangdong Fish Market, and kimchi from Namgwangju Haetteune Market.

To participate in the event, click the Shopping Live tab at the top of Naver, search for Gwangju Traditional Markets, join the live broadcast, and make purchases. Discounts range from 10% up to 40% depending on the item.

With the expansion of online transactions due to COVID-19 since last year, the active introduction of online markets that combine non-face-to-face consumption and online sales culture into traditional markets is expected to serve as a means to attract new customers in line with the untact era trend.

This live commerce support is hosted by Gwangju Metropolitan City, entrusted to and operated by the Gwangju Economic Employment Promotion Agency, and plans to add 12 more markets for recruitment after Chuseok in addition to the eight markets before Chuseok.

In addition to supporting live commerce operations, online marketing education will be provided to participating merchants, focusing on strengthening the capabilities of traditional market merchants.

Park Jeonghwan, Director of the Job and Economy Office of Gwangju City, said, “With social distancing and the spread of home economy, online shopping usage is expanding across all age groups, and diversification of traded products and sales increase through live commerce are being realized. We will continue to do our best to revitalize markets by expanding live commerce and introducing online distribution methods for traditional markets, such as shopping at traditional markets through public delivery apps.”

Meanwhile, as part of the Yangdong Renaissance Project, Gwangju City has been conducting a total of six live commerce events from May to June, striving to open sales channels for traditional markets and strengthen merchant capabilities.

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