After Chuseok, Parents Return Hanboks for Refunds... "Is Coupang a Hanbok Rental Shop?" Internal Frustration Grows

Refunds After Use by Taking Advantage of "Wow Member" Benefits
Effectively Allows Free Rentals

Tourists visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace are enjoying their trip while using umbrellas. This is unrelated to the article content.

Once again this year, controversy has arisen over parents returning hanbok that their children wore after the Chuseok holiday. According to Coupang's policy, Wow members can return or exchange items free of charge within 30 days, even for a simple change of mind. The issue of returning hanbok after the holidays has surfaced every year around major holidays.

On October 15, a person who identified themselves as an employee of the e-commerce platform Coupang posted on their social networking service (SNS), "The Coupang return center is basically a hanbok rental shop for children. While inspecting returns, I folded hanbok over 100 times."

As of October 17, on the "Popular Fashion Accessories Brands Discount" page in Coupang's return market, 26 out of a total of 194 items are hanbok or hanbok accessories. Even considering some duplicate listings, hanbok makes up a significant proportion within the clothing category.

Children's hanbok listed on Coupang's return market. Screenshot from Coupang

The discount rates are also high. For example, the regular price of a boys' hanbok set is 94,900 won, but in the return market, the same product can be purchased for 28,450 won. For hanbok products, the average discount rate offered to Rocket Wow members is around 40%, but in the return market, discounts can reach up to about 70%.

Every year, after holidays such as Chuseok or Lunar New Year, this kind of "intentional return" controversy repeats itself. As the employee described it as a "hanbok rental shop," people buy hanbok before the holidays, dress their children in it, and then take advantage of the free return policy after the holiday, effectively renting it for free.

As the controversy over intentional returns continues, Coupang has strengthened its inspection process and started managing so-called "black consumers." For customers who intentionally and repeatedly abuse the return service, the company has adopted a policy that allows sellers to refuse sales without imposing any penalties.