Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in Korea, updated continuously by our newsroom.
Tesla Motors, the Silicon Valley-grown electric vehicle manufacturer, may open its first Korea dealership in a Shinsegae Group shopping complex within this year. “The talks are positive, for sure, but the final confirmation has yet to be reached,” said a…
South Korea on Tuesday suspended sales of most Volkswagen AG (VOWG_p.DE) models in a fresh blow to the German automaker as it struggles to overcome the global repercussions of its emissions-test cheating sandal and rebuild its tattered image. The government…
Starbucks Korea employees are being offered a chance to achieve their academic goals. The company has introduced a college achievement plan to enable employees (termed “partners”) to finish four-year college degrees. Already, 146 have enrolled at Hanyang…
More shoppers are using smartphones and tablets to do business with Korean online retailers – both Koreans and foreigners. Chinese shoppers – particularly those who have visited Korea and fallen in love with its products – have been a particular boon to the…
Analysts warn of possible blow to tourism, retail industry A number of Chinese tourists are cancelling trips to South Korea in the wake of the country’s decision to deploy a missile defense system, a trend which experts say might lead to a blow to South…
The Small and Medium Business Administration (SMBA) announced its plans on August 3 to develop a small business K-town in Indonesia modeled after “Bojeong-dong Café Street” as a means of supporting the small business’ overseas expansion. The café street…
The Shilla Duty Free has posted a 29 per cent year-on-year rise in second-quarter revenues for its Korean downtown stores, rebounding from the MERS-ravaged tourism sector at the same time last year. Downtown store revenue climbed to KW538.2 billion (US$473.6…
Since late last year, premium Korean beef, called Hanwoo, has been making its way onto menus in some Hong Kong restaurants, as the city is one of the first places allowed to import it. Hanwoo refers to cattle indigenous to Korea which are raised only in the…
Korea retail sales rose in June according to government data measuring major department stores and discount chains. The government said the year-on-year increase was fuelled by more holidays. The combined sales of three department stores – Hyundai, Lotte and…
South Korean retailers are capitalizing on the explosive popularity of Nintendo’s augmented-reality mobile game “Pokemon Go” with new products and services targeting local Pokemon game enthusiasts and fans. From a sudden rise in consumer spending at select…
Convenience stores in some areas in South Korea are enjoying a boom in sales brought by the latest mobile game craze ‘Pokemon Go’. ‘Pokémon Go’, an augmented reality app developed by Niantic, requires players to walk around and catch creatures called Pokémon…
The government-owned Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC) – parent company of Jeju Duty Free – has won a Gold Prize at the recent Asia Tourism Marketing Festival, for its success in attracting Chinese visitors through its highly effective…
The Shilla Duty Free posted a +29.0% year-on-year rise in second-quarter revenues for its Korean downtown duty free operations, reflecting a strong rebound from the MERS-ravaged corresponding period last year. Downtown store revenue climbed to KW538.2 billion…
Indonesia has high hopes of carving out a share of the crowded Korean domestic cafe scene and coffee market. A cafe specialising in artisanal Indonesian coffee is planned to open soon on the Bojeong-dong Cafe Street in Seoul. It will sell ground coffee and…
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise, today announced that it has signed an agreement to form a franchise partnership with Emart Company Ltd (a member of Shinsegae Group), South Korea’s…
Korean retail giant Lotte Department Store revealed Thursday that it will implement a new 3D foot-measuring device at its stores starting Friday, to provide quick and accurate measurements for custom shoe orders. By placing his or her foot on the device, a…
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