Superstore chain opens shopping service via favorite messenger app

By Park Sae-jin Posted : April 19, 2017, 11:17 Updated : April 19, 2017, 11:17

[Courtesy of Kakao]



Reflecting growing popularity of mobile shopping, "SSG emart mall", the online shopping mall of South Korea's largest superstore chain emart, launched a new service jointly with Kakao Talk, the nation's largest messenger app service.

The venture called "Kakao Talk Shopping" allows consumers to order items listed on emart's online shopping service and have them delivered on a preferred time. It provides other convenient information and services.

Company data showed that the share of emart mobile users spiked from 1.5 percent of total customers in 2012 to 56 percent in 2016.

"Because mobile users take up more than half of our total customers, we developed this mobile shopping service," said an emart official. In April, emart said 61 percent of its online shopping service was made by mobile users while 44 percent were PC users.

Experts speculate emart's new messenger shopping service could become a big hit as Kakao Talk has about 41.5 million monthly active users, about 83 percent of the country's population.

Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
 
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