Sales of pet food items of Shinsegae's online shopping mall increase 30 percent on-year

By Kim Joo-heon Posted : January 9, 2023, 17:44 Updated : January 9, 2023, 17:47

[Gettyimages Bank]

SEOUL -- Sales of pet food items at SSG.com, an online shopping mall operator run by South Korea's retail giant Shinsegae, significantly increased between January 2022 and January 2023, compared to a year ago. The online ecommerce operator said dog pads which are put on the floor when dogs defecate were best-selling products at its pet product shopping mall called "Molly's SSG."
 
According to data released by SSG.com, dog pads were the most popular item as of January 6, 2023, followed by a duck meat product mainly eaten by dogs. Sales of cat toys increased by 135 percent on-year. Since the launch of Molly's SSG in September 2021, the cumulative number of orders has reached 2.17 million. 
 
The number of South Koreans who own pets have consistently increased. When the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic swept across the country in 2020, many remote-working single households spent more time at home with their pets.

Pet product sales of Market Kurly, a major online grocery delivery service operator, were up 132 percent from a year ago. CJ O Shopping, a TV home shopping channel operator, saw a 45 percent rise in sales of pet products. Various pet-related businesses have been developed into a one-stop pet care store where visitors can use many different facilities with their pets including a pet beauty salon, a pet academy, and a pet hotel.
 
A survey conducted by South Korea's rural affairs ministry showed that about 6.3 million households are keeping at least one kind of pet as of December 2020. The domestic pet market is expected to reach 6 trillion won ($4.8 billion) by 2027. Dogs were the most popular pet type in the country. 
 
Dog Behavior Type Indicator (DBTI), a psychology test that classifies dogs' characters into 16 different types, is garnering popularity. The platform created by mobile carrier LG Uplus provides 60 questions. After taking the test, dog owners can receive advice and educational programs from professional dog trainers. 
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