Online shopping penetration in South Korea 2023, by age

According to a survey in 2023, around 98.3 percent of respondents between 20 and 29 years in had purchased goods and services (including making reservations) over the internet within the last year.

Gmarket

In June 2024, Coupang was found to be one of the online shopping website with the highest reach in PC, overtaking the former long-standing market leader Gmarket. Gmarket was founded in 2000 by Interpark and became a subsidiary of eBay in 2009. Goods on the website are sold to both national and international customers. The website functions as an online marketplace, as Gmarket does not handle goods nor payment.

Mobile shopping

One of the main reasons why South Korean consumers prefer online shopping is the convenience it offers. With the high usage rate of smartphones throughout the country, it is unsurprising that mobile shopping has established among South Korean users. According to a survey, around 37 percent of mobile shoppers have installed around 4 to 6 mobile shopping apps on their smartphones.