In brief
South Korea’s online retail sector expanded by 4.1 % in September, with automobiles and food delivery services accounting for the bulk of growth. Total online sales reached 24.97 trillion won, up from the previous year, but electronics and home appliances saw a 7 % decline. Mobile shopping dominated the market, comprising 76.4 % of transactions.
South Korea’s online shopping rose 4.1 % in September, driven by demand for automobiles, food‑delivery services, and agricultural products, the Ministry of Data and Statistics said on November 2, citing Xinhua. Total online sales reached 24.97 trillion won (about $18.6 billion), a figure that represents the year‑over‑year increase.
By product category, sales of home appliances and electronics fell 7.0 %, marking a sharp reversal from the year‑to‑date enthusiasm for digital devices. In contrast, automotive and car‑accessory sales surged 30.9 %, fueled largely by a spike in online orders for U.S. automaker Tesla models. The sharp rise in auto purchases reflects a shifting consumer preference toward buying high‑value items through digital platforms.
Food‑delivery services grew 5.9 % while agricultural, livestock and fishery products climbed 9.7 %. These gains indicate a strong preference for convenience and freshness, as shoppers increasingly rely on online orders to meet daily kitchen needs and farm‑to‑table demands.
Mobile‑device purchases dominated the growth, with sales via smartphones, tablets and other mobile gadgets up 5.4 % to 19.08 trillion won, accounting for 76.4 % of total online shopping. Mobile sales for clothing fell 7.9 %, echoing a broader trend of shrinking apparel demand in the digital space.
The same data show that mobile sales for food‑delivery services, agricultural, livestock and fishery products and travel and transportation services increased 6.0 %, 15.2 % and 8.7 % respectively. These incremental rises underscore the differentiated impact of mobile commerce on consumer behavior across product lines.
Overall, the statistics paint a portrait of an online retail landscape that is becoming more specialized: while traditional electronics and appliances are softening, high‑margin categories such as automobiles and food delivery are accelerating, with mobile access serving as the primary conduit for these transactions.
