South Korea’s e-commerce firms expands return services

Shinsegae’s platform saw a 40% sales rise after two-week free return events.

South Korea’s major online shopping malls are fiercely competing to secure regular clients by providing free and easy return services, Korea Bizwire reported.

For instance, Shinsegae TV Shopping introduced a new return service that uses convenience stores as a return channel earlier this month, allowing customers to return items they bought online to neighboring convenience stores without needing to wait at home.

The cocmpany also launched another return service in which it collects items on the same day that customers apply for a return or exchange as long as the request is completed by 5PM.

Other retailers have also launched similar return services. Health and beauty store chain CJ Olive Young expanded its ‘smart return’ service to all 500 of the company’s major stores across the country starting from last month.

Meanwhile, Coupang allows subscribers to its paid Wow membership program to return Rocket Delivery items within 30 days of the purchase date for free, regardless of the reason for the return.

After staging free return events for two weeks from March 30 to April 12 at Shinsegae Department Store Mall, SSG.com saw its sales rise by 40% compared to a year ago.