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By APD writer Alice
South Koreans are increasingly keen on shopping online for daily necessities as they fear the spread of the acute respiratory disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus (nCoV).
Online shopping has grown in recent weeks after the South Korean authorities announced the first confirmed case of the new coronavirus on Jan. 20
South Korean e-commerce platform 11Street said its orders for processed food and fresh food jumped 53 percent and 46 percent, respectively, during the period from January 27 to February 1, according to 11Street.
Coupang, a major South Korean e-commerce company, said it received 3.3 million orders on its express delivery service on Jan. 28, making its largest-ever number of shipments in a day.
Other online grocery and shopping companies, including Gmarket and Market Kurly, have also enjoyed increased sales in recent weeks.
Market observers said the temporary closure of certain offline stores of Lotte and E-Mart Inc, appears to have turned customers toward online shopping.
A growing number of South Korean shoppers are using computers and mobile devices to buy things ranging from clothes to electronics.
Total online transactions reached 12.5 trillion won (10.5 billion USD) in December, up 17.6 percent from a year earlier, according to data compiled by Statistics Korea.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
