Order Volume Up 60% in First Half
Membership Surpasses 3.3 Million
FedEx Partnership Signed to Meet Growing U.S. Demand
CJ Olive Young announced on July 14 that sales from its K-beauty cross-border e-commerce platform, 'Olive Young Global Mall,' increased by 70% year-on-year in the first half of this year.
On the 13th, customers, mostly foreigners, are shopping for cosmetics at a cosmetics shopping mall in Myeongdong, Seoul. Photo by Younghan Heo younghan@
During the same period, the number of orders on the Global Mall also rose by approximately 60%. During the 'Olive Young Summer Sale,' which took place for one week starting May 31, sales surged by nearly 200% year-on-year, marking the highest performance ever. The global popularity of 'ingredient beauty'?with ingredients such as madecassoside, hyaluronic acid, and collagen?led K-beauty products containing these ingredients, including skincare, sun care, mask packs, and toner pads, to rank among the top sellers during the event. As of the end of June, the number of members reached 3.35 million, surpassing 3 million for the first time.
Tanvi (right), an American, and Russell (left) are signing up for Global Mall using a vending machine set up at Olive Young Myeongdong Town. Provided by CJ Olive Young.
The United States was by far the leading country driving the growth of Olive Young Global Mall. More than half of total sales came from the U.S., and over 40% of the sales increase in the first half was attributable to the U.S. Other countries also showed significant growth. In terms of sales, the United Kingdom saw an increase of more than 300% year-on-year in the first half, while Japan recorded a 180% increase. Southeast Asian markets also posted notable growth, with Malaysia up 256%, the Philippines up 138%, and Singapore up 191%. As the global popularity of K-beauty continues to rise, demand for direct purchases through K-beauty specialized platforms is expanding worldwide.
To respond to the surging global order demand, Olive Young has proactively strengthened its logistics infrastructure. On July 1 (local time), Olive Young signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with FedEx Corporation, a global express transportation company, at the FedEx World Hub in Memphis, Tennessee, for special Korea-U.S. express shipping and U.S. domestic logistics services.
Seo Jungju, Olive Young SCM Center Director, and Jill Brill, Vice President of FedEx, along with other officials, attended the event, where the two companies agreed to cooperate in enhancing the stability and efficiency of K-beauty global logistics. Considering the increasing global demand for K-beauty, Olive Young also plans to actively strengthen local logistics systems in countries outside the U.S. in the future.
Based on its global online and offline infrastructure, Olive Young is expanding growth opportunities for small and medium-sized K-beauty brands seeking to enter overseas markets. As of the end of June, approximately 1,200 brands were available on the Global Mall, a more than ninefold increase from 130 brands at its 2019 launch.
Olive Young plans to maintain low free shipping thresholds?such as 3,900 yen in Japan and $60 in the U.S. and other regions?and to strengthen its role as a gateway connecting global customers with domestic indie brands through local logistics networks.
Additionally, Olive Young continues to enhance user convenience and accessibility. For example, it offers easy sign-up services via Google, Apple, and major Asian messenger LINE. The company also operates Global Mall registration kiosks in key stores, allowing foreign visitors to sign up and continue shopping for K-beauty products even after returning home. In fact, about 30% of new Global Mall members are acquired through these kiosks.
An Olive Young representative stated, "The growth of the Global Mall is significant not only because it expands sales, but also because it provides small and medium-sized K-beauty brands with opportunities to reach overseas customers," adding, "As the leading K-beauty platform, we will continue to strengthen our global distribution infrastructure to offer even more opportunities to brands."
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