Concerns Over Many SME Partners, External Meetings, and Staff
Guests Undergo Temperature Checks... Meetings Shifted to Non-Face-to-Face
Enhanced Measures Including Thermal Cameras and Masks
Fashion products being sold live on GS Home Shopping TV home shopping channel on the morning of the 8th.
[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] GS Homeshopping has normalized operations three days after temporarily closing its workplace and completing disinfection work following the occurrence of an internal confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia). As it was the first workplace closure in the country, the home shopping industry also entered a preemptive emergency stance by minimizing external meetings and suspending the recruitment of audience members.
As of 11:34 a.m. on the 8th, GS Homeshopping is selling the product 'Jindo Cleve Essential Mink Vest (MV50) Black' through a live TV home shopping broadcast. The real-time purchase quantity has exceeded 350 units. In addition, it sold fashion and health functional products such as Henry Cotton Golf Women's Modal Cotton Half Neck, Jeonggwanjang New Cheonnok Yongbang, and Italian sneakers A.S.98 Montagna Sneakers. From the afternoon, it scheduled Embryolisse Cream Set, Dermapix Real Collagen Program and Neck Mask Set, and DPC Pink Aura Cushion. Air purifiers, massage chair rental products, and water purifiers are also on standby.
GS Homeshopping took temporary workplace closure measures from the afternoon of the 6th to 6 a.m. on the 8th after a support department employee in charge of broadcasting allocation at the headquarters was diagnosed as the 20th confirmed case of the novel coronavirus on the night of the 5th. On the 6th, the entire building, including two headquarters buildings (14th floor and 8th floor) and the in-house daycare center, was disinfected over about five hours, and additional disinfection was carried out on the 7th.
GS Home Shopping headquarters building temporarily closed for three days due to the 20th confirmed COVID-19 case
The home shopping industry activated emergency measures using the GS Homeshopping case as a lesson. CJ O Shopping replaced all partner meetings with non-face-to-face methods such as phone and email. Product samples are received via quick service, and for external guests appearing on live broadcasts, the responsible MD measures their temperature before allowing them into the studio. Lotte Homeshopping installed thermal imaging cameras at the main entrance to filter out fever patients. NS Homeshopping suspended the recruitment of audience members, which used to be about 20 to 30 people per session. All three companies are mandating mask-wearing for all employees, as well as conducting disinfection and sterilization work outside working hours. Public Shopping also established a related task force (TF) the previous day and activated an emergency duty system. It closed partner consultation rooms and switched to phone consultations, and replaced guests from other companies who were confirmed cases with other guests.
The reason the home shopping industry is actively responding to the novel coronavirus is that many partner companies also trade with GS Homeshopping, where confirmed cases occurred. A home shopping industry official said, "Due to the nature of the industry, many small and medium-sized partner companies trade not only with GS Homeshopping but also with other companies, raising concerns about secondary and tertiary infections within the local community," adding, "Many partners are requesting to postpone meetings first." Another industry official said, "Because the volume sold in one broadcast ranges from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of won, the logistics and storage costs due to broadcast cancellations and meeting delays are enormous," and added, "The industry will take GS Homeshopping as a lesson and work together to minimize coronavirus damage."
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