Win-Win for Both Sellers and Consumers with Discount Benefits
[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Moon Seok-jin) announced on the 28th that the Seodaemun Love Gift Certificates issued this year to support local merchants and residents struggling due to COVID-19 have sold out early, playing a significant role as a catalyst in revitalizing the local commercial district.
The Seodaemun Love Gift Certificates were issued in amounts totaling 9 billion KRW: 5 billion KRW in January, 2 billion KRW last month, and another 2 billion KRW on the 20th of this month.
To help recover the depressed commercial district, the certificates were sold at a 10-15% discount, and especially during the additional issuances last month and this month, all certificates were sold out on the first day of sales, receiving enthusiastic responses.
Since these gift certificates can only be used at Zero Pay affiliated stores within Seodaemun-gu, excluding large-scale and semi-large-scale stores, they are effectively helping to revive the neighborhood commercial areas.
A representative from Seobu Optical & Orlens Bukgajwa Branch (Bukgajwa 2-dong) said, “The Seodaemun Love Gift Certificates greatly help our sales,” adding, “Customers are visiting the store specifically to use the gift certificates.”
At Ahyeon Livart (Bukahyeon-dong), staff actively encourage the use of Seodaemun Love Gift Certificates by assisting customers in installing the purchase application on their mobile phones. A store representative said, “In the early stages of issuance, we were busy with both sales and promotion, but it greatly helped our sales,” adding, “Some customers even came after hearing about it from other regions.” They also expressed a hope that “the monthly purchase discount limit of one million KRW per person would be temporarily expanded until COVID-19 subsides.”
The Seodaemun Love Gift Certificates are further promoting local consumption as they are provided through national and Seoul city emergency disaster relief funds. A representative from Home Mart Yeonhui Branch (Yeonhui-dong) said, “Sales have greatly increased since the emergency disaster relief funds were distributed, and thanks to that, we felt the increased recognition of the Seodaemun Love Gift Certificates,” adding, “We hope these certificates will be sold regularly to further revitalize the local economy.”
Seodaemun-gu plans to issue an additional 6 billion KRW worth of Seodaemun Love Gift Certificates in early July, separate from the emergency disaster relief funds. Once confirmed, the schedule will be announced on the district office website. Businesses wishing to handle the Seodaemun Love Gift Certificates can apply for affiliation on the Zero Pay website.
Mayor Moon Seok-jin of Seodaemun-gu said, “We thank everyone for their support of the Seodaemun Love Gift Certificates and ask that purchased certificates be used as soon as possible to help the local economy regain vitality.”
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