[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Emart24 announced on the 16th that it will open a collaborative store in Yeouido, Seoul’s representative office district, partnering with Office Depot, the first convenience store industry collaboration with a specialty office supplies store.
The newly launched collaborative store, ‘Emart24 Self Office Depot Yeouido Branch,’ is approximately 33㎡ (10 pyeong) in size and operates as a shop-in-shop convenience store inside the Office Depot Yeouido branch. Office Depot headquarters signed a franchise contract with Emart24 and directly operates the convenience store. As of mid-September, Office Depot operates 139 stores nationwide (27 directly managed stores and 112 franchise stores) and is a stationery and office supplies company.
At Emart24 Self Office Depot Yeouido Branch, food-focused products such as fresh food (rice balls, gimbap, lunch boxes, sandwiches, hamburgers, etc.), dairy products, beverages, snacks, alcoholic beverages, and tobacco are sold just like a regular convenience store. Some non-food items that overlap with Office Depot’s stationery and digital products are excluded.
As indicated by the store name Emart24 Self Office Depot Yeouido Branch, a self-checkout counter is installed separately from the Office Depot cashier counter, allowing both face-to-face and non-face-to-face payments.
The partnership between Emart24 and Office Depot was made because both industries are representative sectors in office districts frequently visited by 2030 office workers with high purchasing power, maximizing synergy between the two companies. Emart24 can enhance customer convenience and accessibility, while Office Depot can generate additional revenue by introducing convenience store MDs alongside its existing stationery and office supplies.
In particular, this collaboration was realized as Emart24’s sophisticated and stylish store interior and differentiated store operation experiences, such as mini self-service convenience stores in golf course huts and WeWork (shared office), align with Office Depot’s core value of innovation. Emart24 and Office Depot plan to expand collaborative stores nationwide targeting Office Depot’s directly managed and franchise stores, starting with the first Yeouido branch.
Goo Taeyoon, head of Emart24’s Future Business Team, said, “We expect both Emart24 and Office Depot to achieve a win-win through this collaborative store opening,” and added, “Emart24 will continue to develop new convenience stores that have never existed before through innovative attempts to redefine convenience stores.”
Meanwhile, Emart24 Self Office Depot Yeouido Branch operates from Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and is closed on Sundays.
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