Oops! Chuseok Gifts... e-Coupons with No Worry About Late Delivery

Lotte ON, 11st, SSG.com, and More
Online Shopping Mall Options Increase
From Luxury Hotel Meal Vouchers
to Light Gifts Like Pizza and Chicken

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] If you forgot to buy Chuseok gifts due to a busy schedule, e-coupons are an alternative. This year, with the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) encouraging non-face-to-face (untact) sharing of hearts, social norms regarding the necessity of in-person visits are changing. The distribution industry is also quickly offering various options by taste and price range.

According to the industry on the 27th, Lotte Group's integrated shopping mall 'Lotte ON' sells hotel and resort buffet coupons in e-coupon form. The representative products are the 'Lotte Hotel Busan La Seine' dinner buffet ticket for one person (89,046 KRW) and the 'Sol Beach Yangyang Hotel & Resort Chef's Kitchen' weekday and weekend breakfast ticket for one person (26,500 KRW). They also sell 'Le M?ridien Seoul Chef Palette' Chuseok special lunch and dinner tickets for one person (112,500 KRW), as well as restaurant coupons for Paradise Hotel Busan and Hilton Hotel Busan. There are also gift certificates for Lotte Mart, Hi-Mart, Seven Eleven, Lotte Ria, and Angel-in-us.

11st also holds a discount event with up to 70% off popular e-coupon brands until the Chuseok holiday on the 4th of next month. 'Mr. Pizza Thin Crust Pizza 1+1 & 1.25L Cola' is sold for 23,900 KRW, and KFC mobile gift certificates worth 20,000 KRW are sold for 18,000 KRW. Twosome Place 20,000 KRW gift certificates are sold for 17,000 KRW, and Fujifilm photo printing & photobook vouchers are sold at a 70% discount for 5,900 KRW.

It is even more useful in situations where asking for an address is awkward. Most of the 25,000 Chuseok gift sets sold on SSG.com can be used through the 'Gift' service, which only requires knowing the recipient's mobile phone number. Additionally, a 'Chuseok Gift' theme has been created within the gift section to guide usage methods and popular products. Due to increased demand, from the 21st to the 4th of next month, a lottery event will be held for customers using the gift service, awarding a Starbucks e-card worth 50,000 KRW as a prize.

According to Lotte ON, e-coupon sales are on the rise. Especially during May, when gift demand is high, and the Chuseok gift season in August and September, sales recorded more than double the usual amount. Also, in a 'Chuseok Gift Preference Survey' conducted by Lotte ON in August targeting customers, 50.1% of respondents chose e-coupons as the gift they want to receive this Chuseok. On SSG.com, sales through the 'Gift' service increased by 101.8%, and order numbers increased by 114% from August 13 to September 19. This is analyzed as many customers preferring to send gifts easily via mobile text messages instead of meeting in person to deliver gifts. The ability to gift without knowing the recipient's exact address is also a popular factor.

Moon Yu-mi, team leader of Lotte e-commerce Home Living Cell, said, "In the COVID-19 era, demand for e-coupons or product exchange vouchers as Chuseok gifts has noticeably increased. As Chuseok approaches, Lotte ON has prepared various mobile gifts for customers who have not yet prepared gifts or want to purchase convenient gifts, so we ask for your great interest."