eBay Korea Accelerates 'Fashion Portal'... Up to 11x Sales Increase by Brand

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Due to the expansion of non-face-to-face consumption culture, the transaction volume of premium fashion brands on eBay Korea has surged 11-fold.

According to the sales performance compiled on the 18th for 200 premium fashion brands directly partnered with Gmarket and Auction, operated by eBay Korea, the transaction volume per brand increased up to 11 times (1000%) compared to the same period last year.

The number of fashion brands newly forming strategic partnerships this year reached 125, a 46% increase in one year. The total transaction volume of fashion brands from January to October this year surged 4 times (311%) compared to the same period five years ago in 2015.

Amid the spreading Ontact (online + contactless) trend in the fashion market, strengthening partnerships with domestic and international premium fashion brands and actively collaborating on marketing such as first launches of new products and exclusive special offers were analyzed as key factors for this success.

Gmarket and Auction hold a monthly ‘New Arrival Showcase’ promotion, regularly conducting joint marketing by presenting new or exclusive planned products from fashion brands first. In the ‘New Arrival Showcase’ held last September, brands such as Hazzys, Daks, and Jill Stuart New York participated, resulting in a total brand transaction volume increase of 14 times (1361%) compared to the same period last year. The ‘Winter Outer Festival’ event held in October also saw participation from top sports/outdoor brands like The North Face, Nepa, Eider, and Fila, with event transaction volume surging 8.5 times (756%) compared to the same period last year.

Through active partnership marketing and sales activities, the transaction volume of premium fashion brands directly partnered with Gmarket and Auction surged up to 11 times compared to the same period last year. As of the third quarter this year, the bag brand ‘Samsonite’ showed a high growth rate reaching 1000% compared to last year, and the women’s wear brand ‘On&On’ increased its transaction volume by 6 times (500%). Popular brands such as Hazzys, Daks, and Jill Stuart New York under ‘LF’ and ‘Lacoste’ also recorded growth rates close to 4 times at 282%, and The North Face’s transaction volume doubled (107%).

Riding this growth, more fashion companies are seeking partnerships with eBay Korea. Recently, they partnered with Women’s Wear Fashion Group Lynn Company, which sells brands such as Kenneth Lady, Line, Lynn (LYNN), and KL in over 350 offline stores, including the representative SPA brand Samsung C&T Fashion’s Eight Seconds.

Partnership promotions will continue in November as well. Gmarket and Auction will hold the ‘Fashion Square Winter Sale’ until the 22nd, offering daily special prices on over 1,000 winter products.

Lee Joo-chul, Head of the SM Division at eBay Korea, said, “Through solid partnerships with premium fashion brands that have expanded their sales channels online, Gmarket and Auction have established themselves as representative ‘online department stores.’ We will continue to work hard to present high-quality services and differentiated products with leading domestic and international brands, while also becoming a successful sales channel for fashion brands.”