Gen Z Consumer Consultations Account for 42% of E-commerce... Interest in Resell Tech and Idol Goods

Consumer Agency, Analysis Results of Consumer Consultations and Social Media Data

Status of E-commerce Consultations for Teens and People in Their 20s.

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The proportion of consumer consultations related to e-commerce among Generation Z consumers, born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s, has increased to 42%.

On the 28th, the Korea Consumer Agency analyzed consumer consultations received by the 1372 Consumer Counseling Center from 2011 to last year. The number of consultations from teenagers and people in their 20s decreased by 9.5%, from 87,924 cases in 2011 to 79,614 cases in 2020. However, the proportion of e-commerce-related consultations among the total consultations increased from 26.2% to 42% during the same period.

For e-commerce consultation items, clothing and shoes were the most common for both teenagers and people in their 20s. In the case of people in their 20s, consultations related to travel items such as airlines and accommodation facilities were also among the top ranks. The most common reason for consultations was related to withdrawal of subscription at 19.8%, followed by contract non-fulfillment (19.6%) and quality/after-sales service issues (17.6%).

Trends in Mentions Related to Secondhand Trading Platforms.

Generation Z has shown great interest in reselling limited-edition sneakers and trading idol-related 'goods' through online platforms. This is based on an analysis of social media data from 2018 to 2020 using the social data analysis platform Vibe Company’s 'SomeTrend Biz' by the Korea Consumer Agency.

The volume of mentions related to resale tech involving limited-edition sneakers among Generation Z increased from 15,247 in 2018 to 19,773 in 2019, and 21,802 in 2020. The keywords frequently mentioned in relation to resale tech were 'shoes' and 'Nike,' ranking first and second for three consecutive years. Resale-exclusive platforms receive products from sellers and inspect authenticity and quality, with many mentions regarding inspection standards and counterfeit products.

Mentions related to idol goods also increased from 2.15 million in 2018 to 2.52 million in 2019, and 2.84 million in 2020, with an increase in mentions of the keyword 'group purchase.' The Consumer Agency analyzed that there has been a shift from purchasing official goods made by agencies to group purchases where fans directly produce and sell goods, reflecting Generation Z’s active consumption behavior characterized as 'fansumer.' The agency pointed out the need for continuous monitoring as consumer consultations related to idol goods have also increased from 14 cases in 2018 to 137 in 2019, and 203 in 2020.

Mentions related to secondhand trading platforms increased from 1,183 in 2018 to 1,195 in 2019, and 2,964 in 2020. Aside from the names of secondhand trading platforms, frequently mentioned keywords included 'fraud,' 'parcel delivery,' 'direct transaction,' and 'account.' There were also concerns about fear of strangers during direct transactions and negative perceptions of adolescent sellers.