Membership Fee Unchanged, Benefits Added to Enhance Shopping Convenience Praised
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Gmarket and Auction's membership service 'Smile Club' has been selected for the second consecutive year in the shopping membership category of the '2022 Korea Brand Hall of Fame' hosted by the Industrial Policy Studies (IPS).
The Korea Brand Hall of Fame awards brands that have been most loved by consumers over the past year based on management performance, brand value, and customer satisfaction.
Smile Club is a paid membership service first introduced in April 2017 by Gmarket and Auction, the first in the domestic e-commerce industry. By paying an annual fee of 30,000 KRW, members immediately receive the highest membership grade on each platform?Gmarket, Auction, and G9?and can enjoy various benefits. Upon initial Smile Club registration, members receive 2,000 Smile Cash, which can be used like cash, and can use the service free for one month. Upon confirming annual membership, an additional 35,000 Smile Cash is provided as a welcome gift, allowing members to get back up to 37,000 KRW. The welcome gift is given not only at the first membership registration but also every year as long as the membership is maintained.
Smile Club members can use one free shipping coupon daily when using 'Smile Delivery,' which offers consolidated shipping. They also enjoy exclusive benefits in various categories such as food delivery, books, and international/domestic airline tickets.
Additionally, during major year-round shopping festivals held on Gmarket and Auction, such as 'Big Smile Day,' 'Seol Big Sale,' and 'Hangawi Big Sale,' Smile Club members receive more diverse benefits compared to regular members. Smile Club members have saved up to 3.76 million KRW in maximum discounts across both Gmarket and Auction sites.
Gmarket and Auction also announced plans to develop an integrated membership service with SSG.com to provide even stronger benefits. They aim to enhance the membership service by leveraging each platform's strengths to create synergy.
Lee Jungyeop, Head of Marketing at Gmarket, said, “Since launching the industry’s first paid membership service in 2017, we have been highly evaluated for enhancing various benefits without increasing prices to improve customer satisfaction, achieving the honor of winning the award for two consecutive years. We will continue to strive to provide better shopping benefits and customer convenience.”
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