Department Store Big 3 Bedding Sales Up
Expanded Events Including Special Offers and Experience Zones
10-50% Discounts on Canada Goose and More
Shinsegae Popup Store Sales Up 43%
A customer is purchasing summer bedding at the Lotte Department Store Main Branch in Jung-gu, Seoul.
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] Housewife Park recently bought a blanket made of cooling fabric at a department store. She has been having trouble sleeping due to the continuous sweltering heat even at night. Park said, "The time I spent hesitating whether to buy a summer blanket was wasted because it is really cool and the texture is soft," adding, "I plan to buy one as a gift for my parents as well."
◆ Cooling Fabric Blankets Sell Like Hotcakes Amid Tropical Nights = As tropical nights continue nationwide, summer bedding products are selling rapidly at major department stores. According to Lotte Department Store, bedding sales from the 1st to the 31st of last month increased by 15% compared to the previous year. During the same period, Shinsegae Department Store saw a 24.1% increase, and Hyundai Department Store recorded a 23.7% rise in sales.
Department stores are targeting segmented customer demands, focusing on premium products. Lotte Department Store will hold a ‘Home Styling Fair’ at its main branch from the 5th to the 15th, offering summer bedding products such as Goose TCS, Allergeman, Sopraum, and Elle at discounted prices. Shinsegae Department Store will offer exclusive special-priced products from the popular bedding brand Sopraum at its main branch, Gangnam branch, Times Square branch, and Centum City branch from the 5th to the 7th. Hyundai Department Store D-Cube City is running a ‘Cool Bedding Special Sale’ until the 4th, offering summer bedding products at up to 60% off the original price.
Popup stores and specialized shops are also continuously expanding. Lotte Department Store is operating a popup store for the premium bed brand ‘Serta’ at its Jamsil branch until the 11th. Shinsegae Department Store renovated its Gyeonggi branch’s lifestyle specialty hall last year to introduce a ‘Sleep Experience Zone,’ where bed experts recommend optimized mattresses based on individual body types and sleep habits through consultations.
As consumers increasingly open their wallets for better sleep, the sleep economy market is growing rapidly. According to the Korea Sleep Industry Association, the domestic sleep-related market size was only about 480 billion KRW in 2011 but expanded to 3 trillion KRW last year. A department store industry official said, "The combination of the heatwave and the stay-at-home trend has continuously increased the popularity of beds and bedding, which determine sleep quality," adding, "We plan to strengthen various contents in the growing sleep-related market going forward."
◆ Premium Padding ‘Off-Season Marketing’ = Even in midsummer weather exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, consumers seeking off-season products such as premium padding and fur are increasing. According to Shinsegae Department Store, sales at the premium padding popup store, which started last month, increased by 43% compared to the same period last year.
Shinsegae Department Store opened the premium padding popup store a month earlier than usual, starting with the Hanam branch on the 15th of last month to capture demand early. This month, they plan to introduce various premium padding brands such as Duvetica, followed by Canada Goose next month, across all stores. The Novis popup store on the 2nd floor of the Times Square branch’s fashion hall is offering a 10% discount promotion until the end of this month. Customers who purchase Novis clothing will also receive an umbrella. At the Hanam branch’s Petrei, the camel-colored Takan product, a representative item, is sold exclusively at the department store. Petrei’s off-season clearance items are also available at up to 50% off.
Lotte ON also started this year’s off-season event more than two weeks earlier, beginning in early June. As a result, sales of knitwear and sweaters increased by more than 100% compared to the previous year, and sales of jumpers, padding, and field jackets rose by 50%. Last month, sales of knitwear, sweaters, cardigans, and vests more than doubled. This month, they are holding a ‘Return of Off-Season’ event, offering various winter fashion items at up to 70% off. Brands such as Pomelcamel, Staccato, Sera, Rachel Cox, and Bearpaw are participating, presenting over 100 winter shoes including shearling boots, ankle boots, shearling slippers, and fur bags at reasonable prices.
A Lotte ON official said, "This year, with soaring prices and exchange rates, awareness of reasonable consumption has spread, and off-season marketing, which allows consumers to purchase winter fashion items at reasonable prices, is gaining attention."
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