Delivery Orders Surge on Korea National Team's First Match Day
Delivery Volume Up 24% Compared to Previous Week, 32% Compared to Previous Day
On the 24th, during the 2022 Qatar World Cup match between South Korea and Uruguay, citizens gathered at Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno-gu, Seoul, passionately cheering./Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@
As excitement for the Qatar World Cup heats up, delivery orders are surging significantly. Major matches are held late at night and in the early morning, leading to a sharp increase in people seeking delivery food while cheering for soccer. In particular, on the evening of the 24th, when the Korean national team played their first match against Uruguay, delivery orders skyrocketed. With the Korean team performing well in their opening game, delivery orders are expected to increase substantially on future match days.
According to Bada Korea, which operates the delivery platform 'Moaline,' the number of completed deliveries on the 24th, when the Korean team’s first match took place, rose by 24% compared to the same weekday of the previous week, the 17th. The increase was even greater compared to the previous day, with completed deliveries up 32% from the 23rd. This surge was due to the first Qatar World Cup match between Korea and Uruguay starting at 10 p.m. on the 24th, which led to a significant rise in delivery orders during the evening hours.
In fact, the sudden spike in orders caused temporary errors in delivery app services. For example, Baedal Minjok experienced a sharp increase in orders ahead of the 10 p.m. match, resulting in service disruptions for about 40 minutes starting at 8:25 p.m. Some customers faced slower payment processing and order failures. Although the number of successful orders was much higher than usual, the sudden influx of orders in a short time caused temporary order processing failures. The issue was promptly addressed, and normal service resumed thereafter.
With the 'World Cup effect' confirmed, the delivery app market is experiencing a rare boost. Delivery apps had recently faced stagnation due to a decline in users. Nearly 2 million users left the delivery app market within two months. Industry insiders expect this World Cup period to serve as an opportunity to overcome this stagnation and attract users back.
In the past, large-scale sports events have also led to significant increases in delivery orders. Around the opening of the Tokyo Olympics last year, delivery completion numbers at the delivery service Barogo increased by 18.4% on July 24 and 25 compared to the previous month. Similarly, during the Olympics from July 23 to 25, delivery orders at Vroong rose by 18.8% compared to the same period in the previous month.
An industry official said, "During this World Cup period, with matches attracting attention until mid-next month, delivery orders are expected to increase significantly. Each company is making thorough technical preparations to ensure efficient order processing even when orders surge."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
