[Report] Shinsegae Universe Expands the 'Gaduri Consumption' Ecosystem

'Shinsegae Universe Festival' at COEX on the 8th
Introduction of Core and Future Businesses of 17 Affiliates and Partners
Invitation of Collaborators and Partners, Starting Ecosystem Expansion

"If you are a person in the Republic of Korea, you are already living in the 'Shinsegae Universe.'" (Kang Hee-seok, Co-CEO of Emart and SSG.com)

The 'Shinsegae Universe Festival,' which demonstrates through experience that much of daily consumption from waking up to going to sleep happens through Shinsegae Group channels and products, was held on the 8th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Here, 17 Shinsegae Group affiliates including Emart, Emart24, Starbucks, SSG.com, Gmarket, and Shinsegae Food, along with 6 partner companies such as CJ, Nongshim, Pulmuone, and Maeil Dairies, set up booths to introduce each company's core competencies, future business directions, and the organic relationships among them.

At the 'Shinsegae Universe Festival' held on the 8th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, a rapid electric vehicle charging system is being introduced.
[Photo by Yuri Kim].

Upon entering the exhibition booth entrance, the first exhibition hall visible to the right housed Emart, Emart24, and Shinsegae I&C. This area showcased an electric vehicle fast charging system, a digital customer consultation center using ChatGPT, unmanned checkout counters where placing a shopping basket completes payment without scanning, and store management automation systems. A robot that quickly returns products that customers picked up but decided not to buy to their original places was also introduced. An Emart official said, "Various technologies to enhance customer convenience are being considered," adding, "The method of calculating products without scanning is also being prepared for commercialization through chip application discussions with partners."

Starbucks implemented a futuristic interior design not seen in existing stores. The third-generation coffee machine 'Obiso' was installed, and coffee brewed through it was offered for tasting. An interactive showcase and a Reserve Bar space pursuing two-way communication with customers were also introduced. Through this showcase, customers could examine products on a semi-transparent product display and simultaneously access product information and make purchases by touching the display.

An employee is demonstrating an interactive showcase at the Starbucks booth of the 'Shinsegae Universe Festival'
[Photo by Kim Yuri].

W Concept presented an AI custom fashion experience center where visitors could experience the fusion of new technology and fashion. This spring·summer representative collections were displayed on 3D mannequins, and a method to explore them in detail via social networking services (SNS) was introduced. At the SSG.com booth, videos introducing core businesses such as the online-exclusive logistics center Neo and official brand stores were screened, along with presentations on cold chain, SSG delivery zones, logistics systems, and fresh food offerings. Shinsegae Food proposed a new type of convenient meal that goes beyond home meal replacements and restaurant-ready meals to also focus on health, including its own alternative meat 'Better Meat.'

According to Shinsegae Group, as of June 2023, about 10 million people in Korea experience the Shinsegae Universe daily. The average number of customers visiting Emart stores is about 1.5 million per day. Daily sushi sales at Emart reach 9.4 million pieces, and rice sales are 18,000 bags (each bag weighing 10kg). Shinsegae Department Store attracts 600,000 visitors daily. More than 1 million customers visit Starbucks each day. The number of users visiting Gmarket (including Auction) and SSG.com reaches 6 million daily. On weekends, about 100,000 people spend time at the Starfield Hanam branch alone. There are approximately 10,000 Shinsegae Group affiliate stores nationwide.

CEO Kang introduced the Shinsegae Group’s newly launched integrated online and offline paid membership, the 'Shinsegae Universe Club,' emphasizing, "The Shinsegae Universe, which is already deeply embedded in our daily lives, will evolve into a platform that offers 'profitable benefits' that customers can truly feel." Shinsegae Group plans to continue the Shinsegae Universe Festival until the 9th, targeting group affiliates, partners, and collaborators to expand the Shinsegae Universe ecosystem.