Operating Profit Turned Positive in the Second Half of Last Year
Recorded 5 Million MAU and 80% Repurchase Rate
Backpacker (CEO Kim Dong-hwan) announced on the 30th that the handmade platform 'Idus' surpassed a cumulative transaction amount of 1 trillion KRW after 9 years of service. Launched in 2014, Idus has been growing more than twice as fast every year in terms of transaction volume. After reaching a cumulative transaction amount of 100 billion KRW in 2018, 500 billion KRW in 2021, and 850 billion KRW in 2022, it exceeded 1 trillion KRW within 10 months, turning profitable in the second half of last year.
Idus explained that it focuses on creating a handmade culture with communication and stories by not only serving as a platform for trading works but also by introducing artists and their works to the public and providing touchpoints for customers to become fans of the artists. Currently, Idus features over 40,000 artists showcasing more than 550,000 works across various fields such as crafts, fashion beauty, interior accessories, and handmade food. In just this year, the number of artists increased by about 20% compared to the previous year, and 200,000 new works were added.
Based on this, Idus has established itself as the largest handmade marketplace in Korea, achieving a cumulative app download count of 16.5 million, 5 million monthly active users (MAU), and an 80% repurchase rate. The most traded major product categories this year were desserts, bakery, and beverages (22%), digital goods, stationery, and drawings (20%), and agricultural, marine products, food, and traditional liquor (20%). Home & living (14%) and fashion (12%) were also popular.
Kim Dong-hwan, CEO of Backpacker, said, "As a result of our efforts to support artists' creative activities and connect them with customers, we were able to achieve a cumulative transaction amount of 1 trillion KRW. Going forward, we plan to expand services and continue growth by connecting the approximately 10 trillion KRW craft market with adjacent markets worth 100 trillion KRW."
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