Kakao Style Posty, Total Transaction Amount Up 150%
Musinsa, 29CM, and Other Young Consumer-Favored Malls Also Changing
Middle-Aged and Older Demographic Share Increases About 2-3 Times Year-on-Year
In the fashion platform market primarily used by the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) and younger age groups such as those in their teens and twenties, middle-aged and older adults are emerging as 'core customers.' The stereotype that younger people purchase clothing, shoes, and related items 'online,' while those in their 40s and 50s shop 'offline' or at 'comprehensive malls,' has been broken.
According to industry sources on the 29th, 'Posty,' a fashion platform for people in their 40s and 50s operated by Kakao Style, saw its cumulative transaction volume grow by 150% compared to the previous year. As of last month, the cumulative number of reviews surpassed 100 million. The app’s cumulative downloads increased to 5.5 million. These achievements were reached just 2 years and 4 months after the platform’s launch in July 2021.
Golfwear brand introduced on 'Posty,' a fashion platform for people in their 40s and 50s operated by Kakao Style [Photo by Kakao Style]
Application screen of 'Posty,' a fashion platform for ages 40-50 operated by Kakao Style [Photo by Posty]
'Live Shopping' Targeting Middle-Aged Women Familiar with Home Shopping Drives Sales
Posty was created based on the insight that there was a lack of platforms catering to middle-aged and older female consumers in the online fashion category. The platform’s name signifies a 'next (POST) fashion service' for the 40s and 50s generation. It offers fashion and beauty brand products favored by female customers in these age groups at reasonable prices, and to guarantee quality, most products are sold through direct contracts with each brand’s headquarters, ensuring authenticity. The platform hosts over 1,300 brands, including golf, outdoor, women’s fashion, and footwear.
Services designed for the convenience of the target consumers have also been expanded. For example, Posty collaborated with Kakao Shopping Live, Lotte Home Shopping, and others to enable 40s and 50s customers, who are familiar with home shopping, to watch live broadcasts and easily purchase products on the platform. According to the company, live broadcasts conducted through these channels attracted up to 120,000 viewers on the day and achieved transaction volumes worth several hundred million won. For consumers aged 50 and above, who are less familiar with mobile devices compared to younger generations, the processes for checking detailed product information and delivery status have been shortened.
A Kakao Style representative said, "We plan to expand categories focusing on items popular among customers in their 40s and 50s, such as golf and outdoor products, and also broaden the range of men’s brands, considering that female consumers in these age groups often purchase clothing for their husbands as well."
MUSINSA Sees 170% Surge in Users in Their 50s Last Month
The preference for fashion platforms among middle-aged and older adults was also prominent on 'MUSINSA,' which is popular among the MZ generation. According to an analysis of 'panel big data' by market research firm Macromill Embrain, as of last month during the Black Friday event, the proportion of users in their 40s on the MUSINSA app increased by 96%, and those in their 50s rose by 170.5% compared to the same period last year.
On MUSINSA’s online select shop '29CM,' which excels in women’s fashion and lifestyle categories, the proportion of users in their 40s increased by 158.1%, and those in their 50s by 114.7% during the same period compared to the previous year. The percentage of respondents who said they intend to purchase discounted products from these fashion platforms during next year’s Black Friday was also high among middle-aged and older adults: 85.5% for those in their 40s, 81% for those in their 50s, and 84% for those in their 60s, showing little difference from those in their 20s (87%) and 30s (87.5%).
An Embrain official stated, "There is a rapid shift in consumption patterns as the 40s and 50s generation, who previously preferred offline shopping, are now consuming through online platforms," adding, "To enhance the marketing effectiveness of major promotions such as Black Friday in the future, it is important for the online shopping industry to secure these generations as customers."
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