Coupang's 'Repurchase' Trap: "It Was Cheaper to Add New Items" [Hutdari Economy]

(34) No Repurchase from Purchase List
Coupang with High Price Fluctuations, Must Check 'This'
Polcent, Historical Prices, Price Fluctuation Check Needed via App

Editor's NoteMany people thought they were engaging in smart economic activities to get better deals, but it often turned out to be a misstep. When consumers are deceived by corporate marketing or blinded by momentary gains and make wrong decisions, they end up being the ones who suffer. This article examines economic activities where people have made mistakes by misjudging everyday situations.

If you frequently order the same product on Coupang, it is better to use the 'search' function to check the product price again rather than simply repurchasing through your purchase history. This is because product prices often change depending on the item's popularity, season, and competitors' price fluctuations. Price adjustments also occur frequently depending on the stock status of specific products.

Kim Minju (35) tried to repurchase a roll of toilet paper she had ordered on Coupang through her order history but found the price was higher than before. Just in case, she searched the product name in Coupang’s product listings and found the same product was being sold at a lower price. Unaware that prices for the same product fluctuate significantly, Kim said, "Since it’s a frequently purchased product, I always ordered through my purchase history without checking the price. From now on, I will definitely check the price before buying."

A member of an online community on Naver said that during a Coupang clearance sale, the price changed within 40 minutes. A set of four butter products (350g) priced at 43,900 won was discounted by 42% to 25,460 won around 11:20 a.m. However, when checked again around 12:10 p.m., the product was being sold for 30,730 won with a 30% discount. There was also a case where someone trying to buy a MacBook Pro on Coupang mistakenly entered the wrong address, canceled the order, and when trying to repurchase, the price had increased by 100,000 won. They only wanted to change the address, but after canceling and repurchasing, the price suddenly rose.

Photo by Polsent Capture

Because prices for the same product vary on Coupang, applications (apps) like Polsent and Yeokdaega have emerged to help users immediately check price changes. By linking with the Coupang app and registering products of interest, users can see price fluctuation graphs over about two months, along with the all-time lowest and highest prices. For example, Pulmuone Tofu Donuts (10 pieces) have an average price of 13,195 won, a highest price of 15,000 won, and a lowest price of 12,180 won. Huggies diapers have an average price of 67,423 won, but the highest price is 79,600 won and the lowest is 57,860 won. The MacBook Air 15 M3 has an average price of 2,230,960 won, with the highest and lowest prices being 2,308,500 won and 2,138,400 won respectively. The difference between the highest and lowest prices ranges from a few thousand won to over 100,000 won.

The reason Coupang can implement 'dynamic pricing'?adjusting prices in real time differently from other e-commerce platforms like 11st, Gmarket, and SSG?is that it sells over 90% of its products through direct purchasing. Since products are mainly shipped from warehouses, price changes inevitably occur depending on the stock situation in the warehouse. On the other hand, platforms like 11st, Gmarket, and SSG have prices set by manufacturers.

Professor Lee Young-ae of the Consumer Studies Department at Incheon National University advised consumers to carefully check the prices of products recommended on e-commerce platforms. The algorithm should recommend products only when their prices are the same or cheaper than those previously purchased, but often this is not the case. If consumers immediately click the purchase button based on past purchase experience, they might end up paying a higher price. She emphasized, "Although searching for product prices can be cumbersome, it is better to use price comparison search filters to check products that meet your conditions before purchasing each time."