Sales Up 4% Despite Shorter Booking Period Compared to Last Year
Apple Set Sales Increase 50%... Hanwoo Set Also Strong
Reflecting Thrifty Consumption Trend
Emart announced on the 28th that sales during the first phase of the 2024 Chuseok gift set pre-order period reached an all-time high.
Analyzing the gift set sales performance during the first pre-order period from the 2nd to the 23rd of this month, a total of 22 days, Emart found that sales increased by approximately 4% compared to the same period last year.
In particular, this year’s first pre-order period for Chuseok achieved the highest sales ever. Despite last year’s first pre-order period being 4 days longer than this year’s, this year’s sales surpassed it. When comparing the same 22-day period, sales rose by about 8% this year.
Emart explained that this is because the greatest benefits are offered to customers during the first pre-order period. On the last day of the first period, the 23rd, the highest single-day set sales for Chuseok in history were recorded.
‘Cost-Effective’ Sets Popular Amid High Inflation
Emart analyzed that the strong pre-order sales were influenced not only by early bird benefits but also by the popularity of ‘cost-effective’ sets. Especially amid the overall rising market prices, sets with frozen or reduced prices through pre-planning and bulk integrated purchasing showed strong performance.
According to Emart’s analysis of gift set sales during this year’s first pre-order period, apple set sales increased by 50.5% compared to the same period last year. Sales of mixed fruit sets, which include apples, pears, and other fruits, also rose by about 25.6%. This is attributed to the recovery of apple harvests this year stabilizing prices, and the demand shifting to fresh apples instead of stored apples, which had higher prices last year due to poor harvests.
Emart also anticipated the improved harvest and lowered the price of its main apple sets (3.9 kg apples from famous production areas) by 17% compared to last year through pre-contracts with production areas and integrated purchasing, reducing the average price of key sets by 10%. They paid special attention to apple quality by establishing various procurement routes to source apples from areas less affected by the rainy season. This year, they are collaborating with excellent farms in Jangsu-gun, Jeonbuk, which experienced less rain damage.
Korean beef gift sets also showed double-digit sales growth, including the ‘Korean Beef Rib Set’ and the ‘Korean Beef Mixed Set’ containing grilling products. Representative sets include the Peacock direct-purchase female Korean beef sirloin set (grade 1+, 1 kg each for grilling and steak), sold at a 20% discount for 230,400 KRW when using promotional cards, and the ‘Peacock Korean Beef Roast Special No. 1’ (500g sirloin, 400g each of skirt meat, chuck flap tail, and outside skirt), also at a 20% discount for 166,400 KRW.
Among seafood gift sets, ‘Okdom’ (tilefish) is popular. The ‘Special Jeju Okdom Set’ is sold at 63,200 KRW with a 20% discount using promotional cards, which is about half the price of last year’s regular Okdom set priced around 130,000 KRW during Chuseok. Although raw material prices surged this year, seaweed is sold at prices similar to last year. Seaweed gift set sales also increased by 36.3% compared to last year during the first pre-order period.
Although the first pre-order period has ended, customer benefits for Chuseok gift sets will continue. Emart plans to maintain the pre-order promotion offering up to 50% discount on gift set purchases with promotional cards until the pre-order ends on the 6th of next month, along with benefits such as ▲gift certificates based on payment amount ▲interest-free installments ▲free delivery services.
Choi Jin-il, Emart’s marketing manager, said, “In this era of high inflation, high-quality gift sets that satisfy both price and quality are attracting customers and receiving positive responses. We will prepare various customer benefits during the remaining period to ensure a rich holiday season with Emart gift sets this Chuseok.”
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