Went to 'Dangeun'... "Feels like time and space are twisted," says 'Absurd No-Show'

No-shows Occur Even in 'One-day Part-time Jobs' on Secondhand Apps
Usage Restrictions Exist, But...

Kim, a man in his 30s, experienced a no-show while trying to conduct a direct transaction of secondhand goods through Danggeun Market. He traveled for about an hour to the agreed meeting place with the seller, but the seller blocked Kim and did not show up. Although he was baffled and angry, there was nothing he could do but turn back.

Recently, direct transactions through secondhand trading applications (apps) have been actively taking place. One reason is the increase in frugal consumers due to the economic downturn. However, no-show situations, where buyers or sellers disappear without a word, are also frequent. Platforms mediating secondhand transactions are trying to reduce such damages, but there are criticisms that the effectiveness is questionable.

Users are experiencing no-show damages on the secondhand trading platform Danggeun Market. Phone screen of Mr. Choi Hyun-jun and a capture from the cafe 'Apeunikka Sajangida'

On the 4th, similar no-show damage cases in secondhand transactions could be easily found on social media. In one case, a buyer went to the agreed place for a secondhand transaction, but the seller sent mocking messages and then disappeared.

No-shows are not limited to secondhand transactions. Choi Hyun-jun, a man in his 20s who was looking for a day part-time job nearby for company work, was also 'betrayed' on the day. Choi said, "It was difficult because I did not receive any contact even though the work hours were over," and added, "It would be good if Danggeun Market showed the number of no-shows as well."

As the secondhand trading market continues to grow, no-show damages are expected to occur more frequently. The monthly active users (MAU), meaning users who accessed the Danggeun Market app at least once a month, increased from 4 million in 2019 to about 20 million last year. According to app, retail analysis services WiseApp, Retail, and Goods, as of the second half of last year, the number of installs of major secondhand trading apps reached 33.78 million, and the number of users was 22.64 million, marking an all-time high.

The secondhand trading industry also views no-show behavior seriously. A Danggeun Market official said, "No-shows are clearly rude (unsportsmanlike) behavior, so they can be reported through the app," adding, "If a report is received, warning measures and usage restrictions can be imposed, and the restriction period increases as reports accumulate." Danggeun Market actually imposes sanctions such as 'lowering the manner temperature.' However, some victims say, "The temperature recovers after a few days anyway, so it doesn't seem to have much effect."

No-shows in secondhand transactions are considered problems arising from transactions between individuals, so there is no legal way to regulate them. Ultimately, it is pointed out that platforms need to strengthen countermeasures and users need to become more aware. Professor Lee Young-ae of the Department of Consumer Studies at Incheon National University said, "Transactions between individuals are based on the principle of self-responsibility," and added, "If no-shows become frequent, the reliability of the transaction itself can be damaged, so policies are needed to impose penalties on platforms or create systems that can ensure transaction stability."