"Apps? We Can't Use Those"…Elderly Merchants Rejecting the Digital Onnuri System

Despite Digital Integration,
the Elderly Remain in the Blind Spot

"Digital Onnuri? Grandmothers can't use it. Their hands are slow, so it doesn't work."

View of Tongin Market. Photo by Eunseo Lee

On the 16th, Shin Young-rye (82), who runs a fruit and vegetable store at Tongin Market in Jongno-gu, Seoul, smiled awkwardly when talking about the Digital Onnuri application (app). She said it was difficult to register as an Onnuri gift certificate affiliated store or manage payments using a smartphone. Shin said, "Apps like this are inconvenient and difficult, so I don't know how to use them," adding, "I only accept paper gift certificates."

Although the integrated Digital Onnuri gift certificate app was launched earlier this month, elderly small business owners are struggling to use the app. The government integrated the existing card-type and QR payment methods into 'Digital Onnuri' to enhance user convenience in the digital sector. In particular, last year, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced plans to gradually reduce the issuance of paper-type gift certificates and expand the use of digital gift certificates. However, elderly merchants in the digital blind spot remain marginalized, with criticisms that the expansion of usage and management is insufficient compared to the sales of Onnuri gift certificates.

The effectiveness of Onnuri gift certificates in promoting sales in traditional markets and commercial revitalization zones and revitalizing the local economy also appears to be declining. Some elderly merchants even refuse to use Digital Onnuri. They only accept paper-type gift certificates from customers. Kim (in his 80s), the owner of a mill at Tongin Market, said, "Since I'm over 80 years old, I said I don't do complicated apps," adding, "I only accept paper gift certificates, and I rather give extra grains as a bonus." In fact, the average age of merchants in traditional markets is increasing. According to the Small Enterprise and Market Service, the average age of traditional market store owners was 60.8 years in 2023, significantly up from 59 years in 2021.

Many are unaware that the integrated app 'Digital Onnuri' even exists. Lee Chun-hwa, a fruit and vegetable store owner in her 60s, said, "The app usage is strict," and added, "I didn't even know the app had changed; I was still using the one installed by a young manager who came before." She also said, "I wish someone would come and install the new app and manage it like before."

In commercial areas where elderly merchants gather, low registration as Onnuri affiliated stores is also a problem. Oh Kyung-soo (74), an official at the underground shopping mall in Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul, said, "There are quite a few places that are not registered as affiliated stores," adding, "Since the store owners here are usually in their 60s and 70s, few places apply for and use the app." According to an analysis of the Small Enterprise and Market Service's 'National Onnuri Gift Certificate Affiliated Store Status,' the number of newly registered Onnuri gift certificate affiliated stores nationwide from January to August 2024 was 9,129. This is a decrease compared to 13,373 in 2023 and 12,154 in 2022.

Accordingly, the need for education for elderly merchants is emerging. Moon Yong-pil, a professor in the Department of Public Administration and Welfare at Chosun University, said, "Although there are benefits to using digital apps, the fact that they are not used suggests a digital information gap exists," and added, "Considering that the app download procedures differ depending on the smartphone, customized promotion should be conducted, and traditional market merchant associations or related organizations need to activate Digital Onnuri education."