Coupang Begins Distributing 50,000 Won Compensation Vouchers... Expands Eligible Products

Purchase Vouchers for 33.7 Million Data Leak Victims
Available for Three Months Until April 15
140,000 Products Priced Under 5,000 Won
Expanded Selection of Leisure and Beauty Categories
A Potential Turning Point for Restoring Trust

Coupang has begun distributing purchase vouchers worth 50,000 won as compensation for the recent personal information leak incident.

Starting at 10 a.m. on January 15, Coupang began sequentially distributing 50,000 won purchase vouchers to each of the 33.7 million customers who received a notification regarding the information leak. On this day, every customer accessing Coupang will be able to check whether they are eligible for the voucher, after which the voucher will be issued. From the evening, Coupang also plans to send separate text messages and emails to guide customers on how to use the purchase vouchers.

From Daily Necessities to Food Delivery... Will This Be a Turning Point for Regaining Trust?

The purchase vouchers, as previously announced by Coupang, are divided as follows: 5,000 won for all Coupang products including Rocket Delivery and Seller Rocket, 20,000 won for accommodation and ticket products on Coupang Travel, 20,000 won for Alux beauty and fashion products, and 5,000 won for Coupang Eats delivery and shopping. Each customer ID is eligible for one set of vouchers, and the Coupang Eats voucher can be downloaded from the Coupang Eats application. The vouchers are valid until April 15, after which they will automatically expire.

For Wow members, there is no minimum order amount, but for general members, Rocket Delivery requires a minimum purchase of 19,800 won and Rocket Direct Purchase requires at least 29,800 won to use the voucher. If an order is canceled within the usage period after purchasing a product, the voucher will be restored. However, if the period has expired, it cannot be restored. Members who have withdrawn can re-register on Coupang using their previously used mobile phone number, and it may take up to three days after re-registration to receive the voucher.

Customers can check whether the purchase voucher is automatically applied when making a purchase. Those who wish to use only the voucher can add products to their cart, regardless of the number or type of items, and use the voucher within the limit. However, certain items such as books, powdered milk, jewelry, and gift certificates on Coupang, as well as hotel buffets and e-coupons on Coupang Travel, are not eligible for purchase. This is due to concerns that highly liquid items like e-tickets and jewelry could be resold or exploited for fraudulent activities.

For Coupang Eats (excluding takeout orders), the voucher can be used when the order meets the minimum amount required by each store. Only one voucher can be applied per product, and if the purchased item costs less than the voucher amount, the remaining balance will not be refunded. For example, if a 20,000 won Alux voucher is used on a 10,000 won product, the remaining 10,000 won will be forfeited.

Products with Coupang purchase vouchers applied. Screenshot from Coupang application

Criticism as 'Marketing Coupons'... Expanding Eligible Products to Overcome Backlash

Previously, on December 29, Coupang announced a customer compensation plan worth 1.6 trillion won. However, since the compensation was only available as purchase vouchers that could be used within Coupang's own services, prompting additional spending, both politicians and consumers criticized it as being essentially "marketing coupons." Rather than reversing its original plan, Coupang has reportedly focused on expanding the range of products priced around 5,000 won and 20,000 won in key categories to better align with the intent of the compensation.

In fact, there are approximately 140,000 products available for less than 5,000 won with Rocket Delivery and Rocket Fresh early morning delivery, including daily necessities, various foods, office supplies, fashion and sports goods, and electronic accessories. On Coupang Travel, there are about 700 ticket products, such as admission tickets to sledding parks, kids' cafes, performances, exhibitions, zoos, and museums, available for less than 20,000 won. Alux, which sells luxury beauty and fashion products, also offers more than 400 beauty items in the 20,000 to 30,000 won range.

Coupang stated that it will closely communicate with its partners and work to quickly secure products to prevent shortages of popular items. An industry insider commented, "There was significant initial disappointment regarding Coupang's compensation plan, so it remains to be seen whether the actual usage rate of the purchase vouchers will be high after the launch. Attention is focused on whether this compensation plan will serve as a turning point in restoring consumer trust in Coupang and how users will respond."