84.7% of Onnuri Gift Certificate Users Consume Locally
72.7% Satisfaction with Seo-gu Commercial Districts
"More Vibrant Than a Year Ago"
94.1% of small business owners in Seo-gu, Gwangju reported that their sales have increased. Photo by Seo-gu Office, Gwangju
The alley commercial district revitalization and Onnuri gift certificate policies promoted by Seo-gu District, Gwangju Metropolitan City, have shown clear and tangible results for both citizens and merchants.
According to a survey conducted in December last year by the professional polling agency Realmeter, which targeted 904 citizens aged 18 or older residing in Seo-gu and 152 small business owners, awareness of these policies was found to be very high-94.5% among citizens and 98.0% among merchants. These figures indicate that the foundation for policy recognition is well established, maximizing the perceived effectiveness of the policies.
In particular, 94.1% of merchants responded that their sales increased after the introduction of Onnuri gift certificates, with over half of them (55.3%) reporting an increase of more than 10%, confirming a stable improvement in sales. Additionally, 51.3% of respondents indicated an increase in visitors, surpassing the halfway mark. Overall satisfaction with the policies was reported at 68.4%.
The effect of local consumption recirculation is also evident.
Among Onnuri gift certificate users, 46.0% said they use them exclusively within Seo-gu commercial districts, while 38.7% responded that they mainly use them in Seo-gu, meaning a total of 84.7% of respondents are focused on consuming within the Seo-gu commercial area. This is interpreted as effectively curbing outflow of consumption to other regions and establishing a consumption structure centered on local alley businesses.
Indicators of citizens' perceptions were also positive. 58.6% responded that the alley commercial districts have become more active compared to a year ago, overall satisfaction with Seo-gu commercial districts stood at 72.7%, and 88.5% expressed their intention to continue using Seo-gu commercial districts in the future, suggesting a high potential for sustained consumption in the mid- to long-term.
Furthermore, 71.8% of citizens said their consumption increased after using Onnuri gift certificates, with 21.4% reporting a "significant increase" and 50.4% indicating "some increase," demonstrating that the policy is indeed leading to changes in actual consumer behavior.
The survey also identified areas for future policy improvement, with a particularly high demand for education and consulting. 78.9% of merchants expressed willingness to participate in education and consulting programs, with the most needed areas being commercial district data analysis and business strategy (25.7%), SNS and digital marketing (23.7%), and the use of online sales and delivery platforms (19.1%). In addition, merchants prioritized improvements to dedicated facilities such as parking lots (27.0%), support for business funds (24.3%), and hosting of commercial district revitalization events (17.8%).
Kim Ikang, Mayor of Seo-gu District, stated, "The significance of this survey lies in the fact that we have confirmed, with concrete numbers, the vivid changes on the ground, such as residents being drawn back to local alleyways and increased sales for small business owners, thanks to our practical economic policies." He added, "We will actively incorporate the survey results into further policy development, including shifting our promotional strategies to focus on expanding the use of Onnuri gift certificates, improving parking and transportation accessibility, and expanding customized education and consulting for merchants, to further strengthen the sustainable competitiveness of our alley commercial districts."
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