"Have to Hit 70,000 Won"... 20s and 30s Women Flock In, Even 'Per-Person Purchase Limits' at Olive Young [The Way We Buy Now]

Weekday stores packed by the Manggeureojin Gom collaboration
Limited-time offers drive extra purchases and higher basket sizes
Experience- and taste-driven consumption trends spread

Editor's noteWhat are people buying these days? From everyday essentials that everyone picks up at Daiso, to cosmetics at Olive Young that are constantly sold out, to bread people are willing to line up for. The familiar scenes of consumption fully reflect the current flow of the market. "The Way We Buy Now" is a series that deciphers today's consumption trends through the "best-selling things" in everyday life. It explains, in an easy and engaging way, which products are being chosen and which strategies are making people open their wallets, by tracing the changes taking place on the front lines of consumption.

"We've already been waiting for 30 minutes. Do you really want this that badly?"

On the afternoon of the 13th, at an Olive Young store in downtown Seoul, a couple started bickering in the long line in front of the checkout counter. The man, saying the line was too long, suggested they leave, while the woman insisted they had to make the purchase. Despite the chilly mood, the two ultimately could not bring themselves to step out of the line.

The scene in the store that day hardly matched the phrase "a weekday afternoon." A long line stretched out in front of the checkout, and a notice limiting "the number of purchases per person" was posted next to the counter.

At an Olive Young store, posing for a verification photo while holding a 'Manggeureojin Gom' doll. Photo by Seo Jiyoung

A rush for the 'Manggeureojin Gom' collaboration... Stores turn into 'content'

Recently, as Olive Young launched collaboration products with the popular character "Manggeureojin Gom," its stores have been packed with customers day after day."Manggeureojin Gom" is a character created by illustrator Yurang. With its uniquely cute expressions and honest everyday storytelling, it has gained huge popularity among people in their 20s and 30s. Its official social networking service (SNS) account alone has about 700,000 followers.

Olive Young collaborated with this character to offer not only cosmetics but also a wide range of merchandise such as pouches, keyrings, and stickers. The collaboration products were placed prominently in key areas along the store traffic flow, and separate merchandise such as photo card keyrings and keycap keyrings were displayed alongside them. Some items were offered as gifts when customers purchased specific brands, naturally prompting additional purchases.

Photo zones for taking pictures were also set up throughout the store. Many women in their 20s and 30s could be seen taking verification photos after shopping and uploading them to SNS. In this way, the offline store is functioning as more than just a sales space; it has become an "experiential content space."

In front of the 'Manggeureojin Gom' display inside an Olive Young store. Photo by Seo Jiyoung

"I have to reach 70,000 won"... Limited-edition goods drive 'extra purchases'

Some customers bought items they had not planned to purchase in order to meet the minimum spending amount required to receive a free gift. Even when the items were not strictly necessary, the sense of scarcity created by the idea that "if I don't buy it now, I won't be able to get it" appeared to spur purchase decisions.

Office worker Lee Saetbyeol (29) said, "I'm trying to match the spending amount because of the free gift you get when you spend over 70,000 won," adding, "It's not something I absolutely need, but it's a limited edition, so I'd regret missing out."

Office worker Yoo Heesoo (30) said, "I always carry cosmetics with me, so they give me more satisfaction than other products," and added, "I don't feel bad about spending money at all, because I like the idea of being able to see my favorite character every day."

In front of the 'Manggeureojin Gom' display stand inside an Olive Young store. Photo by Seo Jiyoung

In this way, the center of consumption is shifting from "necessity" to "experience" and "taste." Consumption is moving away from a focus on cost-effectiveness, where value for money was paramount, toward a pattern that places greater importance on personal satisfaction and emotional value.

The retail industry interprets this phenomenon as a combination of self-expression and taste-based consumption. More people are using their favorite characters or brands to express themselves and to gain satisfaction from belonging to a group that shares the same tastes.

'Mood' over 'need' as a standard for spending... The spread of the 'Feelconomy' trend

This shift is closely tied to a recent consumption trend known as the "Feelconomy." A portmanteau of "feel" and "economy," Feelconomy refers to a phenomenon in which the enjoyment and satisfaction experienced during the purchasing process, rather than function or price, become the decisive factors behind consumption.

Analysts say that in a social climate of growing uncertainty, consumption that offers small pleasures and comfort is expanding, especially among younger generations, and that this emotional satisfaction is increasingly translating into actual purchases.

Inside an Olive Young store, in front of the 'Manggeureojin Gom' display. A notice limiting the number of purchases per person is posted. By Seo Jiyoung

IP collaborations give sales a big boost

Olive Young's strategy of leveraging character intellectual property (IP) is translating into real sales growth. According to the company, since the launch of the collaboration products, sales of related product categories have surged in a short period, and in some stores, sales of collaboration items have increased by more than double digits compared to the same period a year earlier. During the previous collaboration with Sanrio characters as well, participating brands saw their sales rise by about 60%, demonstrating that character collaborations can have a tangible sales-boosting effect.

Industry observers believe that combining character IP with limited-edition merchandise to drive store visits and increase average transaction value is proving effective. In particular, they say it has been crucial to design the very act of staying in the store as an experience in itself. Photo zones, merchandise, and experiential displays are extending the time customers spend in the store and naturally leading to additional purchases.

It is also noteworthy that even in a high-inflation environment, consumers are not cutting all spending, but instead are showing a "selective consumption" tendency, willingly paying for purchases they deem meaningful. "What you buy" is being replaced by "what kind of experience you buy" as the new standard of consumption.

It is also noteworthy that even in a high-inflation environment, consumers are not cutting all spending, but instead are showing a "selective consumption" tendency, willingly paying for purchases they deem meaningful. Consumption is becoming less about choosing a product and more about choosing experiences that satisfy one's tastes and emotions.