"Despite Halving Commissions and Exclusivity with Cheogajip, Baemin’s Bold Move Sees 200,000-User Drop"

“Baemin Only” Strategy Put to the Test
Baedal Minjok’s MAU Slightly Declines Last Month
Ttaenggyeoyo Sees Continued Drop
Public Delivery Apps Face a Crucial Test

Baemin has begun to actively implement its 'Baemin Only' strategy, but it has yet to deliver tangible results in the market. Since early last month, Baemin has launched a promotion with Korea 153, the franchisor of Cheogajip Yangnyeom Chicken, offering a reduced commission rate in exchange for exclusive listing on its platform. The aim was to expand customer benefits and increase franchisee profits. Baemin also expected a spillover effect, whereby increased customer traffic would lead to higher orders for other participating stores. However, user numbers for Baemin declined last month.

According to Mobile Index by IGAWorks, a data platform company, Baemin's monthly active users (MAU) reached 23.06 million in February. This represents a decrease of approximately 200,000 users from the previous month and marks the second consecutive monthly decline since December 2025. Coupang Eats and Yogiyo, ranked second and third in the market, also saw monthly declines of 2.4% and 7.4%, respectively. Although February is typically a peak season for delivery orders due to winter, the industry explained that this year's Lunar New Year holiday contributed to an overall downward trend. The public delivery app Ddaenggyeoyo also recorded 2.7 million users last month, a 17.3% drop from the previous month. The sharp decline is attributed to the expiration of the 'Consumer Recovery Coupon' effect.

What stands out is that the controversial 'Baemin Only' strategy has not immediately resonated with the market. On February 9, Baemin launched a promotion for Cheogajip Yangnyeom Chicken franchisees, halving the brokerage fee from the usual 7.8% to 3.5%, but only if orders were accepted exclusively through Baemin, its own app, and public delivery apps-excluding competing platforms like Coupang Eats and Yogiyo. Approximately 1,100 out of 1,200 Cheogajip franchisees nationwide, or about 90%, reportedly participated in this initiative. However, despite focusing on a single franchise, the first results after implementing the 'Baemin Only' strategy fell short of expectations. The number of participating businesses also declined. The 'Baemin Owner' management app, used by Baemin's partner merchants, had about 309,000 monthly active users last month, a decrease of roughly 4,000 from January.

However, industry experts say that it is difficult to judge the success of the Baemin Only strategy based solely on initial market conditions. Baemin plans to expand its collaborations with other top franchises in addition to Cheogajip. The company also intends to launch promotions with non-franchise partner businesses. In response to the controversy surrounding the strategy, Baemin has emphasized that it is not an attempt to exclude competitors but rather an effort to attract partners by strengthening platform benefits to foster competition. While working with a single franchise may have only limited impact, the expansion of the Baemin Only strategy could have a significant ripple effect in the market. An industry official commented, "The Baemin Only strategy is Baemin's gambit to differentiate itself in today's fiercely competitive delivery platform industry. Since it is still in the early stages, the strategy's market impact should be monitored over time as it expands."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.