In brief
In September, South Korea’s e‑commerce market grew 4.1%, reaching 24.97 trillion won ($18.6 billion). The jump was largely from automobiles—especially Tesla models—which spiked 30.9%, and from food‑delivery and agricultural products. While electronics and home appliances fell, mobile purchases accounted for more than three‑quarters of the total sales.
South Korea’s online shopping market grew 4.1% in September, rising to 24.97 trillion won (about 18.6 billion U.S. dollars), a trend the Ministry of Data and Statistics said was driven by a surge in car sales and food‑delivery services.
Automobiles led the growth, with sales of cars and car accessories up 30.9%. The rise was largely due to high online orders of Tesla models, which the ministry said dominated the auto segment.
Food delivery also climbed 5.9%, while agricultural, livestock and fishery products saw a 9.7% increase. These categories pushed the overall e‑commerce volume up year‑over‑year.
In contrast, sales of home appliances and electronics fell 7.0% in September, marking a decline in the traditionally strong tech segment.
Mobile‑device purchases—through smartphones, tablets and other gadgets—expanded 5.4% from a year earlier, reaching 19.08 trillion won. Mobile transactions made up 76.4% of total online retail that month.
Among mobile categories, clothing sales fell 7.9%, but food delivery services grew 6.0%, agricultural products jumped 15.2%, and travel and transportation services up 8.7%.
The ministry’s data shows that while core electronics are shrinking, non‑tech categories such as cars and food are pulling the e‑commerce market forward.
South Korea’s shift toward online buying of large‑value goods like automobiles, as well as everyday essentials like food, highlights a broader trend of consumers turning to digital platforms for a wide variety of purchases.
These figures indicate that the country’s digital economy is diversifying, with mobile commerce leading and national consumption patterns adjusting to a more internet‑centric market.
