Food products top most purchased item online, surpassing fashion items

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- Food products topped the list of items bought by consumers in Seoul through online shopping transactions last year, surpassing clothing and fashion items for the first time, data showed Wednesday.

In a survey carried out by the Seoul city government on 2,000 consumers that use e-commerce platforms, 65.5 percent of respondents said food was the most purchased item online.

It marks the first time food has outpaced clothing and fashion items, which recorded 58.5 percent, with the increase likely due to the recent launch of fast delivery services in open marketplaces and delivery applications.

Other products, such as household supplies, recorded 46.7 percent, followed by 19.9 percent for makeup and 17.9 percent for agro-fisheries products. Multiple answers were allowed in the survey.

The average amount spent on shopping was 68,900 won (US$50.27) for men and 65,200 won for women, with 34.3 percent of the respondents saying they shop online over two times a week.

By type of shopping destination, 89.4 percent said they shop on open marketplaces, 87.8 percent through delivery apps, and 76.9 percent via one-stop shopping malls.

Meanwhile, consumer damage cases reported to the Seoul Electronic Commerce Center dropped by nearly 26 percent year-on-year, recording 6,460 cases in 2023.

sookim@yna.co.kr
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