Apple Inc.’s wireless earbuds AirPods Pro (image: Apple)
SEOUL, Oct. 26 (Korea Bizwire) — Amid an increase in the number of South Koreans who are engaged in direct purchases of electronics goods and home appliances from foreign countries, the most popular item turned out to be audio devices such as wireless earphones.
The Korea Consumer Agency received a total of 5,002 cases of consumer complaints related to direct purchases of electronics items from overseas over the three years from 2017 to 2019.
By type of transaction, 65.6 percent of the complaints were related to overseas items ordered via purchase agents.
By type of complaints, 28.4 percent were those related to product defects or sub-standard quality or warranty service, followed by 27.9 percent related to issues with order cancellations and refunds.
The agency conducted an online survey (multiple answers possible) of 1,000 consumers who had purchased electronic items from overseas within the past year.
Roughly one third of the respondents said that they had purchased audio devices such as wireless earphones, speakers and headsets, followed by 28.7 percent who bought PCs and peripheral devices.
By country, the U.S. ranked first for purchases at 59.2 percent, followed by China at 43.9 percent and Japan at 11.1 percent.
As for the reason why they preferred overseas direct purchases, 75.2 percent of the respondents said that prices were cheaper than in South Korea, followed by 30.7 percent who said it was difficult to get the product they purchased in the domestic market, and 19.9 percent who said a wider variety of products were available.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
