This photo provided by discount store chain Homeplus Co. shows a showroom for Hyundai Motor Co.’s mini SUV Casper at its outlet.
SEOUL, April 11 (Korea Bizwire) — Automotive sales channels that have been limited to offline dealers are now expanding towards retail industries, including large discount stores and online malls, amid a shift in the automotive retail paradigm.
Large discount store chains E-Mart Inc. and Homeplus Co. each set up a showroom for Hyundai Motor Co.’s mini SUV Casper at two outlets during the period from September 2021 to March this year.
“Most customers at large discount stores drive their own cars to visit in a family group. There are many cases where husbands and children look at the vehicles displayed in showrooms, while wives are shopping,” E-Mart said.
Homeplus, which runs a mobility service platform that enable customers to buy and sell cars and motorcycles at its stores, opened a test drive center for Hyundai in the parking lot of its Gojan outlet in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, in June 2020.
The number of customers who are purchasing vehicles online is also on the rise.
Starting in 2019, e-commerce platform 11Street has been staging an automotive sales promotion in which it offers online consultation on car purchases and promotes contracts and vehicle delivery in collaboration with offline dealers.
The number of cars sold through this promotion reached 2,600 units last year, up 45 percent from 1,800 units in 2020.
Peugeot started selling its cars through search giant Naver Corp.’s online shopping mallf or the first time among major car companies.
GM Korea Co. also carried out the ‘Launching Live Tour,’ an event to promote the release of the Bolt EUV and Bolt EV through Naver Shopping Live in August last year.
“The retail industry’s need to attract a more diverse range of customers matches well with the automotive industry’s strategy to expand its contact base with customers,” an industry official said.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
