This photo provided by Convenience store chain CU shows its mobile application Pocket CU.
SEOUL, June 5 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean convenience store industry’s strategy to maximize offline sales by utilizing online platforms is gaining momentum.
Convenience store chain CU placed a hangover relief jelly at its physical stores after the product gained popularity among young people when it was released on its mobile application Pocket CU in January.
The decision paid off, with the product experiencing a 20 percent growth in monthly sales and becoming CU’s representative differentiating item.
Building on this success, CU introduced a new product sourcing process in February, testing items online before deciding whether or not to release them offline.
Online sales data was considered an excellent indicator to measure a product’s interest, demand, and potential success.
In the meantime, 7-Eleven also released 3,000 Pokemon figures through its app in August.
After assessing the sales trends online, all 100,000 units prepared for offline stores were sold.
Meanwhile, GS25 sold the liquor product Disaronno through its online liquor reservation and order system launched in July 2020, and it gained strong popularity.
Based on the data, GS25 detected the trend favored by young people in their 20s and 30s and enjoyed robust sales by relaunching Disaronno sales at its nationwide physical stores.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
