Hanssem is launching an O4O (Online for Offline) platform, where customers can purchase products on a website. (image: Hanssem Co.)
SEOUL, Sept. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — The furniture industry is stepping up its online business.
Through online markets, furniture manufacturers are able to introduce a variety of products without the limitations of space, and are in turn benefiting from lower operating costs.
A notable change was made by Swedish furniture giant IKEA, which entered the local market in 2014. It launched an e-commerce service in South Korea last year, the first of its kind among Asian countries.
IKEA revealed the accumulated number of visitors to its online store at 38.5 million. It is significant considering that only a year has passed since its launch.
Above all, the accessibility to IKEA increased exponentially. There are only two stores in South Korea, meaning customers used to lack access to the stores, even if they wanted to make a purchase.
The number of e-commerce orders outside of Seoul’s metropolitan area, which previously lacked easy access to IKEA, has been on the rise.
Meanwhile, Hanssem Co., South Korea’s leading home furnishing company, has started building an online shopping portal of its own.
Hanssem is also launching an O4O (Online for Offline) platform, where customers can purchase products on a website.
The website “Hanssem.com,” which completed the reorganization in March, is designed to connect about 400 Hanssem stores nationwide with individual customers.
Customers can search for various packages such as “Entire House Construction Package,” “Partial Construction Package” and “Furniture Package” by style and size.
Furthermore, the furniture industry is providing more benefits to customers when shopping online, in order to increase their sales.
KOAS, a manufacturer of office furniture, offers free shipping, 20 percent discounts and 10 percent store credits, with the exception of some products, for purchases at the online portal “KOAS Shop.”
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
