(image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, June 3 (Korea Bizwire) — Online shopping in South Korea increased 25.2 percent in April from a year earlier as more people used e-commerce shopping platforms amid a non-contact consumption trend caused by the pandemic, data showed Thursday.
The value of online shopping transactions stood at 15.1 trillion won (US$13.6 billion) in April, up from 12.1 trillion won the previous year, according to the data from Statistics Korea.
The April reading slightly fell from a 15.9 trillion-won on-year gain in March, but the use of online shopping has continued to grow amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Purchases made through smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices rose 34 percent on-year to 10.7 trillion won in April. Mobile shopping accounted for 71.1 percent of the total value of online shopping.
Online purchases of foodstuffs, food delivery services and electronics goods remained firm, the statistics agency said.
Online transactions of food delivery services jumped 56.5 percent on-year to 1.98 trillion won, and those of food and beverages rose 29.5 percent to 1.97 trillion won.
Purchases of electronic goods rose 25.9 percent on-year to 1.68 trillion won on the back of demand by stay-at-home people.
Online shopping of travel-related services increased 55.2 percent to 686.3 billion won in April, marking the second straight month of gains.
Demand for travel services rebounded due largely to last year’s low base effect and increased activity amid warm weather and relaxed virus curbs.
(Yonhap)
