NAVER’s “Today Delivery” service guarantees same-day arrival for orders placed by 11 a.m., a move designed to rival Coupang’s Rocket Wow service, which extended its same-day order deadline to noon in late 2024. (Image courtesy of Naver)
SEOUL, March 3 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s e-commerce market is entering a new phase of competition as major players escalate their efforts to enhance delivery services, aiming to challenge Coupang’s dominance in logistics.
With next-day delivery now an industry standard, retailers are racing to expand same-day shipping to differentiate themselves and meet rising consumer expectations.
According to the retail industry, NAVER has rebranded its logistics service from “NAVER Arrival Guarantee” to “NAVER Delivery” and introduced multiple shipping options, including same-day, next-day, and scheduled delivery.
The company has integrated this enhanced system into its newly launched AI-powered shopping app, “NAVER Plus Store,” with a particular focus on bolstering its same-day delivery service.
NAVER’s “Today Delivery” service guarantees same-day arrival for orders placed by 11 a.m., a move designed to rival Coupang’s Rocket Wow service, which extended its same-day order deadline to noon in late 2024. While currently limited to Seoul and the surrounding metropolitan area, NAVER plans to expand the service to regional cities later this year.
NAVER has rebranded its logistics service from “NAVER Arrival Guarantee” to “NAVER Delivery.” (Image courtesy of Naver)
Additionally, NAVER has introduced free returns and exchanges for members of its NAVER Plus subscription program, mirroring one of Coupang’s most powerful customer retention strategies. Industry insiders suggest this could be a game-changer, further intensifying competition.
Retail Giants Strengthen Logistics Partnerships
Other e-commerce firms are also focusing on logistics to stay competitive. SSG.com and Gmarket, subsidiaries of Shinsegae Group, are strengthening their partnership with CJ Logistics [000120] to enhance delivery capabilities.
SSG.com has expanded its “SSG Delivery” service, which offers same-day and scheduled delivery within three days of ordering, primarily through E-Mart and Traders locations. More significantly, it has been aggressively growing its overnight delivery service, which allows customers to receive orders placed by 10–11 p.m. by 6–7 a.m. the next day.
Originally centered in the Seoul metropolitan area, SSG.com extended overnight shipping to the Chungcheong region in December 2024, followed by Busan and Daegu in early 2025. Further expansion into the Honam region is reportedly in the works.
Additionally, SSG.com has launched same-day delivery for Traders products throughout the capital region, broadening the service beyond store-adjacent areas.
Meanwhile, Gmarket has also joined the race, rolling out seven-day-a-week delivery in partnership with CJ Logistics. Customers who order “Star Delivery” products on Gmarket or Auction on a Saturday can now receive their packages on Sunday. Initially available for 150,000 products stocked at Gmarket’s Dongtan logistics center, the service will expand to general marketplace sellers later this year.
11st and Coupang Step Up Investments
E-commerce platform 11st joined the rapid delivery competition on January 22 by launching a weekend same-day delivery service called “Shooting Delivery.” The service allows customers in the capital area to receive orders placed before 11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays on the same day.
The initiative applies to direct-purchase products and those using 11st’s fulfillment services. The company is also incentivizing marketplace sellers to adopt faster shipping by promoting their “Same-Day Dispatch” products, which ship by 5 p.m. on the order date.
Not to be outdone, Coupang has been expanding its logistics network aggressively. The company increased the number of overnight delivery-eligible products by 30% in 2024, driving a 45% rise in same-day and overnight shipments by the fourth quarter.
Coupang has also invested 20 billion won ($13.7 million) in a new refrigerated logistics center in Jeju, enabling year-round overnight delivery of fresh food—making it the only retailer offering such a service on the island.
Looking ahead, Coupang plans to invest an additional 3 trillion won ($2.05 billion) by 2026 to extend Rocket Delivery coverage to all 50 million South Koreans, including residents in remote towns and villages. This expansion will bring Coupang’s total logistics investment to 9.2 trillion won ($6.3 billion).
“The rise of Rocket Delivery has significantly raised customer expectations, forcing other e-commerce platforms to adapt quickly,” said an industry insider. “In 2025, the battle for market dominance will be centered around logistics.”
With the competition heating up, South Korean consumers stand to benefit from increasingly faster and more flexible delivery options, while e-commerce firms race to gain an edge in the high-stakes logistics war.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
