Gmarket Sees First-Half GMV Rebound in 4 Years...Improved Purchasing Power and Seller Competitiveness

Double-Digit Growth for Gmarket Compared to Last Year

Average Customer Spend Up 12%, Number of Sellers Up 5%

Fee Structure Overhaul, Free Returns, and Platform Upgrades Planned

Gmarket announced on July 9 that its gross merchandise volume (GMV) for the first half of this year increased year-on-year for the first time in four years, marking a return to positive growth. The transaction volume on the Gmarket website rose by 14% compared to the same period last year. GMV is considered a key indicator of an e-commerce platform's market competitiveness.

The company stated, "Last year, we announced our vision and a large-scale investment plan for customers and sellers, aiming to double our GMV within five years." It added, "In the first half of this year—the first year of the investment initiative—we have seen a recovery in GMV growth, along with simultaneous improvements in customer purchasing power, seller competitiveness, and global business. As a result, the effects of our investments are now becoming increasingly visible."

Key customer metrics have also improved. The average monthly purchase amount per customer increased by 12% year-on-year, and the GMV from direct visits to the site—without going through price comparison portals—rose by 5%. The purchase conversion rate climbed by 14%. The company explained that, rather than just an increase in the number of visitors, actual purchases and repeat purchases have grown, strengthening the base of loyal customers.

The number of sellers is also on the rise. As of July 1, there were 660,000 sellers on Gmarket, a 5% increase from a year earlier. The number of sellers posting monthly sales of at least 50 million won grew by 6%. The company explained that its seller support policies—including full coverage of large-scale promotion coupon costs and the elimination of discount coupon fees, totaling about 500 billion won annually—have contributed to these results.

The global cross-border e-commerce business, which launched last year, saw its GMV in the first half of this year more than double compared to the second half of last year. Currently, approximately 17,000 sellers are participating, offering about 30 million products to the Southeast Asian market.

Gmarket plans to revamp its seller fee structure in the third quarter and, starting next month, will introduce a free return service for 'Kkok' membership customers on Star Delivery products. The company also plans to launch personalized product search and recommendation features powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

James Jang, CEO of Gmarket, said, "The first half of this year was a period in which we achieved a rebound in GMV through strategic investment and confirmed the potential of our mid- to long-term growth strategy as customers, sellers, and global business segments grew together. Going forward, we will continue to focus on what is essential for our customers and sellers, rather than short-term results, and will keep investing to enhance our future competitiveness."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.