Costco, E-Mart Traders' Estimated Payments Hit an "All-Time High" of KRW 1.45 Trillion... Warehouse Clubs Gain Ground

September combined estimated payment total hits a record high... Both companies set new records
Lotte Department Store tops offline retail spending, followed by E-Mart and GS25

Costco and E-Mart Traders recorded their highest-ever estimated monthly payment totals. Amid high prices, warehouse clubs offering large-format products at relatively low prices are gaining a stronger presence in the retail market.

According to Wiseapp·Retail, a mobile app and payment data analysis company, the combined estimated payment total for Costco and E-Mart Traders reached KRW 1.45 trillion in September, the highest on record.

Each company also set a new record for its estimated payment total. This indicates that consumers are spending more on card payments at warehouse clubs.

Traders store. E-Mart

A comparison of payment totals across major offline retail brands also highlighted the growing presence of warehouse clubs. Costco and E-Mart Traders ranked seventh and 13th, respectively.

Lotte Department Store was the offline retailer where South Koreans spent the most in September. Based on an index that sets Lotte Department Store's estimated payment total at 100, E-Mart ranked second at 88.7, followed by GS25 at 70.1.

They were followed by Shinsegae Department Store (69.8), Nonghyup Hanaro Mart (68.1), CU (67.0), Costco (51.6), and Hyundai Department Store (50.8). Olive Young (33.4), 7-Eleven (32.9), Lotte Mart (31.3), Daiso (28.1), and E-Mart Traders (26.8) followed.

Costco's estimated payment total was more than half that of Lotte Department Store, while E-Mart Traders also ranked among the leading brands alongside major hypermarkets and home goods specialty stores.

The survey was based on a sample analysis by Wiseapp·Retail of South Koreans' credit and debit card transactions, which it used to estimate payment totals for each brand. The figures were compiled based on brand information shown in consumers' payment records and excluded payments made by bank transfer, in cash, or through external channels such as affiliated companies. As a result, the figures may differ from actual corporate revenue.

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