The South Korean e-commerce market is one of the largest in the world. According to our recent e-Commerce Korean market report, South Korea's e-Commerce market ranks 4th globally in terms of transaction volume, surpassing Japan, Germany, France, and Canada. On a per capita basis, South Korea leads the world in e-commerce market size.

KOISRA offers unique logistics and import management services, enabling foreign companies to sell online and ship their products directly to customers in Korea. This service eliminates the need to find a local importer and distributor.

Since 2014, the volume of online transactions in Korea has increased annually by approximately 17% to 30%. In 2022, the annual online transaction volume reached US $177.42 billion, marking an almost 150% increase since 2017.

In Korea, most online retail transactions are conducted through online marketplaces such as Gmarket, 11st, and Coupang, rather than private online stores. The popularity of these platforms is due to factors like special discounts, credit card company benefits, service quality, fast delivery, and the convenience of purchasing various products in one place. According to Nielsen Korea, the top 3 online marketplaces attract no less than 10 million unique visitors (PC and Mobile) monthly.

Currently, Amazon does not operate in Korea, and none of the largest Korean marketplaces offer an order fulfillment service for foreign sellers, such as Amazon FBA. Two critical aspects of the Korean e-commerce market are local delivery times and customer service levels. DHL reports that South Korean customers expect to receive their deliveries within 3.9 days, compared to the global average of 6.5 days. Some Korean online marketplaces, like Coupang, even offer one-day or same-day delivery. Customer service, often considered more important than product price, must be provided in Korean.

Our E-commerce Services in Korea include:

• Product Compliance: We check and advise on relevant import regulations, labels, packaging, safety requirements, local standards, and required registrations.
• Product Registration: We apply for and register the product according to relevant regulations.
• Tax & Fees: We provide information and advice on import and sales taxes applicable to your products.
• Import & Custom Clearance: We handle product inspection and release your products from customs.
• Receiving & Inventory Storage: We receive and store products at our storage facility in the Seoul area.
• Translation & Localization: We create product pages in the Korean language, localized to Korean culture.
• Store Setup & Management: We configure and manage your store and marketplace accounts, list products, and update pricing policies.
• Orders Processing: We handle order management from various channels and marketplaces.
• Local Shipping: We pick, pack, and ship orders to customers in line with marketplace terms.
• Return Processing: We manage product returns from customers as per marketplace terms.
• Customer Service: We provide direct customer support in Korean during working hours via phone and email.
• Marketing and PR: We assist in promoting your products and brand through local marketing campaigns and PR articles in local media and social channels.

Please note that not all products can be registered and imported under this framework. In such cases, we will recommend partnering with a local specialist in importing and distributing these products. For more details, visit our page: Finding a Distributor in Korea.

With over 14 years of experience in the online retail business in Korea, we have not only provided services to clients but also operated our own online stores in almost all major Korean marketplaces. Let us be your local store and distributor, accelerating your market entry into Korea!