Online shopping in South Korea hit a record high in July, as there was a strong demand for food delivery services and the purchase of foodstuffs amid the pandemic, data showed.
The value of online shopping transactions stood at US$14bn in July, up 24.9 per cent from a year earlier, according to the data from Statistics Korea.
Amid an economic recovery and stricter virus restrictions, online purchases of goods and services gained ground, led by demand for foodstuffs, food delivery and electronics, the agency said. Purchases made through smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices rose 33.8 per cent on-year to US$9.9bn in July. Mobile shopping accounted for 72.3 per cent of the total value of online shopping.
Online transactions of food delivery services jumped 72.5 per cent on-year to US$2.03bn, and those of food and beverages rose 30 per cent to US$1.768bn. Purchases of electronic goods increased 48.3 per cent on-year to US$1.76bn thanks to demand for home appliances, including air conditioners.
Online shopping of travel-related services inched up 2.1 per cent to US$703.1M in July, due largely to last year’s low base and increased activity.
