E-Mart has launched a quick commerce service in partnership with Coupang, a competitor, through its delivery platform Coupang Eats. While maintaining its own instant delivery service, the retailer is expanding its sales channels to include external platforms, accelerating its expansion into the quick commerce sector. Industry analysts note that in the quick commerce market, securing customer touchpoints has become more important than competition, a trend that is becoming increasingly clear.
According to the retail industry on the 4th, E-Mart began operating a Coupang Eats quick commerce pilot test at six stores, including Chang-dong, Wangsimni, and Mokdong branches, starting last month on the 23rd. Consumers can order fresh foods, processed foods, and daily necessities from E-Mart through Coupang Eats' 'Grocery & Shopping' service. An E-Mart official stated, "We are currently running a Coupang Eats quick commerce pilot test at six stores since last month on the 23rd to expand customer touchpoints and convenience," adding, "Based on the results of the operation, we plan to sequentially expand the target stores within this year."
This collaboration is seen as E-Mart's move to bolster the scale of its quick commerce business. In November 2024, E-Mart entered Baemin's 'Grocery & Shopping' service, initiating collaboration with external platforms. Now, just a year and a half later, it has partnered with Coupang Eats to expand its sales channels.
The collaboration between E-Mart and Coupang is significant as both are leading operators that have shaped the competitive landscape in Korea's retail market. The two companies have competed in key areas such as e-commerce, logistics, and membership services. E-Mart has focused on enhancing its own quick commerce competitiveness. For instance, it operates an instant delivery service using E-Mart stores as logistics hubs through SSG.com's 'Bareo Quick'. This method delivers ordered products quickly by utilizing store inventory.
Coupang Eats, which primarily focused on food delivery services, is also working to expand its business scope. An example of this is the expansion into 'Grocery & Shopping' in early last year. Building on its user base from the delivery app, it has secured retail partners such as convenience stores, supermarket-style chain stores (SSM), and large department stores, transforming itself into a service closely integrated with daily life.
Industry analysts suggest that as the quick commerce market grows, competition is shifting from delivery speed between platforms to how many customer touchpoints can be secured. While building proprietary services was once crucial, recent strategies emphasize entering platforms frequently used by consumers to enhance convenience. A retail industry official stated, "Recently, quick commerce has become increasingly competitive not only in terms of delivery speed but also in identifying which channels allow retailers to reach consumers," adding, "Large retailers are adopting a strategy of expanding customer touchpoints by operating both proprietary services and external platforms simultaneously."
in LIVING
