"I started because I like camping. And I really wanted to create something necessary."
Among those who enjoy backpacking and camping, a brand has recently stood out: the premium tent brand 'RADIT'. This is the result of a workplace veteran with military experience in the outdoors, who decided to create a brand for a better camping experience after experiencing market issues firsthand.
Founded in September 2023, Workation is not just a camping gear manufacturer. With three proprietary brands led by 'RADIT' and a total customer service (Customer Service) platform 'Outside', it aims to be an outdoor tech startup that encompasses both hardware and software.
"For consumers, factories, and brands, customer service was a headache."
Oh Min-sik, the CEO of Workation, is a camper who has enjoyed the outdoors for over 15 years. During his time as an engineer at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, he used various camping gear through his club and felt the discomfort of the market firsthand. "Products were increasing, but what was really needed was missing. Above all, the inconvenient part was customer service."
This awareness of problems naturally led to entrepreneurship. His first attempt was a brand called 1953 Campuscan, but later he left the company and established Workation in 2023. He is currently manufacturing and operating three brands: the premium tent 'RADIT', the mid-range brand 'OBTN', and the one-touch pop-up tent '1m Shelter'.
RADIT is sold only in premium camping select shops and aims for differentiation with its sky-blue tent and stylish design. It is currently exported to countries including Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, and North America, with expectations of a $1.5 million export this year. Domestic sales have surpassed 3 billion won in just over a year since launching.
OBTN is sold in 50 Gorilla Camping stores nationwide, and 1m Shelter is a tent developed in collaboration with IPs like Pokémon and Teenieping. The platform aims for 'CS-based vertical commerce'. In fact, they are preparing offline events that connect brands and customers, including kayaking events in collaboration with Hadong County and meetings for dog-owning campers.
The real experiment for Workation is the platform called 'Outside'. Since campers primarily move on weekends, requests for after-sales service (AS) are also concentrated on weekends. However, most brands and factories are closed on those days. This leads to delays in responses, difficulties in confirming damages, and communication confusions with customers occurring repeatedly.
'Outside' was born to solve these problems. Consumers can register their products on the app and send the damage status through photos or videos, and the factory linked with the brand confirms this and provides an estimate. Once the repair is decided, it is linked to automatic pickup, allowing the entire process to be resolved in one-stop.
Currently, three brands are participating, and discussions are underway for additional partnerships with about ten companies. From the brand's perspective, they can reduce the customer service workload from four to five people down to one, making it beneficial even when considering entry fees and commissions.
Workation has currently secured seed investment and is following up with pre-Series A investment. CEO Oh noted, "I started without money or connections, but I am growing through hands-on experience," adding that he will present a new standard for outdoor lifestyle that encompasses the beginning and end of camping.