Gmarket said on the 25th that ahead of launching a new membership, it will reveal the name and core concept first. The name of the new points-accumulating subscription service is "Kkok."
Kkok membership is Gmarket's first standalone membership in nine years since the paid membership "Smile Club" launched in 2017. The single, strong syllable is easy to remember and carries the meaning of a membership that shopping enthusiasts "must" keep.
The biggest change is the benefit structure. Instead of offering traditional discount coupons, it shifts to an accumulation model where the more you use it, the more benefits you earn. The aim is to convert customers' shopping experiences into a tangible asset by allowing value to build up with use.
Another feature is a shopping-optimized design that touts a high accrual rate. Instead of low-utility add-on services, the strategy is to focus on shopping benefits to raise the sense of real gains. In particular, it plans to differentiate by providing overwhelming benefits to loyal customers with high shopping frequency and strong purchasing power. In addition, new shipping benefits and offline-linked services will be added.
A Gmarket official said, "The new membership 'Kkok' is a shopping-specialized premium service for Gmarket's loyal customers," adding, "We are in the final review stage and plan to officially unveil it as early as the first quarter of this year."