Korea's e-commerce industry is rolling out different approaches for the luxury category, a high-price consumer market. Unlike major platforms such as Coupang and Naver that are spinning off dedicated luxury sections to build a premium identity, Gmarket has chosen to expand its product lineup while keeping the existing open-market structure. The move is seen as an effort to maintain the intermediary open-market model while moving beyond low-margin daily necessities to lift profitability.
On the 27th, according to the industry, Gmarket began a collaboration with the overseas luxury direct-purchase platform "MXN Commerce Italy." MXN is a direct-purchase platform that sells global brand products based on more than 200,000 luxury databases (DB). The aim is to strengthen product competitiveness by partnering with a highly trusted specialized platform. Gmarket said, "MXN deals only in genuine products and provides integrated support for overseas shipping and customs procedures, so even customers with no direct-purchase experience can use it with confidence." Multiple luxury sellers, including AdoreLUX and GUGUS, are currently on Gmarket.
Gmarket's strategy becomes clearer when you enter its website and mobile app (application). To buy luxury goods, users must select fashion apparel, accessories, and beauty from the overall categories, then choose the "imported luxury" section. Rather than placing luxury prominently on the homepage, it is embedded within the existing category system. In other words, high-priced items are not designed to stand out at a glance.
Inside the imported luxury category, various items such as bags, clothing, and watches are displayed together. The first screen showcases popular products in the category. Items priced in the low 20,000–30,000 won range are also featured. After several searches, shoppers can buy bags priced in the millions of won on Gmarket, but without separating a dedicated luxury section or differentiating the UI (user interface) and UX (user experience), products at a wide range of prices are mixed within the existing open market.
Coupang, by contrast, operates the separate luxury service "R.LUX" and even offers a standalone app. Although it is accessible within the Coupang app, it leads with the R.LUX service name rather than simply classifying it as an imported luxury category. It is closer to an independent service concept. Naver has also created a separate "High-end" category that brings together official luxury brand stores within its marketplace. Fashion platform Musinsa likewise runs "Musinsa Boutique" separately, distinguishing it from its existing street fashion segment.
Coupang and Naver appear to have separated dedicated spaces to clearly signal to the market that they provide premium services. Gmarket, on the other hand, places luxury within its existing interface, emphasizing price competitiveness and product variety.
Why is Gmarket taking this approach? First, Gmarket appears to be steering existing users toward high-priced purchases. Rather than aggressively attracting new luxury buyers, it aims to convert some value-focused users to higher-ticket purchases. The goal seems to be preserving the platform's identity. Gmarket has been reshaped with strengths in linking with global sellers and expanding product variety, and it is approaching luxury in the same framework by increasing the number of sellers.
This approach also reduces the burden of additional investment. Because it is an intermediary open market where sellers handle shipping and inventory, Gmarket has less need to build separate logistics infrastructure for premium services. Not having to significantly increase marketing expense is another advantage.
However, Gmarket's strategy could be a double-edged sword in the luxury category. It may limit efforts to establish a premium image and win the trust of high-spending consumers. Many in the industry say that while near-term expansion of gross merchandise value can be expected, it remains to be seen whether the company can also deliver the purchase experience that high-end shoppers value.
An industry official said, "The luxury market goes beyond a simple sales category and is connected to the platform's image," adding, "Because luxury purchases value brand experience and trust as well as price competitiveness, the difference with rivals' strategies that expand exposure and touchpoints for experiences could become more pronounced." Attention is on whether Gmarket's strategy will actually lead to securing a premium customer base.