April 27, 2024

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Retail sales in South Korea edged up in September on-year on the back of sharp growth from online players, data showed Oct. 30.

The combined sales of 26 major offline and online retailers reached 11.4 trillion won ($9.7 billion) last month, up 2.7 percent from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

Local online stores and marketplaces saw their sales jump 17.8 percent amid the growing demand for small home appliances.

Other popular products from online stores included household items and furniture, the ministry data also showed.

In contrast, 13 offline retailers, including department stores and discount chains, saw their sales fall 5 percent.

Convenience stores were the only winners among offline stores, as their sales moved up 2.8 percent over the period. Large supermarkets and department stores, on the other hand, lost 7.1 percent and 5.6 percent, respectively.

The warmer-than-usual weather in South Korea also induced consumers to delay their purchase of autumn and winter outfits, leading to a whopping 22.3 percent drop in the sale of clothes among department stores.

By Ram Garikipati and newswires (ram@heraldcorp.com)