Sales of outdoor activity products are on the rise as more and more people are eschewing the ‘stuck at home’ lifestyle resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, says Shinsegae Department Store, one of South Korea’s leading retailers.
The retailer said sales of outdoor-related products increased by 10 per cent over the past 45 days – from last month through the 15th of this month – compared to the same period last year.
Apparently, the revival of the outdoor gear market has been driven by the implementation of the ‘living with Covid-19’ scheme, which prompted home-bound consumers to kick off outdoor recreational activities once again, including camping, hiking and trekking.
According to online shopping marketplace 11st, sales volumes for products related to hiking and outdoor activities products surged by 140 per cent from October 25 to November 14, coinciding with the period before and after the implementation of the government’s ‘With Corona’ scheme.
Riding the wave of ‘rediscovered interest’ in outdoor recreation among consumers, many retailers are staging new marketing blitzes, with brands also opening pop-up stores to attract consumers who have a keen interest in outdoor activities.
Shinsegae Department Store has recently created a so-called ‘Campnic’ zone (compound word for camping and picnic) at one of the outdoor gear boutiques in its Daejeon branch, with products from a multitude of camping brands on offer to catch the eyes of customers.
Notable are products reflecting South Korea’s unique camping culture. Foldable stainless steel wood stoves, for example, for those interested in ‘bulmeong’ – a newly coined term for zoning out while watching firewood burning.
Outdoor camping aprons or equipment for overnight camping are also popular.
The increasing popularity of outdoor activities has also led to a boost in sales of colour cosmetics and outdoor apparel.
According to 11st, the transaction amount for colour cosmetics rose 43 per cent from Oct 25 to Nov 14, with sales of sportswear up 80 per cent for the same period.
- Originally published by Korea Bizwire.
