E-commerce firms are competing fiercely to secure a bigger slice of the rapidly-growing online cosmetics market, according to company officials, Thursday. Kurly, the operator of e-grocery platform Market Kurly, launched an online cosmetics specialty store "Beauty Kurly," last November, to ease its heavy reliance on the fresh food business and prepare for a future initial public offering. Only nine months after opening, its online cosmetics shop saw the cumulative number of buyers surpass 3 million. It also launched a French cosmetics brand "La Rosee" exclusively at its online mall recently, adding 37 brands to its line-up. "Our main consumer group for online cosmetics mall is women in their 30s and 40s, who are familiar with our brand from purchasing fresh food at Market Kurly,' a Kurly official said. "Based on our full-cold-chain system that allows overnight delivery, we have successfully induced many of our loyal customers to 'Beauty Kurly.' Considering that our repurchase rate is 77 percent at Beauty Kurly, we expect its sales to rise continuously." Lotte ON, a combined shopping platform operated by Lotte Shopping, currently sells beauty items from over 100 luxury cosmetics brands at its On and The Beauty mall. Its sales continue to grow more than 20 percent, year-on-year, and its membership has increased more than eight times in one year since launching in April, last year. Shinsegae's e-commerce firm SSG.com is also strengthening its online cosmetics segment. Its online beauty specialty store Monday Moon currently sells an average of 15,000 items on a daily basis. The cumulative number of products sold over the past three years is 17 million and the repurchase rate is around 40 percent. "Shinsegae has long been operating retail business here and consumers have faith in products we sell at stores, both on and offline. That brings many consumers to shop for items of premium and luxury beauty brands that are popular at Monday Moon," a SSG.com official said. (ICE SEOUL)

Fonte notizia: THE KOREA TIMES