E-mart Chuseok gift set pre-order sales hit record high

E-mart reported that its first round of Chuseok holiday gift set pre-orders, held from August 6 to September 4, saw a 21.2% increase in sales compared to the same period last year, marking an all-time high. The surge is attributed to ‘early bird’ consumers seeking to mitigate the impact of high inflation by securing discounts and gift certificate benefits early.

During the final day of the first pre-order period on September 4, the company recorded its highest single-day sales for a Chuseok pre-order period. Similar growth was observed in affiliated retailers, with Traders seeing a 31.6% increase and Emart Everyday rising by 11.6%.

Consumer trends showed a strong preference for ‘practical premium’ products that balance quality with lower prices. Popular items included seafood sets in the 40,000 to 70,000 won range and meat sets featuring US or Australian LA-style ribs priced around 90,000 won. While budget-friendly processed food sets and ginseng products saw significant volume, demand for high-end gifts exceeding 200,000 won also surged by 91%, driven by traditional luxury items and premium alcohol such as whisky and wine.