[Edaily Reporter Han Jeon-jin ] Competition in the e-commerce industry is expanding beyond “speed” to encompass the “shopping experience” as a whole. Fast delivery has already become a basic competitive advantage, and the key to success now lies in how seamlessly the entire shopping process—from ordering to receipt and returns—is managed. If last year’s battle to win over “anti-platform shoppers” through aggressive marketing tactics like discount coupons was Round 1, Round 2—centered on the overall delivery experience—is now in full swing.

◇From returns to 2-hour delivery… the “battlefront” has widened
According to industry sources on the 22nd, major e-commerce companies have recently been making successive investments to enhance convenience throughout the entire delivery process. Notably, Naver (NAVER(035420)) is considering building its own logistics center and handling deliveries directly. Although the company maintains that this is still in the exploratory phase, industry observers interpret it as a strategic move to break away from the traditional platform strategy of outsourcing delivery to third-party logistics providers and instead take direct control over delivery quality and costs. In addition, the company has announced plans to introduce “unlimited free shipping” in the second half of the year, waiving delivery fees for members regardless of purchase amount.

Returns and exchanges after delivery have also become a new battleground. Starting on the 3rd of next month, Gmarket will begin offering free returns for its “Star Delivery” service—which guarantees on-time arrival—to members of its paid “Kkok” membership program. Even for returns due to a simple change of heart, Gmarket will cover the return shipping costs up to three times per month per customer. Some observers interpret this move as Gmarket—which has secured financial resources through its joint venture with Shinsegae Co.,Ltd. and Alibaba—taking direct aim at the stronghold that Coupang has built through its membership program.

11st, which has been focusing on building a solid foundation centered on profitability, is also strengthening its after-sales services, centered on “Shooting Delivery,” which offers next-day delivery for directly purchased items. Following last year’s completion of a seven-day-a-week delivery system in the Seoul metropolitan area—which included same-day delivery on weekends—the company has this year successively introduced a delay compensation system that offers compensation for late deliveries, as well as free returns and exchanges. The strategy is to build on the foundation of speed by adding after-sales service to manage customer satisfaction even after they receive their items.

Efforts are also underway to transform offline assets into a competitive edge in delivery. SSG.com launched a service on the 9th that delivers orders placed between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. within two hours on the same day. By utilizing E-MART Co., Ltd. stores as logistics hubs, the company plans to expand the service—currently in pilot operation near the Yangjae and Hanam branches—to about 50 stores by the end of the year. An SSG.com official explained, “Our vision is to utilize the E-MART Co., Ltd. store infrastructure as urban logistics hubs so that consumers can receive the freshest products as quickly as possible at the time they want.”

◇Coupang, Unshaken Even by the “Coupang Exit” Trend… Ultimately Chosen for Being “More Convenient”
Last year’s massive personal data breach at Coupang is cited as the catalyst for this competition. At the time, competitors capitalized on the “Exit Coupang” sentiment by launching discount and benefit campaigns, but user migration was not as significant as expected. This was because consumers are reluctant to change a delivery experience they have grown accustomed to. In fact, Coupang’s monthly active users (MAU) last month stood at approximately 35.09 million—an increase of more than 670,000 from the 34.42 million recorded in November of last year, when the data breach occurred. This serves as a lesson that, ultimately, it is not marketing or public opinion but tangible convenience that wins over customers.

This is also set against a market environment where the e-commerce pie is no longer growing. According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, online sales accounted for 58.6% of major retailers’ total revenue in May. The online share, which stood at 56.4% in 2024 and 59.0% in 2025, has recently stabilized at around 60%. With limited room to attract new customers, this means it has become an environment where simply replicating existing services is no longer enough to survive.

The key question is how long companies can withstand this competition. Since free returns, unlimited free shipping, and direct investment in logistics translate directly into costs, the more convenience is enhanced, the greater the pressure on profitability becomes. Compounded by discussions on labor regulations targeting early-morning and late-night deliveries, the very sustainability of this convenience-driven competition is now being put to the test. The industry’s shift toward AI-based demand forecasting, inventory allocation, and delivery route optimization is an attempt to use technology to offset rising costs and achieve both convenience and profitability—killing two birds with one stone.

An e-commerce industry official stated, “Delivery competition is now shifting toward eliminating, one by one, the minor inconveniences that consumers experience.” They added, “To meet the heightened consumer expectations that have emerged since Coupang, it is no longer enough to simply strengthen individual services such as free returns or delivery times. Competitiveness will hinge on how seamlessly the entire process—from ordering to delivery, returns, and after-sales support—is integrated to provide a consistent experience.”