[Edaily Reporter Lee So-Hyun ] Cafe24 Corp.(042000)is hosting a large-scale event to support manufacturing companies in expanding their online sales channels and growing their brands through their own online stores. The initiative aims to help production-focused manufacturing companies establish direct sales channels to consumers and provide a one-stop platform where they can explore support programs essential for business growth, such as smart factories, logistics, and recruitment.

Global e-commerce platform Cafe24 Corp. announced on the 14th that it will host “MAKE YOUR BRAND! From Manufacturing to Branding, From Startup to Growth” at 1:00 PM on October 21 at the OSCO Grand Ballroom Hall in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

This event is part of the “K-Manufacturing Smart E-commerce Innovation Project” currently being promoted by Cafe24 Corp. It was organized to assist manufacturing companies in transitioning to direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales and growing their brands through their own online stores.

Public institutions and related organizations, including the Korea Post, the Inno-Biz Association, the Chungnam Economic Promotion Agency, the Chungcheongbuk-do Enterprise Promotion Agency, and the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Association, will participate in the event. They plan to introduce key policies and support programs for manufacturing companies.

Cafe24 Corp. has held two related conferences this year to share strategies for manufacturing companies’ transition to D2C via their own online stores and for brand management. The first event in June attracted nearly twice as many applications as the available capacity, and 350 people attended the July event. Reflecting the high level of interest from manufacturing companies and requests to hold the event in the region, Cafe24 Corp. is hosting this event in Cheongju, in the Chungcheong region, and has expanded the participant capacity to 1,000.

Sharing Practical Strategies from Company-Owned Online Stores to Smart Factories

A key feature of this conference is that it broadens the scope beyond traditional D2C and brand management strategies to cover the entire business operations of manufacturing companies. It addresses practical solutions necessary for the growth of manufacturing companies, including digital transformation of production sites, the establishment and operation of company-owned online stores, logistics, and customer acquisition and management.

Cafe24 Corp. will share practical strategies necessary for manufacturing companies to enhance their online business capabilities, including the establishment and operation of company-owned online stores, branding, data-driven marketing, global sales, and customer service.

Presentations by related organizations will also be featured. The Chungnam Economic Promotion Agency will highlight changes in the manufacturing environment and key challenges facing local manufacturing companies, while the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Association will outline the direction for digital transformation on the production floor, focusing on smart factories and the utilization of manufacturing data. The Korea Post will introduce ways to enhance domestic and international delivery competitiveness in line with the changing distribution environment.

Case studies of manufacturing companies that have established sales structures centered on their own online stores will also be presented. The premium cheese brand “En Tour Soleil” achieved a 90% increase in visitors, a 92% increase in orders, and an 83% increase in first-time customers during its 5th-anniversary event following its collaboration with Cafe24 Corp.

Support for Logistics, Hiring, and Content Creation Also Provided

Consultation booths for support programs that manufacturing companies can utilize at each stage of their business will also be set up at the event venue.

Cafe24 Corp. and the Smart Manufacturing Innovation Association will assist the first 50 participating manufacturing companies (on a first-come, first-served basis) in connecting with the Smart Factory Level Verification Program. All related costs will be fully covered by government funding.

Cafe24 Corp. will select three participating companies to support them in producing and promoting documentary-style content—featuring their manufacturing processes and brand stories—in collaboration with YouTube channels that have over 1 million subscribers.

The Korea Post will provide participating companies operating their own online stores with information on special discounts for domestic and international shipping, as well as benefits related to logistics, finance, and customer service (CS) operations. The Inno-Biz Association will introduce youth employment support programs. The Chungnam Economic Promotion Agency and the North Chungcheong Province Enterprise Promotion Agency will share regional support policies covering market expansion, job creation, entrepreneurship, and business stability.

Applications can be submitted via the Cafe24 Corp. website and Eventus.

Lee Jae-seok, CEO of Cafe24 Corp., stated, “Manufacturing companies are now moving beyond simply recognizing the need for a D2C transition and are showing growing interest in how to actually apply the operation of their own online stores and customer acquisition to their core business.” He added, “We will support manufacturing companies so they can grow their brands by enhancing their online sales and customer management capabilities while remaining focused on production.”