Korean e-tailer cites ramen as top sales item abroad

A leading Korean open market provider says ramen, or Korean instant noodles, has been its bestselling item abroad based on an analysis of its “global deliver service” that began late July.

11st.co.kr said books, leggings, rice cookers and kitchen supplies were next on the sales ranking list. Also popular were items hard to buy outside Korea such as A-cup bras, instant coffee, Korean herbal sanitary pads, electronic heating mattresses and breastfeeding bras.

The online store offers delivery to 103 countries including the U.S., China and Australia. Since it provides service only in Korean, Koreans studying or living abroad are its main customers while non-Korean customers account for about 10 percent.

11st.co.kr said Australia used its service the most (30 percent), followed by China (24 percent), the U.S. (16 percent), Canada (14 percent), and Japan (5 percent) because many ethnic Koreans live in those countries.

A source from the retailer said, “Online shopping is common in Australia but more than half of the people there buy goods via online shopping malls from other countries because the country has a weak online retail base.” An average customer using the service purchased goods worth 180,000 won (159 U.S. dollars), twice the average that an 11st.co.kr customer spends (84,000 won or 74.2 dollars).

11st.co.kr plans to distribute quality Korean goods via its global delivery service and help small business owners enter the global market. English-language service will start from year`s end.