Exploring the Shopping Experience in Korea: A Survey to Improve the E-commerce Landscape
Living in a foreign country comes with its own set of unique challenges, and Korea is no exception. From language barriers to navigating public services, the daily tasks that might be simple back home can often become a source of frustration. One of the most significant challenges for many expats in Korea is the shopping experience—whether it’s online or in physical stores. To better understand and address these challenges, I’ve launched a survey as part of my master’s thesis at Woosong University, focusing on the usability of South Korea’s leading e-commerce platform, Coupang.
Why This Study Matters
South Korea is known for its advanced technology and consumer services, with online shopping platforms like Coupang dominating the e-commerce market. However, the user experience for locals and foreigners can differ drastically due to language limitations, cultural differences, and even platform usability. While Coupang has taken steps to make their platform more user-friendly for non-Korean speakers, there are still notable hurdles that need to be addressed to ensure a seamless experience for all users.
The purpose of this study is to compare the perspectives of Korean nationals and foreigners when it comes to using Coupang. By gathering data from both groups, I aim to identify key usability issues and suggest improvements that could enhance the overall shopping experience for everyone, especially foreigners who may struggle with certain aspects of e-commerce in Korea.
The Impact of E-commerce on Daily Life
For both Koreans and expats, shopping has become a predominantly digital activity. With the rise of online platforms, more people rely on e-commerce for everything from groceries to household items. In Korea, Coupang has emerged as the go-to platform, offering rapid delivery services, a wide variety of products, and competitive prices.
However, shopping online as a foreigner often comes with additional difficulties. Language barriers, unclear instructions, and even problems with product searches are some common complaints that I’ve heard from my friends and colleagues. This study will focus on these challenges and how they differ between local users and foreigners.
How You Can Help
To ensure that this research captures a wide range of perspectives, I’m inviting both Korean nationals and expats in Korea to participate in this survey. Your feedback is crucial to understanding the current state of e-commerce usability and the changes that could make it better for everyone.
By participating in this survey, you’ll be helping to shape the future of online shopping in Korea. The data gathered will be used to propose improvements that could lead to a more inclusive and user-friendly shopping platform for both locals and non-Koreans alike.
Who Should Take the Survey?
This survey is open to anyone living in Korea, whether you’re a Korean national or a foreign resident. If you’ve shopped on Coupang before or regularly use the platform for your purchases, your insights are incredibly valuable. Even if you’ve only used the platform a few times or have faced challenges that prevented you from using it more frequently, your feedback will still be a major contribution to this research.
How to Participate
You can participate in the survey by selecting the link that corresponds to your preferred language. I’ve made the survey available in multiple languages to ensure that everyone can easily participate:
English: https://forms.gle/TwvsMhyGBqGC7qgb9
Korean: https://forms.gle/NiAcGKF4y2cTKbrL8
Chinese: https://forms.gle/6gNrpxgFoGHJ88C16
Vietnamese: https://forms.gle/ZzEHFr8MAnWCq18h6
The survey is completely anonymous, and your responses will be used solely for academic research purposes. Completing the survey will only take a few minutes, but your input will go a long way in improving the online shopping experience in Korea.
Why Your Participation Matters
As more and more people rely on e-commerce for their daily needs, it’s crucial to ensure that these platforms are accessible to everyone, regardless of nationality or language proficiency. By sharing your experience—whether positive or negative—you’ll be helping to highlight the issues that foreign users face and bring attention to the areas that need improvement.
This research aims to create a better understanding of how the local and foreigner shopping experiences differ in Korea and what changes could help make e-commerce platforms like Coupang more inclusive and efficient. Your participation is not just about helping with a research paper; it’s about contributing to a larger conversation around digital inclusivity in Korea.
Conclusion
The shopping experience in Korea, especially online, is an integral part of daily life for both locals and foreigners. While platforms like Coupang have revolutionized e-commerce in the country, there’s always room for improvement—especially when it comes to making these services more accessible to non-Korean speakers.
Your voice matters, and by participating in this survey, you’ll be helping to create a better, more inclusive shopping experience for everyone in Korea. So, if you’re a foreigner navigating the shopping scene in Korea or a local with insights on how these platforms can be enhanced, please take a few minutes to fill out the survey and share your thoughts.
Thank you for your time and support!
Best regards,
Sagar Pandey
CEO/ Co-Founder, Montem Flumen, / MBA, Woosong University
+82-10-9695-9805 | www.montemflumen.org
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