E-Mart (139480) is moving into full-scale operation of Wow Shop, its ultra-low-price household goods chain, setting up a direct challenge to Daiso.
The retailer said on the 21st that it will open Wow Shop outlets of about 330 square meters each at Starfield Market Wolgye and E-Mart Eunpyeong on the 22nd, marking the start of full operations. The stores sell fixed-price items ranging from 1,000 won to 10,000 won, with 60% of the lineup priced at 2,000 won or less to sharpen price competitiveness.
The company has been running Wow Shop on a trial basis since December last year, centered on about 1,300 household items imported directly from overseas. With the formal rollout, it has secured about 12,000 additional new products and plans to stock 7,000 to 8,000 items at each store, reflecting seasonal demand and the characteristics of individual outlets.
The product range is also expanding beyond kitchen and household goods into beauty, health supplements, stationery and toys, and consumer electronics — categories closely tied to daily life. The aim is to extend the competitiveness E-Mart has built in food into non-food segments to draw more shoppers. The move is also seen as a strategy to absorb demand by leading with price as ultra-low-price household goods chains such as Daiso gain popularity.
Featured items include a Happycall frying pan at 5,000 won and Lock&Lock food containers at 2,000 won. The health and beauty lineup, including basic skincare, offers about 790 items priced at 5,000 won or less. Health supplements such as vitamins, milk thistle and magnesium start in the 1,000-won range. Other goods include quilted comforters at 5,000 won and wired earphones at 1,000 won. Items priced at 10,000 won, such as air fryers, coffee makers, single-person electric blankets and carry-on luggage, will be sold in limited quantities.
E-Mart plans to open a Wow Shop at Starfield Market Gunsan on the 30th, bringing the total number of mid- to large-sized Wow Shop outlets to five this year. The company will also create new Wow Shop zones inside E-Mart and E-Mart Everyday stores, gradually expanding the range of newly developed products.
"We will concentrate our product planning capabilities and global sourcing capacity to strengthen an ultra-low-price household goods lineup that satisfies customers on both price and quality," an E-Mart official said.