On the 6th, after comparing the final displayed prices of 30 essential items designated by the Korea Consumer Agency, it was revealed that some products are actually more expensive on AliExpress. ⓒCaptured from the AliExpress website
AliExpress, a Chinese e-commerce platform that attracts consumers with low-cost Chinese products, gathered 24 major Korean brand sellers at the Korean Product Specialty Mall ‘K-Venue’ by offering zero commission fees for entry and sales. However, despite the expectation that Korean products could be purchased most cheaply on AliExpress, it turned out that essential items and some home appliances and digital products are being sold at even lower prices on domestic e-commerce platforms.
After comparing the final displayed prices of 30 essential items designated by the Korea Consumer Agency on AliExpress and domestic e-commerce sites with discounts, it was found that some products are actually being sold at a higher price on AliExpress. Even with the radical condition of no entry or sales commission fees, sellers on AliExpress may not have lowered prices accordingly due to the usual price-setting authority given to sellers on open markets.
For example, Coupang, an e-commerce platform that mainly purchases and sells products directly, is selling a bundle of 20 packets of Anseong Tangmyun for 13,070 won, but it is sold at a higher price of 19,000 won on AliExpress, which is 45.4% more expensive. Additionally, the prices for Kellogg’s Corn Flakes (600g, 3 packs), Coca-Cola Original No Label (370ml, 24 bottles) were respectively 1,390 won and 2,760 won more expensive on AliExpress compared to Coupang. Other products such as QONE white sugar (3kg, 4 packs), Baekseol brown sugar (1kg, 3 packs), Baekseol grape seed oil (900ml, 2 bottles), Haepyo cooking oil (1.8L, 2 bottles), Haepyo canola oil/sunflower oil (900ml each, 3 bottles each), Haepyo Sunchangung traditional soy sauce (1kg, 2 packs), Gompyo flour multipurpose (3kg, 6 packs) were also sold at higher prices.
In the case of household goods, the item “Listerine Total Care Plus 750ml, 4 packs” was priced at 36,800 won, which is more than 10,000 won higher than Coupang’s price of 25,600 won. The prices for Johnson’s Baby Lotion Pink (500ml, 2 bottles), Neutrogena Relaxing Body Lotion (450ml, 2 bottles), Gillette Foamy Sensitive Skin Shaving Foam (175g, 6 packs), Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash (532ml, 2 bottles), Head & Shoulders Apple Fresh Shampoo (850ml, 3 bottles), Himalaya Pink Salt Toothpaste (100g, 6 packs) were also higher on AliExpress.
The situation was similar for Gmarket and 11th Street, both open markets that connect sellers and buyers. On Gmarket, items like Bebel Forest Premier Baby Wipes 70 sheets cap (20 packs) and Downy Aroma Floral Fabric Softener (8.5L) were cheaper than on AliExpress. Even the price of Binggrae delicious soy milk (200ml, 24 packs) and Spam chicken breast (200g, 10 packs) was higher on AliExpress.
In addition to essential items, even electronic and digital products were not always the lowest price on AliExpress. For example, Samsung Electronics Odyssey G7 S28BG700 4K UHD 28-inch Smart Gaming Monitor and LG Gram Laptop 14ZD90S-GX56K were each 10,000 won and 100,000 won lower on Gmarket compared to AliExpress. Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Portal Gray Premium Bluetooth Gaming Headphones were also 26,000 won cheaper on Gmarket than on AliExpress.
Moreover, on 11th Street, products such as Ottogi Old Style Sesame Oil (500ml, 2 bottles), Mongbest Natural Mineral Water (1L, 24 packs), Nongshim Shin Ramyun (120g, 20 packs), Pepsi Zero (355ml, 24 cans), Persil Universal Power Gel Laundry Detergent (4.64L), Digestible Milk from Denmark (190ml, 24 packs), LavoH Scalp Strengthening Clinic Scaler (208g) were being sold at cheaper prices than on AliExpress.