Re-emphasizing Ultra-Selective Shopping
Kurly selects products based on approximately 70 criteria including freshness, production methods, and safety, and presents them to customers after 5 verification processes. As a result, the repurchase rate is 71.3%, more than double the distribution industry average.
Expanding Taste-Based Shopping
Rather than lowest prices and fast delivery, ‘excellent products not introduced to the market’ and ‘hard-to-find products’—redefining the value Kurly provides in an era where individual tastes are increasingly segmented.
Reaffirming Brand Philosophy
The slogan ‘Fill Your Short Life with Good Things’ ultimately was a message returning to the value of ‘good things’ that sustained Kurly for 10 years. It declared an evolution into a brand that proposes lifestyles beyond functional benefits.
The Conditions of Premium Korean Consumers Choose
Korean consumers are changing. Market Kurly accurately read this shift.
Rise of Value Consumption: Korean consumers began seeking ‘the right thing’ rather than simply cheap options. This trend is particularly pronounced in categories directly related to health, like food. The fact that 45.7% of Market Kurly users cite ‘quality/freshness’ as their reason for choosing the platform proves this.
Trust in Curation: Too many choices cause fatigue. Curation services that offer only carefully selected products, like Market Kurly, are perceived as premium. Tasting notes written by staff after personally trying products created trust that “what Market Kurly sells can be trusted.”
Consistency of Experience: Providing consistent experiences across all touchpoints—from Saetbyeol Delivery to packaging and product quality—builds brand loyalty. The key is keeping the promise of “farm to table in 24 hours” through 100% direct producer transactions and a full cold chain system.
Success of Premium Positioning: When Coupang targeted the mass market with ‘fast and convenient delivery,’ Market Kurly captured the premium market with ‘quality and differentiated products.’ They proved that different positioning is possible even in the same market.
What Will Differentiate Your Brand?
The lessons from Market Kurly’s 10 years are clear.
Play a Different Game from Competitors: When Coupang emphasized speed and convenience, Market Kurly differentiated through quality and curation. They proved that different positioning is possible in the same market.
Strictness Becomes Brand: 70 criteria, tasting notes, 5 product verifications. All these processes created the trust that “Market Kurly is different.” What are your brand’s strict standards?
Brands Must Be Philosophy Beyond Function: The 10th anniversary campaign was a strategic move that celebrated the past while redefining brand philosophy and preparing for the future. What way of life does your brand propose to customers?
Market Kurly’s success results from consistently designing all touchpoints from product selection to brand philosophy, not just logistics innovation. It’s not simply selling food, but proposing a better life. This is the essence of Market Kurly’s 10-year marketing.
HY Marketing designs brand strategies that create meaningful choices for brands in Korea, Japan, and beyond.
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Soeun Kim, Korean Marketing Coordinator
