E-Mart opens shipping center for its online mall

Boxes move along conveyor belts at the logistics center for E-Mart Mall, an online open market, in Yongin, Gyeonggi. The distribution center is dedicated to handling deliveries only for the online store. [NEWSIS]

E-Mart, the country’s largest supermarket chain, opened a logistics center yesterday dedicated to its online open market, E-Mart Mall, to increase same-day deliveries.

The retailer said it is the first distribution center built by a large Korean retail chain that specifically caters to its online mall.

The move reflects retailers’ shift to online platforms.

“We believe that there will be a limitation to our sales if we only focus on offline E-Mart stores,” said Choi Woo-jeong, director of E-mart’s online division.

“In fact, we estimate the maximum sales to be around 1 trillion won [$961 million] for E-Mart branches. The online-shop-only distribution center will significantly increase our sales.”

With the new four-story, 14,605-square-meter (17,467-square-yard) establishment, E-Mart Mall wants to increase the portion of products that it delivers on the same day from 55 percent to 70 percent.

Located in Bojeong-dong in Yongin, Gyeonggi, the distribution center will ship items bound for Seoul and surrounding metropolitan areas.

E-Mart also said that the 80 billion won center is equipped with an improved version of the company’s storage system to keep groceries fresh for longer.

Frozen products and seafood will be stored in ice boxes and the entire center will be kept at 8 degrees Celsius (46.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

“The new distribution center will increase the amount of products that will be delivered on the same day of the order,” Choi said. “Also, it will help improve the quality of food items delivered with an improved temperature control system and a chain system.”

BY PARK EUN-JEE [ejpark@joongang.co.kr]