SOUTH KOREA. Lotte Duty Free has expanded the offer at its Ginza Japan Direct Purchase online store with further premium spirits and toy brands.
The move comes as more South Koreans visit Japan, taking advantage of the weakened Yen to make purchases. The leading travel retailer has also launched a series of discounts and special offers for shoppers.
Citing data from Statistics Korea, the retailer said that the volume of online direct purchases from Japan in the first three quarters of 2023 reached around KRW344.9 billion (US$260 million), an increase of +3.2% compared to the same period a year earlier.
Lotte Duty Free’s updated offer through its Ginza Japan Direct online store includes toys and collectibles such as Nendoroid, which is famous for characters from the popular manga series Demon Slayer. Other brands in the line-up include Bearbrick and Pop Mart.
In January, the retailer introduced collections from premium Japanese wine and spirits brand Inishie. These includede its old vintage sake Inishie Tenon; Inishie 1984 Batsugun, an old barley shochu that has been aged for over 35 years; and Inishie Matsufuji Umeshu, a plum wine with a deep umami flavour.
According to Lotte Duty Free, all 730 products in the Ginza online store are sourced directly from its Tokyo Ginza branch to enhance price competitiveness and build customer trust.
The online store also showcases a wide selection of skincare brands including Senka Perfect Whip and other products such as cooling foot gel pad and konjac jelly, which are popular travel essentials.
The retail price for alcohol products and convenience store snacks is around -30% lower at the Ginza Japan Direct Purchase online store compared to Japanese consumer websites and at popular discount stores in Japan, Lotte Duty Free noted. The retailer also plans to add new categories including fashion watches in the future.
The retailer will be launching promotional events including the Lucky Box, a monthly product review contest that allows customers to win two of the best items from its online shopping store.
Customers can also purchase a Zojirushi tumbler at a -50% discount, and products such as nanoblocks and baby products are sold at a -10% discount.
Shoppers who spend more than KRW100,000 (US$75) at the LDF Tokyo Ginza online store using their Lotte Card will be entitled to a KRW10,000 (US$7.50) billing discount.
Lotte Duty Free New Growth Business Division Head Daehyun Ahn said: “We have prepared a variety of products and events, including premium figures, to capture the demand for direct shopping in Japan. As a travel retailer, Lotte Duty Free will continue to strive to provide differentiated shopping benefits to customers.”
The online store was formerly named LDF BUY, and was launched by Lotte Duty Free in June 2021. The company’s Japanese subsidiary is directly responsible for product sourcing and operation.
Lotte Duty Free said that since the products sold are not duty free, they can be bought online without having to leave the country, and can be delivered within an average of five days. The minimum order amount is KRW50,000 (US$37) and shipping is free.✈
