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jvalmer
Joined: 06 Jun 2003
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 Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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| alongway wrote: |
| dairyairy wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Despite what people on this board likes to think, bringing foreign products into a market is not going to do any company any favors in any market. Localization is the key |
The Costco food court area proves this, right? |
I was thinking the incredible and spectacular failure of Starbucks in Korea would be the poster child for this concept. |
Should have chose my words more carefully. Don't expect the big groceries to start stocking up on cheese, and other western items, just because you want it. There maybe 2 million foreigners in Korea, and maybe 100,000 are from Western Europe or North America. The the vast majority of the rest are Asian and a large chunk of them are ethnic-Koreans. Catering to westerners is not a big market and not worth much effort. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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| jvalmer wrote: |
| alongway wrote: |
| dairyairy wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Despite what people on this board likes to think, bringing foreign products into a market is not going to do any company any favors in any market. Localization is the key |
The Costco food court area proves this, right? |
I was thinking the incredible and spectacular failure of Starbucks in Korea would be the poster child for this concept. |
Should have chose my words more carefully. Don't expect the big groceries to start stocking up on cheese, and other western items, just because you want it. There maybe 2 million foreigners in Korea, and maybe 100,000 are from Western Europe or North America. The the vast majority of the rest are Asian and a large chunk of them are ethnic-Koreans. Catering to westerners is not a big market and not worth much effort. |
For cheese and cold cuts, try Dean and Deluca in Shinsegae. Pricey, but a nice selection. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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| I found some good cheese at Costco. |
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alongway
Joined: 02 Jan 2012
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| Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2012 11:16 pm Post subject: |
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| jvalmer wrote: |
| alongway wrote: |
| dairyairy wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Despite what people on this board likes to think, bringing foreign products into a market is not going to do any company any favors in any market. Localization is the key |
The Costco food court area proves this, right? |
I was thinking the incredible and spectacular failure of Starbucks in Korea would be the poster child for this concept. |
Should have chose my words more carefully. Don't expect the big groceries to start stocking up on cheese, and other western items, just because you want it. There maybe 2 million foreigners in Korea, and maybe 100,000 are from Western Europe or North America. The the vast majority of the rest are Asian and a large chunk of them are ethnic-Koreans. Catering to westerners is not a big market and not worth much effort. |
Why not? Koreans like cheese. They don't like paying an arm and a leg for cheese, but if the grocery store was smart, brought in enough cheese to lower the price to something more reasonable, you'd probably see consumption increase.
The failure of an individual product over here can be chalked up to a couple things. Lack of interest and lack of marketing. Most of the foreign products a lot of these places bring in have no marketing at all. Most people don't even know they're there or would never think to try them.
In other industries, western made products and services are often advertised as being a positive thing, no reason that couldn't happen with grocery items as well. I think there are a lot of products that would do well here if marketed and given a fair chance. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2012 1:22 am Post subject: |
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| alongway wrote: |
| jvalmer wrote: |
| alongway wrote: |
| dairyairy wrote: |
| Quote: |
| Despite what people on this board likes to think, bringing foreign products into a market is not going to do any company any favors in any market. Localization is the key |
The Costco food court area proves this, right? |
I was thinking the incredible and spectacular failure of Starbucks in Korea would be the poster child for this concept. |
Should have chose my words more carefully. Don't expect the big groceries to start stocking up on cheese, and other western items, just because you want it. There maybe 2 million foreigners in Korea, and maybe 100,000 are from Western Europe or North America. The the vast majority of the rest are Asian and a large chunk of them are ethnic-Koreans. Catering to westerners is not a big market and not worth much effort. |
Why not? Koreans like cheese. They don't like paying an arm and a leg for cheese, but if the grocery store was smart, brought in enough cheese to lower the price to something more reasonable, you'd probably see consumption increase.
The failure of an individual product over here can be chalked up to a couple things. Lack of interest and lack of marketing. Most of the foreign products a lot of these places bring in have no marketing at all. Most people don't even know they're there or would never think to try them.
In other industries, western made products and services are often advertised as being a positive thing, no reason that couldn't happen with grocery items as well. I think there are a lot of products that would do well here if marketed and given a fair chance. |
Good point. Those free samples at Costco are a good way to introduce new products. They seem to sell, for example, quite a bit of string cheese, which very few Koreans knew about (and how to eat). |
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sojusucks
Joined: 31 May 2008
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| Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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| I posted previously that I went to Lotte Vic Market and purchased Pop Tarts. Well, this week Lotte Vic Market called me to tell me that the labels were misprinted with incorrect nutritional translations and that I would be receiving a 20,000 won gift card the next time I visit the store. Has anyone even heard of this happening elsewhere? Or did they get caught selling something they weren't allowed to sell? It's very confusing. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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| sojusucks wrote: |
| I posted previously that I went to Lotte Vic Market and purchased Pop Tarts. Well, this week Lotte Vic Market called me to tell me that the labels were misprinted with incorrect nutritional translations and that I would be receiving a 20,000 won gift card the next time I visit the store. Has anyone even heard of this happening elsewhere? Or did they get caught selling something they weren't allowed to sell? It's very confusing. |
I've never heard of anything like that happening. There have been a lot of investigative consumer stories lately about the country of origin of goods being changed, and not always because they are from China, so maybe it could be something about where the ingredients came from. |
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Emark
Joined: 10 May 2007
Location: duh, Korea?
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| Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 1:13 am Post subject: |
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| Weigookin74 wrote: |
| Any long term expats able to tell us what it was like in a Wal Mart Korea store? I bet they sold many foriegn products. |
As I recall, it didn't have any more unique foreign products than E-Mart, Home Plus, Or at the time Carre Four, and Home Ever).
It was like having all the regular Korean merchandise imported and on sale in a Wal-Mart back home. Or depending on how you viewed it, it felt like you were back home, but surrounded with Korean merchandise and Koreans. A little trippy now that I reminisce.
Actually, in it's day, Home Ever was starting to sell cheap IKEA knock off products IKEA style: bring home a box and build it yourself.
Oh the good ol' days. Thanks for the voyage down memory lane.
(add emotional sob here) |
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I-am-me
Joined: 21 Feb 2006
Location: Hermit Kingdom
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| Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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| I just went to the VIC Market in Mango-dong in Suwon. PRetty much spitting image of a Costco. A lot more convienient than going to Seoul. It's got my business!!! |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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| I-am-me wrote: |
| I just went to the VIC Market in Mango-dong in Suwon. PRetty much spitting image of a Costco. A lot more convienient than going to Seoul. It's got my business!!! |
Where is it in Suwon? |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 12:59 am Post subject: |
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| I-am-me wrote: |
| I just went to the VIC Market in Mango-dong in Suwon. PRetty much spitting image of a Costco. A lot more convienient than going to Seoul. It's got my business!!! |
Take this for what it's worth, but a friend of a friend (both Korean) said Lotte VIC was disorganized compared to Costco and stocked almost only domestic goods. Still, if you're in Suwon and like to stock up on ramen and kim, Lotte Vic might be the way to go.
BTW, whatever happened to the Costco that was going to open in Yongin? |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:41 am Post subject: |
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| How's Lotte Vics now? Have they gotten any better into the game? More foreign goods? I'd imagine they'd have to get some good purchasing agents to locate the best products around the world. If they don't, then Costco will continue to dominate. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:52 am Post subject: |
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Two new ones are about to open in Seoul. One will be a few blocks from Costco.
In fact they open on Feb 28th,
http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2967686
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Lotte Mart, the country�s third-largest discount store chain, said Sunday it will open its membership warehouse chain VIC Market Yeongdeungpo and Dobong stores on Thursday.
Lotte intends to compete with Costco in southwestern Seoul with the Yeongdeungpo store and in northeastern Seoul with its Dobong store.
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The VIC Market in Yeongdeungpo is 1 kilometer (0.62 mile) away from Costco�s Yangpyeong store in southwestern Seoul.
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To celebrate, Costco pizzas will be 10,000 won from 3/4 to 3/10.  |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 11:14 am Post subject: |
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| I assume Costco's pizzas are still better. Never had a Lotte Mart pizza, but have tried E Mart's. Not so great. Costco's on the other hand much better. Many Koreans do like Costco, but I'm sure the majority of the country doesn't shop there. Just wish Costco had more locations around the country. |
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Dodge7
Joined: 21 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2013 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Weigookin74 wrote: |
| I assume Costco's pizzas are still better. Never had a Lotte Mart pizza, but have tried E Mart's. Not so great. Costco's on the other hand much better. Many Koreans do like Costco, but I'm sure the majority of the country doesn't shop there. Just wish Costco had more locations around the country. |
Blame Korea and its stringent policies regarding big chain stores to protect the littler mom and pops. Costco doesn't like having clamps put down on top of them and that is why they are not opening any new stores. |
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