Galleria Dept. Store's sales from foreigners increase 500% for past 6 months

South Korea's department store group Galleria Department Store said on Tuesday that for the past six months (between August last year and January this year) sales of luxury goods to foreign customers increased more than 500% compared to the same period last year.

Among department stores in Korea, foreigner sales at Galleria's luxury brand section are second only to that of Lotte Department Store in Seoul's Myeong-dong.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, sales to foreigners accounted for more than 15% of total luxury store sales, but due to the prolonged health crisis, it crashed to less than 1%.

In the department store, foreigner sales climbed by more than 5% in the last six months, and the main foreign consumer nationalities are in the order of China, Southeast Asia, the United States, and Japan.

Galleria has prepared welcome programs such as discount coupons and free gifts in line with the increasing trend of foreign consumers and provides affiliate benefits in partnership with merchants in the Apgujeong-dong commercial district.

Write to Jong-Kwan Park at pjk@hankyung.com