Coupang: What can UK retailers learn from the Amazon of South Korea?

By Megan Tatum2023-01-19T06:30:00

Coupang has turned industry heads around the world, with many claiming the Korean platform has even managed to ‘out-Amazon’ Amazon. So what sets it apart? And what might UK retailers be able to learn from its example?

When Bom Kim dropped out halfway through a Harvard MBA to launch Coupang back in 2010, his initial idea was a Groupon-style business that offered South Korean shoppers daily deals on restaurants, spas and gadgets. Within months the entrepreneur spotted the growing scope of ecommerce, overhauling the business model to emulate an eBay-inspired third-party marketplace instead.

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