By Jane Han
Staff Reporter
Eating dinner alone has always been awkward for Ji Young-eun, a 33-year-old single working woman who dines by herself at least three times a week. But she's quickly finding more comfort, thanks to the downtown department store.
Not only can Ji choose from a variety of cuisine from Chinese to Italian, she can gracefully sit alone in booths specially designed for solos.
"I finish work and, if nothing else, head over to the closest mall for a hassle-free dinner," said Ji, who frequents the Lotte and Shinsegae department stores in downtown Seoul.
Targeting singles like Ji, these businesses have recently begun setting aside separate booths to make sure that awkwardness and alienation don't drive away committed spenders.
Lotte Department Store says it plans to increase the number of tables-for-one by 20 percent as the number of young single shoppers has been steadily climbing.
According to Shinsegae's customer traffic analysis, the number of lone consumers in their 20s and 30s account for nearly 45 percent of its entire customer base.
"Come here around 7 to 8 p.m. on a weekday and you'll see that single people are almost the majority," said Han Hee-jeong, a manager overseeing the food court at the Shinsegae branch in southern Seoul.
To take advantage of the growing crowd, large retailers are reorganizing their shop layouts and merchandise.
At E-Mart and Lotte Mart, single shoppers can easily find food packaged for one in separate aisles that carry only single-serve items.
Electronics and appliance retailer Hi-mart displays mini refrigerators - about one-fourth the size of normal units - up front to attract shoppers needing a small fridge.
And online shopping sites Gmarket and Auction make smart purchase suggestions for consumers who've been identified as living alone.
"From department stores and banks to hotels, businesses are finding good money in the singles industry," said marketing consultant Lee Hyo-taek, who specializes in retail.
"It's all about how companies deliver their products to consumers so that they're most easily accessible," he said, adding that the "packaging trick" will continue to work as the number of singles is on an upward trend.
According to Statistics Korea, the number of one-member households has consistently gone up from 1995 to 2009.
"This is a global trend with more people delaying marriage," said Jang Jin-ho, a researcher at the Institute for Social Development & Policy Research, "and the new lifestyle is influencing the way products and services are offered."
Even barbeque restaurants, which typically require diners to order at least two servings, are making sacrifices.
Gogichon Plus Bar, a new barbeque eatery in Sinchon, eastern Seoul, has set up single-friendly bars for solos who want privacy.
jhan@koreatimes.co.kr
|
[단독] 르노삼성, 본사 모델로 한국 공략
