SK Planet exports e-commerce platform

By Kim Yoo-chul

SK Planet, an e-commerce affiliate of Korea’s top mobile carrier SK Telecom, is steadily exporting its platform to other Asian countries.

It aims to challenge Google, Microsoft, Apple and Yahoo, the popular platform titans of the industry.

On Tuesday, the company launched an e-commerce platform named “The n11.com” in Turkey, where Internet literacy and broadband penetration is rapidly growing.

The n11.com service, which has around 2 million products available for sale, is operated by Dogus Planet ― a 50:50 joint venture between SK Planet and Turkey’s Dogus Group.

"Since SK Planet has acquired rich experience in managing online commerce and music platforms by operating 11st (11 Street) ― a local online auction site ― and the music service MelOn, the venture will help Turkey build an eco-system in e-commerce that satisfies customers, sellers and operators,’’ said company spokeswoman Lee Ho-yeon, Friday.

Lee said her company’s consistent after-sales service in Korea will be similarly applied to its business in Turkey.

In line with its localization strategy, the firm plans to operate a 24-hour customer service center for Turkish consumers, as well as coupon services and customer rewards programs.

"Internet penetration rate in Turkey exceeds 50 percent, meaning some 40 million of its population has access to high-speed Internet. More Turkish people are purchasing items via e-commerce. What’s impressive is that 60 percent of the total population is under 34, making the market more attractive,’’ said the spokeswoman.

She said the company’s music content business in Indonesia is witnessing stable growth. SK Planet is the biggest music content provider in the country.

In 2010, it entered that country by forming a joint venture with PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia. The launch of MelOn Indonesia marked the beginning of SK Planet’s export of content distribution platforms as part of its global expansion plans.

MelOn Indonesia, meaning Melody On, is a digital music service which offers online and mobile users unlimited music downloads and streaming.

Unlike other music stores that offer pay-per-song, MelOn Indonesia users can download or listen to a wide spectrum of music from Indonesian to American and British Pop as well as Korean, Japanese and Chinese artists with one subscription.

``With this major competitive edge, MelOn Indonesia is setting a new trend for music consumption among Indonesian users,’’ Lee said.

In Japan, Planet teamed up with Japan’s top game developer Sega to cooperate in marketing and distributing Sega’s mobile games in Korea as the nation’s gaming industry continues to surge thanks to increasing smartphone penetration.

The company has adopted a two-pronged approach in its globalization bid.

In countries that have better broadband infrastructure, SK Planet is aggressive in selling its e-commerce systems.

Elsewhere, the firm is active in introducing music portal services in various Southeast Asian nations where K-Pop and Korean culture are increasingly popular.

The company’s extensive experience in the digital music business and expertise in operating its online music store and online auction in Korea bolsters the firm’s overseas expansion quest, said company officials.

SK Planet was established in October, 2011 with the aspiration to become a global platform innovator. It runs T-Store, T-map, and Cyworld, Korea’s top mobile app store, mobile navigation and SNS, respectively.