Clothing and shoes were among the items that received the most complaints among customers of online shopping malls.
According to the Knowledge Economy Ministry, the amounts of damage compensation most sought fell between 100,000 and 500,000 won. College students and housewives were the two groups that lodged to highest number of complaints.
Online businesses are sprouting up with an increasing number of consumers resorting to this type of trading in the hope of buying items at bargain prices.
In the compilation of complaints about online purchases last year, college students accounted for 17.3 percent to top the list, followed by housewives, who made about 11 out of every 100 complaints. Below-college-level students made up about 10 percent of complaints.
The government said that college students systematically use online trading, with their representative bodies acting as temporary recipients of deliveries, when they are not available to receive them.
College students are often regarded as the most tech-savvy group by age and show strong purchasing power.
By type of trade, B2C, or business to customer services, the most common type of transaction, accounted for three quarters of all complaints; C2C, or customer to customer trading, the venue often used for sales and purchases of second-handed items, occupied 21 percent; and B2B, or business to business transactions, accounted for 3 percent.
By item, clothing and shoes received the most complaints, about 45 percent. Cosmetics and sundries came in second with 12 percent. Computers, mobile products, household electronic items, cameras, watches and jewelry also received a significant number of complaints.
In terms of the amount of damage reported by consumers, about 32 percent of the complaints sought between 100,000 and 500,000 won, with the price range also suggesting a trend for inexpensive and expendable items.