SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Xinhua/APP): South Korea’s online shopping logged a double-digit growth in September due to soaring demand for cars in cyberspace, statistical office data showed Monday.
Shopping in cyberspace grew 13.3 percent over the year to 23.80 trillion won (16.6 billion U.S. dollars) in September, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics.
The double-digit expansion was attributable to surging online purchases of new models from the U.S. carmaker Tesla. The online sale of cars and car accessories more than doubled in the cited month.
Transactions of food and beverage in cyberspace spiked 17.7 percent, and those for agricultural, livestock and fishery products jumped 21.1 percent.
Online demand for travel and transport services expanded 12.0 percent, while those for daily necessities, computers, clothing and cosmetics increased in double figures.
Online transactions of the e-coupon service added 1.9 percent amid the continued trend to provide gifts such as coffee and cake through e-coupons.
Shopping through smartphones, tablets and other mobile gadgets gained 11.0 percent from a year earlier to 18.06 trillion won (12.6 billion dollars) in September, accounting for 75.9 percent of the total online shopping.