MAWA in Korea

"Consumers in Korea don't exercise in their free time, they go shopping!!"

With this statement, Michaela Schenk, Managing Director of MAWA, describes consumer behavior in Korea quite meaningfully. Back from her trip together with MAWA Key Account Manager Cornelia Kaiser, the two review their experience and take us into the world of Korean department stores.

Ms. Schenk, which department stores are there in Korea and in which ones can MAWA clothes hangers be found?

“In Korea there is the so-called Premium department stores, as well as the slightly cheaper department stores. MAWA clothes hangers can be found in both variants. Shinsegae is one of the premium department stores and means "New World". The Galleria department stores can also be classified as premium department stores. However, these are only represented with a total of three stores in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. But the Hyunday and Lotte Department Stores are also among the hip department stores in Korea where our hangers can be found.”

What makes the shopping experience in Korea different than in Germany and what makes it so special?

“End consumers in Korea don't do sports, they go shopping! In the department stores mentioned above, you don't just shop, you are entertained with offers and experiences of all kinds. From household goods to fashion and food areas, everything can be found there. Test stands and various pop-up stores allow end consumers to experience the “department store” in a completely new way. Together with our Korean partners, we were able to take away many inspiring impressions, innovative ideas and lots of fun on site.”

Does the shopping experience end after the department store visit?

"Absolutely not! All department stores are extending their business online, giving consumers 360 degrees of exposure. An idea that is already being implemented in Germany, but is being pursued much more intensively in Korea. For example, Lotte Department-Stores operates the largest TV station in Korea. Here we broadcast regular live programs together with our partners. The 1-1.5 hour stream fits perfectly into the overall shopping experience. The numbers speak for themselves and result in very successful sales of our clothes hangers. After the broadcast, the show will be available online for about two weeks. The principle is repeated over and over again. And it works!"

Ms. Schenk, the magazine Maison conducted an interview with you on site. Can you tell us more about it?

Maison is a Korean interior design magazine. In the interview, MAWA is introduced as a brand, the history of our hangers since 1948 is examined in more detail and what makes our hangers special: Made in Germany is an absolute hit in Korea!