When the news that eBay, a global e-commerce company, is considering the sale of eBay Korea, the buyers are interested. The picture is an auction mobile shopping mall owned by eBay Korea. Global e-commerce company eBay has officially announced that it is considering the sale of eBay Korea. EBay Korea operates Gmarket, Auction, and G9 in Korea. There is already an interest in who will buy eBay Korea.
According to Bloomberg News, eBay has “began a process to evaluate, review, and explore a wide range of strategic alternatives to Korean businesses. We are considering options to maximize shareholder value and create future business growth opportunities.” Revealed.
Although eBay did not specifically express the sale of eBay Korea, it is analyzed that it was actually officially formulated. EBay Korea is a large-scale sale in the e-commerce market. In addition to being the No. 1 operator in the market, it is the only large e-commerce company that made a surplus. EBay Korea boasts a 14% market share in the online shopping mall industry with a transaction amount of 19 trillion won in 2019. In the same year, he joined the ‘1 trillion won club’ with commission sales of over 1.94 trillion won. The fact that it has recorded a surplus for 15 consecutive years since 2005 clearly shows eBay Korea’s solid business model.
It is known that eBay has set the ransom price of eBay Korea to over 5 trillion won. Domestic offline distribution companies such as Lotte, Shinsegae, and Hyundai Department Store are mentioned as candidates for purchase. Anyone can become an e-commerce powerhouse by catching eBay Korea. If Lotte and Shinsegae, who are striving for Lotte On and Shup.com, take over eBay Korea, they will quickly rise to the top of the e-commerce market. Hyundai Department Store operates H Mall, but the online presence is still insignificant. If Hyundai Department Store acquires eBay Korea, it can establish itself in the online business at once.
While domestic distribution companies drew a line saying’no interest’, global number 1 e-commerce company Amazon also emerged as a powerful’dark horse’. In November of last year, Amazon entered into the domestic distribution industry through a strategic alliance with 11th Street. But in the industry, not a few people questioned the synergy between Amazon and 11th Street. If 11st cooperates only at the level of direct sales agency for Amazon products, it is difficult to expect a great synergy. This is why we expect that if eBay Korea comes out for sale, Amazon will have no choice but to swallow its mouth.
There are also opinions that a private equity fund (PEF) with excellent financial power can be bought. In the industry, we refer to Coleberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), an American private equity fund manager, as the most prominent PEF. KKR became the largest shareholder of T-Mon in 2015 and established itself as a major player in the e-commerce industry. It also participated in an additional investment of 400 billion won earlier this year. In addition, MBK Partners, which acquired Homeplus, and Affinity Equity Partners, which invested in SSG.com, are also mentioned as candidates.
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