200 Million KakaoTalk Gifts Sent This Year... Starbucks for Others, Dior for Yourself

[The Financial News] Nearly 200 million gifts were exchanged through KakaoTalk Gift this year. As with last year, the most popular gift was a Starbucks gift card.

According to Kakao’s analysis of KakaoTalk Gift usage data from January 1 to December 17, there were approximately 189.5 million transactions in total. This averages out to about 540,000 gifts exchanged per day. The platform offered products from over 8,700 brands and around 640,000 different items.
Kakao stated, “KakaoTalk Gift has proven its value as a platform that connects people in everyday life.”
The most popular gift card, as in the previous year, was the Starbucks gift card. Baedal Minjok gift cards ranked second.
This is the first year Baedal Minjok gift cards have taken the second spot, reflecting the expanded use of gift cards from shopping to delivery services.
Emart, Shinsegae, Olive Young, and A Twosome Place gift cards also made it into the top five.

There has also been a noticeable trend of consumers purchasing gifts for themselves.
Among the top 10 self-gifting items, high-end electronics and accessory brands like Dyson and CASETiFY benefited from seasonal promotions, ranking third and ninth, respectively.
Dior Beauty (first place) and Prada Beauty (sixth), along with luxury beauty and niche fragrance brands such as Byredo and Le Labo, newly entered the top ranks, highlighting the 'small luxury' consumption trend.
This suggests that even expensive products can be chosen as a form of self-reward, provided they meet each individual’s rational criteria.
This year, the most frequently added items to users’ wishlists were practical, everyday items that also reflected personal preferences.
The top wishlisted item was a beauty gift card, allowing recipients to choose products that suit their tastes.
Lip gloss ranked second, and tumblers came in third. These are practical daily goods with relatively low price points.
Delivery gift cards and perfumes ranked fourth and fifth, respectively. These gifts are seen as balancing practicality and personal taste.
A Kakao representative noted, “This year’s gifting trends show a stronger emphasis on respecting individual preferences. The key themes are practicality, personal taste, and experience.”
gaa1003@fnnews.com Ahn Ga-eul Reporter