"I got it from work, but I don't use it": Holiday gift sets flood secondhand platforms

[Financial News]  As Chuseok approaches, more people are reselling holiday gift sets received from their companies or acquaintances on secondhand trading platforms. Sellers can get rid of items they do not need, while buyers can purchase desired products at prices below retail.
A search for "Chuseok gifts" on Karrot, a secondhand trading platform, on the 23rd returned numerous listings for holiday gift sets.
Many of the items were food products, including cooking oil, seasonings, canned goods, meat and fruit. Household products such as shampoo, toothpaste and body wash were also being sold. Prices ranged from around 10,000 won to around 100,000 won.
The reasons for selling the gifts varied. Some sellers wrote, "It's a gift set I received from my company, but I don't use it" and "I live alone, so it's difficult to get rid of it." Others said they had no use for the gift sets because they were not traveling to their hometowns for Chuseok.
Some listings included phrases such as "an unopened, brand-new product," "individual items can also be purchased" and "selling for much less than the online price."
On the 21st, a post titled "Top 3 holiday gifts sent straight to Karrot as soon as they are received" was uploaded to X. The post ranked Spam and tuna sets first, cooking oil and seaweed sets second, and shampoo and soap sets third.
Online users responded, "People often do not use holiday gift sets even when they receive them," "It's actually nice because you can buy things you need at low prices" and "People living alone can get a good deal by shopping on Karrot after the holiday."

Meanwhile, as trading activity increases, so does the potential for scams and disputes over product condition.
Common scams include sellers taking payment without shipping the goods or sending fake secure-payment links to induce buyers to make payments.
There are also cases in which scammers use product photos or transaction information from other sellers to post fraudulent listings.
In particular, buyers need to check whether gift sets containing health functional foods, such as red ginseng and vitamins, may legally be traded.
At present, peer-to-peer transactions involving health functional foods are permitted on a limited basis through some platforms participating in a pilot program run by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter