Homeplus resumes online orders ahead of full reopening Wednesday

Homeplus has resumed online orders as it prepares for a full reopening Wednesday. The retailer soft-launched all 67 of its stores nationwide on Aug. 7 and is now ramping up product deliveries to secure the inventory needed for normal operations.

Homeplus began accepting online orders again through its website Monday at 2 p.m. Delivery and in-store pickup of those orders will be available starting Wednesday. "We will continue working to expand the range of products and delivery areas available," the company said, adding that delivery may be restricted in some areas depending on the capacity of its logistics partners.

Homeplus had been preparing to relaunch its online business by securing product supply chains, resuming distribution center operations and hiring delivery staff. Since late last month, the company had said it planned to restart online services in tandem with the physical store reopening. Online delivery will initially focus on 20 stores in the Greater Seoul area. Before suspending operations, Homeplus had offered online delivery from 41 stores.

Homeplus soft-opened its 67 stores nationwide on Aug. 7 after a period of temporary closure. The soft opening serves as a final operational check, allowing the company to verify that all systems function normally under real retail conditions and to address any remaining issues before the official launch. Homeplus aims to complete all opening preparations by Wednesday, when full commercial operations are set to begin.

Restoring a full product lineup quickly is the key challenge. At the time of the soft opening, the stock fill rate stood at around 30 percent. Homeplus plans to incrementally increase supply through Wednesday to bring its product range up to standard. "The soft opening was meant to test our systems," a company official said. "The fill rate, which was in the 30 percent range, will reach 100 percent by Wednesday, before the official opening."

Homeplus is channeling 200 billion won ($141 million) in debtor-in-possession financing into its operational recovery. The company plans to prioritize high-volume, fast-moving everyday essentials and to convert its existing multi-floor stores into single-floor formats of around 3,300 square meters. Going forward, Homeplus said it will focus on food, private-label products and fast-moving daily necessities — a model it likened to that of American retailer Trader Joe's.

The deadline for creditors to approve Homeplus's rehabilitation plan is Sept. 4. The company has less than a month to convincingly demonstrate its viability or advance a sale process. Homeplus plans to complete its structural overhaul within that window and then move forward with a full-scale sale.