AliExpress holds steady with about 9.52 million monthly active users as Coupang dominates
Category expansion cements cross-border platform as everyday shopping destination
The competitive landscape of South Korea's e-commerce market is shifting, as measured by monthly active users. Coupang continues to hold an overwhelming lead, while AliExpress and Naver Plus Store are steadily building their own user bases in the upper tier.
According to data released Thursday by WiseApp·Retail, Coupang recorded about 33.79 million monthly active users in August, retaining the top spot among general shopping platforms. AliExpress ranked second with about 9.52 million users, followed by Naver Plus Store in third with about 8.77 million — a 4.8 percent increase from the previous month. Temu and 11Street trailed behind.
While Coupang's dominance shows no signs of fading, AliExpress has maintained a relatively stable user base. The platform slipped in the rankings briefly in April and May this year, but recovered to second place in June with about 9.39 million users. It then posted about 9.62 million in July and about 9.52 million in August, holding in the mid-to-high 9 million range for three consecutive months.
Analysts say the trend is difficult to dismiss as a one-off. Cross-border shopping platforms often spike in traffic around major discount events or ultra-low-price promotions. AliExpress, by contrast, has consistently maintained a user base in the 8 million to 9 million range for most of the past year, embedding itself in the product-browsing and price-comparison habits of Korean consumers.
As AliExpress has established its footing, the way consumers use shopping apps has grown more varied. The emerging pattern: shoppers turn to Coupang for items requiring fast delivery, check prices and reviews on Naver, and compare cross-border imports, domestically shipped goods and brand products on AliExpress.
The platform's recent ranking gains also reflect a broader shift in how Korean consumers perceive cross-border shopping. Price used to be the overriding factor. Increasingly, however, AliExpress has expanded into domestically shipped products, brand goods, everyday household items and digital accessories — moving closer to a general lifestyle shopping channel. The model draws users in with price competitiveness, then retains them through product variety and repeat-use experience.
Monthly active user counts alone do not determine market dominance, but they are a meaningful indicator of consumer reach. Sustaining a user base in the 9 million range on a general shopping app suggests a level of habitual, repeat engagement that goes beyond one-time promotions or viral moments.
Market watchers are keeping a close eye on how Naver Plus Store and AliExpress expand their consumer touchpoints, even as Coupang's top position looks set to hold for now. Naver is broadening its shopping experience by bundling search, content and membership services, while AliExpress is widening its reach by combining price competitiveness, product breadth and both cross-border and domestic delivery options.
Challenges remain. Sustaining top-tier user numbers and converting them into lasting growth will require more than low prices. As the user base grows, so will expectations around delivery reliability, returns and refunds, product quality and brand trust. Ultimately, the next phase of competition is likely to be decided not on price, but on credibility.
spa@heraldcorp.com
