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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Starting Monday, April 14, South Korea’s top food delivery platform Baedal Minjok (Baemin) has fully implemented service fees for pickup orders, sparking backlash from restaurant owners who have long criticized rising commission costs.
The controversy follows Baemin’s announcement in July last year that it would raise its delivery commission from 6.8% to 9.8% and begin charging fees for pickup orders as well. Until last month, existing restaurant partners were exempt from the new pickup fee. However, with the full rollout now in effect, some business owners have started to cancel their participation in the pickup service altogether.
Woowa Brothers, the operator of Baemin, defended the move by pledging to invest 30 billion KRW (approximately USD 22 million) annually into marketing promotions to support both customers and merchants. The company emphasized that the pickup service fees would help fund initiatives aimed at increasing visibility and sales for partner restaurants.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
