Daangn Market seeks credit card payments for second-hand transactions

[Courtesy of Daangn Market]

Daangn Market, South Korea’s leading platform for second-hand trading, is expected to allow users to buy and sell items using credit cards as early as the second half of this year. According to industry sources on Tuesday, Daangn Market has recently applied to the Financial Services Commission (FSC) for the designation of “allowing credit card payments for peer-to-peer second-hand transactions” as an innovative financial service.

If approved by financial authorities, this move will not only enhance the convenience for users of second-hand transactions but also help prevent fraud associated with cash-based direct transactions. An innovative financial service is a system that, while not permitted under current regulations, can be granted regulatory exemptions upon review to test innovative financial products and services in the market.

“We are in the stage of internal discussions on how to enhance secure payments for Daangn Pay,” said a Daangn Market official.

Industry experts believe that the card payment system will likely be based on Daangn Pay. In this system, if a seller lists an item for 10,000 won ($7.2), the buyer can pay the amount using a registered credit card on the app, and Daangn Market will subsequently settle the payment with the seller.

Earlier this month, the FSC approved Daangn Pay’s registration as an electronic financial business, allowing it to manage escrow services for payment deposits. Secure payment ensures that the transaction amount held by the escrow service is only transferred to the seller once the buyer confirms the completion of the transaction. There are also expectations that this system will evolve to include credit card payments, further expanding its service scope.

The motivation behind Daangn Market’s push for credit card payments, despite the associated costs, is the anticipated “lock-in” effect, aimed at retaining loyal customers. Activating payments via Daangn Pay could lead to business expansion beyond second-hand transactions, including a variety of services and an increased range of saleable products. Additionally, a larger user base is expected to boost advertising revenue, which is the main source of income for Daangn Market. The company recorded its first profit since its founding in 2015, driven by an increase in advertising revenue last year.

Allowing credit card payments in second-hand transactions could also reduce fraud associated with cash deals. If a buyer finds an issue with the purchased item and requests a refund, the seller would not receive the payment until the issue is resolved.

The credit card industry, however, sees challenges in addressing card fees and value-added tax issues for personal transactions. There is also the need to tackle cases where individuals conduct business-like transactions under the guise of personal sales to evade taxes.

However, the card industry says it is unlikely that card issuers will be able to make much money from the second-hand market. This prediction might make it difficult to attract widespread participation from multiple card companies.