LG Electronics discount event sells out in hours, crashes website

LG Electronics' home appliance discount event, held in celebration of the LG Twins' recent victory at the Korean series, sold out all of its 7,500 units within two hours, causing the website to crash.

A message on LG Electronics' online retail shop informed users that discounted products had been sold out. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

LG Electronics' much-anticipated home appliance discount event commemorating the LG Twins' recent victory at the Korean Series sold out its entire 7,500 units within two hours on Tuesday.

The company's home page once went down as tens of thousands of users flocked there to purchase discounted products.

The discount event kicked off at 10 a.m. Tuesday on LG's online platform. A total of 7,500 products were put up with a 29 percent discount. Five hundred units were distributed in each of the 15 categories.

The products spanned from OLED TVs, kimchi refrigerator, microwaves and air purifiers to Stylers, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators and dishwashers.

Each user was allowed to purchase one product.

The entire quantity was out of stock as of noon, according to LG Electronics spokesperson, with Styler, a clothing refresher, selling out the fastest.

Online queues formed for each category, with as many as 40,000 users waiting to purchase OLED TVs, according to local reports.

“Thank you for the interest and support,” read a message on the LG Electronics' online retail platform after the sellout event.

“Products for 29 percent discount have all been sold out, and we apologize for the inconvenience caused in using the site due to explosive users.”

Various offline giveaway events will also be held at the company's LG Best Shop branches until Sunday.

LG is celebrating the LG Twins' victory at the Korean Series — the team's first win in 29 years — by offering heavy discounts across its affiliates, including LG Electronics, LG Household & Health Care, LG Uplus and even LG Arts Center.

Dubbed the “Win-Win Festival,” the discount events are themed around the number 29. Some products are being sold at either a 29 or 71 percent discount, while others are priced at 2,900 won, 29,000 won, or 290,000 won.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]