Five organizations related to delivery platforms, including the Small Business Association, welcomed Baedal Minjok's decision on November 12 to exclude all discount costs (such as food and delivery tip discounts) from the calculation of intermediary and payment fees for small businesses.
Small business owners in the food service industry have been shouldering the burden of providing discounts to attract customers, yet they were still required to pay delivery platform fees based on the 'pre-discount price,' creating an unreasonable double burden.
The five organizations anticipate that this change in Baedal Minjok's terms will lead to an annual fee reduction of approximately 110 billion won for small businesses, translating to about 3.5 million won in savings per business. They described the decision as a 'much-needed relief' for small business owners facing survival challenges amid high inflation and sluggish domestic demand.
They noted, 'This achievement is a valuable result of the unified demand for improvement from the five organizations, which have represented the urgent voices from the field, and the sharp criticism of the unfair fee structure by Democratic Party lawmaker Oh Se-hee during the National Assembly audit in October.' They praised the proactive decision by Woowa Brothers, the operator of Baedal Minjok, to listen to the voices from the field and show a willingness for mutual growth.
The five organizations strongly urged Coupang Eats to implement immediate reforms in line with Baemin's proactive decision. They called for the correction of the unjust fee structure that charges commissions on discount costs borne by small businesses and for a complete overhaul of the fee calculation method to reflect actual transaction amounts.
The organizations declared, 'The era where the growth of platforms comes at the unilateral sacrifice and dedication of participating businesses is over,' and expressed hope that Baedal Minjok's action will serve as a cornerstone for creating a fair ecosystem across the delivery app industry.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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