최초입력 2025.04.07 16:03:21
Naver’s new AI-powered shopping app, Naver Plus Store, has quickly shaken up South Korea’s mobile commerce landscape as it took the top spot for new downloads a mere month after its launch and surpassing China’s Temu.
According to data released Sunday by Mobile Index, Naver Plus Store recorded 2,841,603 new installs in March 2025, making it the most-downloaded shopping app in Korea for the month. The app was launched on March 12th.
Temu came in second with 1,160,824 new installs, followed by local platforms Daangn Market (492,425), Coupang (466,444), and AliExpress (367,568). Temu had consistently held the top spot in new downloads since entering the South Korean market in September 2023, making this the first leadership change in nearly 18 months.
Naver’s app continued to dominate even as of April 1st, 2025, with 113,201 daily installs - well ahead of Temu (33,742), Daangn (10,469), and Coupang (13,129). Its foray into the hyper-competitive e-commerce sector, which Coupang has long dominated, comes with a heavy emphasis on personalization powered by in-house AI technology. The app offers tailored product recommendations based on user preferences, purchase history, and behavioral context. It also features segmented delivery options - same-day, next-day, Sunday, and scheduled delivery - to attract users seeking flexible logistics.
The app surpassed one million cumulative downloads on March 20th, eight days after its release. Industry analysts attribute a large part of the app’s early success to consumer curiosity about its AI-powered features. “The app’s AI model analyzes massive product datasets and combines them with user preferences and shopping patterns to assist purchases,” an industry insider said. “Consumers are showing strong interest and excitement about the personalized recommendation system.”
Naver also attributes its growth to its competitive delivery offerings and believes that its diversified delivery services have become a key differentiator in a saturated market.
Despite its surge in downloads, Naver Plus Store still trails far behind industry giants in overall user numbers. Coupang remained the clear market leader in monthly active users (MAU) as of March 2025 with 32.92 million, followed by Daangn Market (18.25 million), 11st (8.7 million), AliExpress (7.1 million), Temu (6.7 million), and Gmarket (6.3 million). Naver Plus Store ranked 14th with 2.68 million MAU.
Coupang held the top spot in terms of daily active users (DAU) as of April 1st with 14.92 million, while Naver Plus Store placed 10th with 728,726 users.
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