As South Korea’s recommerce market continues to grow, major department store operators are rolling out new services aimed at capitalizing on the secondhand retail trend.

Lotte Department Store announced Wednesday that it will officially launch a “Green Reward Service” on July 11th, 2025. The program allows customers to exchange used fashion items for L.POINTs, the retailer’s rewards currency. After applying via the Lotte Department Store mobile app, users can have their items picked up by a courier. The collected goods are evaluated based on year of manufacture and condition, with compensation ranging from 5,000 won to as much as 280,000 won ($3.70 to $206). The items will then be resold through the resale platform Madeleine Memory.

For its part, Hyundai Department Store is introducing its “Buyback” program in July 2025. Customers can trade in their used fashion products in exchange for H.POINTs, the company’s integrated loyalty program, with point values reflecting current secondhand market prices.

Department store chains are increasingly eyeing recommerce as a growth opportunity. According to Research and Markets, Korea’s recommerce market is expected to hit $5.28 billion in 2025 and grow at an average annual rate of 9.2 percent to $7.5 billion by 2029.

Retailers’ push into the sector is also seen as part of their broader commitment to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, particularly under the banner of “green management.”

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