▲ Delivery apps (File photo)
Among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small business owners registered on online platforms, delivery app vendors faced the highest transaction cost burden rate at 26.2% of their sales, with the largest increase compared to the previous year, a survey showed.
According to the 2026 Online Platform Vendor Transaction Survey released by the Korea Federation of SMEs (KBIZ) today (Sept. 15), transaction costs associated with platform dealings—such as brokerage commissions, advertising fees, and information utilization fees—accounted for the highest share of monthly average sales among delivery app vendors at an average of 26.2%.
Online shopping malls stood at 20.6%, accommodation apps at 18.3%, and the overall average across all registered businesses was 21.7%.
The survey was conducted from June 18 to July 3 targeting 1,250 SMEs registered on online shopping malls, delivery apps, and accommodation apps.
Compared to last year's survey, the transaction cost burden rates increased across all three platform types.
Delivery apps recorded the largest increase, with their average burden rate rising by 5.2 percentage points (p). Online shopping malls rose by 2.0 percentage points (p), and accommodation apps increased by 0.8 percentage points (p).
On an individual business basis, the highest transaction cost burden rates reached 45.0% of sales each for online shopping malls (Coupang) and delivery apps (Baemin, Coupang Eats), and 40.0% for accommodation apps.
Conversely, the lowest burden rates were 5.0% each for online shopping malls (all online shopping malls) and accommodation apps (Yanolja), and 3.0% for delivery apps (Coupang Eats), showing significant disparities among individual vendors.
The composition of costs paid by delivery app vendors to platforms was led by brokerage commissions at 42.0%, followed by delivery fees (29.9%), advertising fees (15.6%), and payment processing fees (12.4%).
Dependency on platforms for sales was also high.
Among online shopping mall vendors, 53.7% responded that their total sales were generated from their primary online shopping mall.
For accommodation apps, the most common response (38.4%) was that 75% to under 100% of total sales came from their primary app, while for delivery apps, the most common response (28.9%) was 25% to under 50%.
KBIZ noted that over the past three years, the proportion of businesses generating 75% or more of their sales through their primary platform has been on an upward trend regardless of platform type.
Responses indicating experience with unfair trade or practices stood at 17.8% for online shopping malls, 14.0% for delivery apps, and 9.2% for accommodation apps.
As for the top type of unfair trade or practice experienced, online shopping mall vendors cited "unfair product returns" (14.2%), delivery apps pointed to "evasion of customer service and compensation liability" (3.1%), and accommodation apps cited "forcing unnecessary advertising and ancillary service subscriptions" (2.4%).
The need for enacting an Online Platform Fairness Act was highest among delivery app vendors at 66.9%, followed by online shopping malls at 62.2% and accommodation apps at 50.0%.
Regarding the cost-cutting effectiveness of delivery apps' differentiated commission systems, 49.4% responded "no change" and 35.4% answered "not helpful."
Among those who found it unhelpful, the most common reason at 35.5% was that "brokerage commissions remain high even with reductions."
A total fee ceiling system, which places a limit on the total sum of brokerage commissions, delivery fees, and payment fees charged to restaurants when using delivery apps, was favored by 51.1% of respondents, exceeding half.
The monthly average advertising expense for accommodation apps was 1.99 million won, with some businesses spending up to 10 million won.
Advertising costs consisted of exposure advertising fees (75.0%), coupon advertising fees (20.1%), and other advertising fees (4.9%).
When asked which areas they hoped to see expanded in win-win cooperation, "reduction of brokerage commissions (rates)" ranked first across online shopping malls (48.0%), delivery apps (47.1%), and accommodation apps (61.2%).
Kim Hee-joong, head of KBIZ's Economic Policy Division, pointed out, "As online platforms become dominant in the distribution market, the dependence of registered SMEs and small business owners on platforms is growing every year, while costs such as commissions and advertising fees continue to escalate, and unfair trade persists."
He added, "To resolve this transactional imbalance, the fundamental solution is to establish a horizontal structure where vendors' autonomy in negotiating transaction terms is recognized, and effective regulation is needed through the enactment of the Online Platform Fairness Act to make this a reality."
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