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Coupang's 2.4 Million Won iPad Mistakenly Sold for 800,000 Won Amidst Pricing Error Frenzy
🇰🇷 South Korea /Economy & Trade

Coupang's 2.4 Million Won iPad Mistakenly Sold for 800,000 Won Amidst Pricing Error Frenzy

From Dong-A Ilbo · (10m ago) Korean Mixed tone

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A pricing error on Coupang mistakenly listed a 2.4 million won iPad Pro for approximately 800,000 won.
  • Over 200 units were sold in about 10 minutes before the listing was corrected and marked as sold out.
  • Some customers have reportedly received the discounted iPads, with Coupang stating no plans to retrieve them.

A significant pricing error on the e-commerce platform Coupang has led to a frenzy among shoppers, with a high-end iPad Pro model being mistakenly offered at a fraction of its original price. The incident, where a 2.4 million won device was listed for around 800,000 won, highlights the vulnerabilities of dynamic pricing systems.

These kinds of events, I'm always the last to know.

— NetizenComment from a netizen reacting to the news of the pricing error.

Online communities and deal forums buzzed with the news, leading to over 200 units being sold within a mere 10 minutes. This rapid sell-out underscores the keen interest consumers have in significant discounts, especially on popular tech gadgets. The error was reportedly triggered by Coupang's price-matching policy, which automatically adjusts prices based on competitors. A mistake by a competitor in pricing the same product likely caused this drastic price drop.

Who even knows about these things and buys them?

— NetizenComment from a netizen expressing surprise at how quickly the deal was spotted and acted upon.

Adding to the intrigue, some customers have already reported receiving their orders, with Coupang apparently not planning to recall the items. This turn of events has sparked a mix of envy and disbelief among netizens, with many lamenting missing out on the deal. While Coupang has remained silent on the matter, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential pitfalls of automated pricing strategies in the competitive online retail landscape.

There's no way Coupang will just let them have it. The orders will be canceled.

— NetizenComment from a netizen expressing skepticism about customers actually receiving the discounted iPads.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dong-A Ilbo in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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