‘와우회원 전용 특가’라더니…쿠팡, 소비자 기만 광고로 과징금 5억원

South Korea's antitrust regulator, the Fair Trade Commission, has imposed a fine of 500 million won on Coupang for deceptive marketing practices. The e-commerce giant was found to have misled customers by labeling certain products as exclusive discounts for 'Wow' members, even though those prices were available to the general public as well. Authorities determined that these advertisements created a false sense of urgency and exclusivity to encourage subscriptions and purchases. Coupang has faced scrutiny for manipulating consumer perception through these misleading promotional tactics. The regulatory body emphasized that such practices undermine fair competition and violate consumer protection laws.

This decision highlights the government's commitment to curbing deceptive advertising practices by major e-commerce platforms to ensure market transparency and consumer trust.