Naver’s new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered shopping app, Naver Plus Store, was the most downloaded shopping app in South Korea last month, beating China’s Temu, which had held the top spot for over a year.
According to mobile analytics firm IGAWorks, Naver Plus Store had 2.84 million new downloads in March, the highest among all shopping apps. Temu came in second with 1.16 million downloads, followed by Karrot (492,425), Coupang (466,444), and AliExpress (367,568). Temu had maintained the No. 1 spot in new downloads since its launch in South Korea in September 2023.
Naver launched Naver Plus Store on March 12, fully entering the e-commerce race. The app uses Naver’s proprietary AI model, HyperCLOVA X, to analyze product data and users’ purchase history to recommend the best items. For example, if you search for “laptop,” the AI might suggest options like “lightweight for travel” or “great for gaming” and display matching products.
However, Naver Plus Store still lags behind major rivals in user numbers. In March, Coupang led the category with 32.9 million monthly active users (MAU), followed by AliExpress with 7.1 million, Temu with 6.7 million, and Naver Plus Store with 2.6 million. To strengthen its e-commerce business, Naver plans to expand AI-driven personalization and introduce a new “Now Delivery” service, which promises delivery within an hour.
