Hellomarket

Hellomarket is a South Korean consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplace for secondhand goods, operating via mobile apps and its website. Founded in 2011 by Gi Park, Daemyung Cho, Sungmin Bae, Albert Hahn, and Paul Lee, the company aimed to improve the C2C selling experience. The founders came from diverse professional backgrounds in law, consultancy, and academia. The platform allows users to buy, sell, and exchange a wide variety of items.

Initially launched as an Android app in September 2011, followed by an iOS version a month later, the company added a web platform in 2012. In May 2014, Hellomarket secured approximately $2.9 million in a Series A funding round from investors including GS HomeShopping, Hanhwa Investment, Daesung Private Equity, and Hanbit Investment. This funding was intended to fuel expansion into Asian markets, particularly Japan. The platform facilitates secure transactions through an integrated payment system called Hello Pay, which protects both buyers and sellers. By 2014, over four million items had been registered on the marketplace.

Over the years, the company has undergone strategic shifts. In March 2023, it pivoted to focus on secondhand fashion and rebranded as SecondWear. However, by late September of the same year, it reverted to the Hellomarket name and its original model as a general goods marketplace, though it no longer lists vehicles or real estate. As of late 2024, the company reported having over five million Android app downloads and drawing half a million monthly visits to its website.

Keywords: C2C marketplace, secondhand goods, used products, mobile commerce, peer-to-peer trading, South Korea, e-commerce platform, online marketplace, secure payment, Hello Pay, resale market, secondhand fashion