COLLEGES’ JOINT ONLINE SHOPPING MALL

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As young entrepreneurs struggle through the pandemic, colleges across the nation joined together to open an online shopping mall for young business owners. “Univ.mall” is gaining a huge following as it doesn’t charge businesses a fee for joining the shopping site.

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A company created a year ago by three friends from a college startup club. Their main product: powdered soap made with local crops like rice powder and mushrooms. They are also ready to market cream soap to target customers who prefer online shopping.

[Soundbite] Yun Dong-hyeok(Startup Co-owner) : "The patent application for the manufacturing method of powdered soap is being evaluated."

[Soundbite] Shin Gang-chan(Startup Co-owner) : "It’s more advantageous to market our products online because of the pandemic."

Their products are available at an online shopping mall. It’s Univ.mall, an internet shopping site built by 14 colleges from across the nation, including Jeonbuk National University, Wonkwang University and Howon University. The online market was built to support college startup clubs, aspiring entrepreneurs, and young business owners by providing sales outlets and online marketing services.

[Soundbite] Kim Yeong-seon(Jeonbuk Nat’l Univ.) : "Fourteen universities initially invested in a co-op, which is in charge of repair and maintenance."

Young people can open up shops at this site without paying any initial joining fee. They don't even need business licenses.

[Soundbite] Koh Yeong-ho(Head, LINC+ Project, Jeonbuk Nat’l Univ.) : "We help find new startups and give students opportunities to try again. The startup support team helps them even after they graduate."

The online shopping mall jointly created by colleges, hopes to provide a sustainable operation basis for young startups in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic.