What Rethink does

Rethink (리씽크), founded in 2019 and headquartered in Seoul (Guro-gu), South Korea, is a vertically integrated inventory and refurbishment commerce platform operating under the RethinkMall (리씽크몰) brand. The company purchases or receives returned, display, and excess inventory from brand companies, manufacturers, and distributors; inspects, refurbishes, repackages, and certifies the products through a dedicated ~1,650㎡ (500 pyeong) refurbishment center in Ilsan; and resells them at 30-70% below equivalent new SKUs. Proprietary elements include a three-layer brand-protection system (Price Lock, Channel Lock, Target Lock), a refurbishment verification and protection protocol with 1-year warranty, and a closed-distribution architecture spanning closed corporate welfare malls (복지몰), secret-URL group purchases, and an exclusive YouTube hot-deal partnership with 3PRO TV (삼프로TV, 2.8M subscribers).

The business model combines multiple revenue streams: direct hardware sales through RethinkMall (600,000+ registered members, 1M+ broader consumer network); white-label/closed corporate welfare malls for 500+ enterprises; supply-chain financing via RSMP (5% fixed return with inventory buyback); laptop and office-equipment subscription with trade-in; IT asset buyback from corporates; full-service return logistics; VIP concierge service; and global export through Alibaba, Pinch Hitter Japan, and eCreamus on Shopee, Lazada, Qoo10, and Tmall. Go-to-market is hybrid: B2B enterprise field sales with 1:1 consultation for inventory owners, paired with B2C distribution via RethinkMall, YouTube commerce, and physical retail (Shinsegae Paju Premium Outlet flagship, Gaebong-dong showroom, Lotte Mall Gwangmyeong).

Disclosed revenue was 360B KRW in 2020 and 540B KRW in 2021 (a 50% YoY increase), with a stated 2025 target of 700B KRW. The company has signed reverse-logistics MOUs with Samsung Electronics (삼성전자) and Samyoung Logistics (삼영물류), sourcing agreements with LG Electronics (LG전자), and ESG partnerships with Maeil Kyungjae (매일경제) and Libon NGO. CEO Kim Jung-woo (김중우) has been recognized by Forbes Korea for "new value created from inventory." As of the latest data the company remains privately held with no parent company, no disclosed institutional controlling investor beyond a 2020 2.5B KRW raise from Core Asset Management, and Frontier Venture Company certification.

Name

Rethink

Legal name

(주)리씽크

Website

https://rethink.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rethink (리씽크) is a Seoul-based, vertically integrated inventory and refurbishment commerce platform that purchases returned, display, and excess inventory from Korean brand companies and resells certified products at 30-70% discounts through RethinkMall, 500+ closed corporate welfare malls, a 3PRO TV YouTube channel, and a 1,650㎡ refurbishment center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Inventory Liquidation & Refurbishment Services

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesalers (423930)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Repair Services (7600), Wholesale-Durable Goods (5000), Wholesale-Computers & Peripheral Equipment & Software (5045)

akta.pro primary industry

Reuse & Resale / Recommerce Operations (EUAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bulk Liquidation, Returns & Overstock Recommerce Marketplaces (CRAFAGAO), Refurbishment, Remanufacturing & Recommerce Enablement (TLAIAHAC), Electronics Refurbishment, Repair & Reuse (Remarketing/Resale) (BPALAIAD), Recommerce, Trade-In & Buyback Collection (TLAAALAM)

Keywords

• Inventory liquidation
• Refurbished electronics
• Corporate welfare mall
• Reverse logistics
• B2B inventory platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 재고 상품 판매 (RethinkMall): Direct sale of refurbished, returned, and excess inventory products through the RethinkMall e-commerce platform. Products sourced from brand companies, manufacturers, and distributors are inspected, repackaged, and sold to consumers at 30-70% below new product prices.
2. 유통금융 서비스 (RSMP): Distribution financing service where Rethink provides confirmed inventory information, guarantees 5% fixed returns within a set period, and purchases remaining unsold inventory. Annual returns of 30% advertised for participants.
3. 기업 복지몰 플랫폼: White-label or co-branded shopping mall services for enterprise welfare programs. Rethink handles product sourcing, logistics, and A/S while partner companies operate branded stores with revenue sharing.
4. IT 기기 구독 & 보상판매: Subscription service for laptops and office equipment with trade-in option. Customers pay periodic subscription fees and can exchange to newer models with trade-in credit. No deposit required, free A/S during subscription period.
5. IT 자산 매입 및 재고 처분: Purchase of idle IT equipment (laptops, tablets, phones) from enterprises, with compensation amounts applied toward purchase of new inventory. Global export through Alibaba, Pinch Hitter Japan partnerships.
6. 반품대행 풀필먼트: Full-service return processing: collection of returned goods from consumers, inspection, repackaging (refurbished or new product level), and redistribution to partner companies or through RethinkMall.
7. 유튜브 핫딜 커머스 (3PRO TV): Exclusive commerce partnership with 3PRO TV YouTube channel (2.8M subscribers). Rethink supplies inventory, channel selects products for hot deal sales, generating 20B+ KRW annual revenue through this channel.
8. 기업 쇼핑몰 구축 서비스: Turnkey branded commerce solution for enterprises. Companies can build brand stores on Rethink platform with product sourcing, logistics, and A/S included, plus 5% revenue allowance on sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Rethink operates an integrated inventory liquidation and refurbishment platform that acquires returned, display, and excess inventory from Korean enterprises, inspects and refurbishes the goods at its dedicated center, and redistributes them through open e-commerce (RethinkMall), closed corporate welfare malls, and an exclusive YouTube hot-deal channel. It also offers reverse-logistics/return handling, corporate IT asset purchase and laptop subscription, supply-chain financing (RSMP), and brand-protected distribution channels that prevent price collapse and brand-image damage.

Product overview

Re:think operates as a unified inventory platform combining multiple interconnected services. The core offering centers on Re:think Mall (리씽크몰), an open marketplace for refurbished and excess inventory products, complemented by Closed Corporate Welfare Malls (폐쇄형 기업 복지몰) for enterprise clients. Supporting services include professional Refurbishment (리퍼비시) and Return Handling (반품대행), Laptop/IT Subscription & Trade-in (노트북·IT 구독 & 보상판매), Corporate IT Asset Purchase (기업 IT 자산매입), and Homeshopping Inventory Solution (홈쇼핑 재고 솔루션) for brand protection. Additional offerings include YouTube Hot Deals (삼프로TV 제휴), Distribution Financial Services (RSMP), Barter Trade, VIP Concierge, and physical retail through the Flagship Store and Refurbishment Center. The platform leverages a private channel network including closed malls and influencer partnerships to protect brand value and pricing while liquidating inventory.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 리씽크몰 (Rethink Mall): Korea's No.1 largest inventory specialized online shopping platform offering refurbished, returns, and overflow products at reasonable prices
• 리씽크 파트너스 (Rethink Partners)
• 리씽크 리퍼센터 (Rethink Refurbish Center)
• 리씽크 플래그십 스토어 (Rethink Flagship Store)
• Made in Refurbished_Re:think
• RSMP (Rethink Supply chain Management Program)

Products and services

• RethinkMall (리씽크몰)
• Closed Corporate Welfare Mall (폐쇄형 기업 복지몰)
• Refurbishment Service (리퍼비시 서비스)
• Return Handling Service (반품대행 서비스)
• Laptop & IT Subscription and Trade-in (노트북·IT 구독 & 보상판매)
• Home-Shopping Inventory Solution (홈쇼핑 재고 솔루션)
• YouTube Hot Deal Commerce (3PRO TV 제휴)
• Corporate IT Asset Purchase (기업 IT 자산 매입)
• Distribution Financing Service - RSMP (리씽크 유통금융서비스 플랜)
• Barter Trade Service (물물교환)
• VIP Concierge Service (VIP 컨시어지 서비스)
• Re:think Mobile App (리씽크 앱)

Quantifiable outcome

• Products sold at 30-70% below new product prices while maintaining quality standards
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• 3PRO TV (삼프로TV)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Exclusive commerce partnership with 280만 (2.8M) subscriber economics YouTube channel. Rethink supplies inventory, 3PRO TV selects products for hot deal format. Generates 200억+ 원 annual revenue. High conversion rate targeting economics/investment interested audience.
• Treasure Hunter (트레져헌터)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MOU for joint purchase platform provision enabling collaborative procurement services.
• Alibaba (알리바바)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Global B2B export platform partnership enabling international distribution of IT and electronics inventory. Part of global market expansion strategy.
• Pinch Hitter Japan (핀치힛터 재팬)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Japanese specialist refurbishment and remainder goods distribution partnership for Japanese market access.
• 매일경제minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024ESG partnership for daily economic media coverage and ESG-focused RethinkMall SAS open-type welfare mall.
• 이크레모스 (eCreamus)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Global market expansion partnership. Enables listing and management of K-inventory on overseas platforms (Shopee, Lazada, Qoo10, Tmall).
• (사)리본디어스minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024MOU for inventory disposal and environmental protection collaboration.
• 인스타 인플루언서minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Strategic influencer partnership on Instagram for marketing expansion (2024).
• 신세계 까사미아 (Shinsegae Casamia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Strategic business partnership with Shinsegae Group's premium lifestyle brand. Part of retail ecosystem expansion.
• 한화이글스 (Hanwha Eagles)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 20232023 season professional baseball team sponsorship agreement.
• 바디프랜드 (Bodifund)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Strategic business partnership for inventory and product distribution collaboration.
• 신세계 파주 프리미엄 아울렛coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Platform brand first entry into Shinsegae Paju Premium Outlet with ~80평 flagship store. Major retail presence for refurbished and inventory products.
• KMIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Welfare mall contract for 2,000 employees worth 10억. Rethink started employee welfare mall partnership with KMI.
• 법무법인 YKminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2022MOU for open welfare mall service provision through legal support partnership.
• 라이브커머스코리아minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022MOU for shopping live operations collaboration.
• 윤도현minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022First advertising model selected in 2022, Korean celebrity endorsement for brand marketing.
• 삼성전자/삼영물류coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021MOU with Samsung Electronics and Samyoung Logistics for reverse logistics. Real-time inventory information sharing and return inventory business expansion for smartphones.
• 체리쉬 가구 (Cherylsh Furniture)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Strategic partner selection for furniture inventory distribution.
• LG전자coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019B2B contract with LG Electronics for product sourcing and distribution.
• CJ렌탈minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Business partnership for rental services and product distribution.
• 인터파크 비즈 렌탈minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Business partnership for rental business collaboration.

Scale indicators22 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EcoRing: Japan's largest specialized recommerce/refurbishment company, operating physical storefronts plus B2B/B2C online channels. Most directly comparable international peer in business model, mix of inventory sourcing, refurbishment, and resale.
• Back Market: Global refurbished electronics marketplace with quality grading and warranty. Direct peer in the electronics recommerce segment that mirrors RethinkMall's value proposition and 1-year warranty positioning.
• 2nd Street (セカンドストリート): Geo Holdings subsidiary operating one of Japan's largest chains of used goods retail stores including electronics and fashion. Comparable to Rethink's hybrid physical-retail + inventory aggregation model.
• Refurbed: European refurbished electronics and appliances marketplace with quality certification. Direct peer in the refurbished electronics value chain that Rethink addresses through its IT subscription and refurbishment services.
• HARDOFF (ハードオフ): Japanese chain specializing in used electronics, PCs, and household goods through a network of physical 'off-house' stores. Comparable in the used/refurbished retail format and electronics trade-in operations.
• Bungaejangter (번개장터): Korea's leading C2C secondhand marketplace for used goods including electronics, fashion, and luxury. Direct Korean competitor to Rethink's consumer recommerce business with overlapping target audience.
• Joongna (중고나눔 / Carrot Play): Popular Korean C2C used goods marketplace serving both individuals and small merchants. Direct competitor in Korean recommerce with strong consumer-side liquidity.

Broad incumbents

• Xianyu (闲鱼): Alibaba-owned massive Chinese secondhand marketplace. Broader C2C platform that overlaps with Rethink's consumer recommerce category; one of the largest global recommerce ecosystems and a potential upstream/distribution partner.
• Liquidity Services: US-listed B2B marketplace for surplus and liquidation inventory. Comparable in the enterprise inventory liquidation segment that Rethink addresses through its Homeshopping Inventory Solution and B2B consulting services.

Regional players

• Reebelo: Singapore-headquartered recommerce platform for used and refurbished electronics with regional Southeast Asia distribution. Comparable cross-border Asian recommerce model and a relevant export partner in the ASEAN region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rethink