ARTBOX
ARTBOX (주식회사 아트박스) is a South Korean specialty retailer, founded circa 1988 in Seoul, operating physical ARTBOX stores and the POOM e-commerce marketplace to sell design-oriented stationery, character merchandise, home décor, and lifestyle products to individual consumers and corporate bulk buyers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersSeocho, South Korea
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What ARTBOX does
ARTBOX (주식회사 아트박스 / ARTBOX CO., LTD) is a privately held South Korean specialty retailer founded around 1988 and headquartered in Seocho-gu, Seoul. The company sells design-oriented stationery, character merchandise, home décor, lifestyle goods, camping gear, digital accessories, and pet products through a multi-channel model combining brick-and-mortar ARTBOX retail stores with the POOM (품) e-commerce marketplace at poom.co.kr and native iOS and Android mobile applications. Its addressable customer base consists of individual consumers seeking curated design and lifestyle SKUs, with an additional bulk-purchasing inquiry channel addressing corporate and enterprise buyers.
The underlying technology stack is a standard e-commerce platform supporting a multi-brand catalog. POOM hosts both first-party inventory and third-party marketplace brands — including Colgate (콜게이트), DuoBack (듀오백), Twemco (트웸코), 7321 Design (7321디자인), Ishin (이신), Sanrio (산리오), Kakao Friends (카카오프렌즈), and Hello Kitty (헬로키티) — alongside the proprietary membership tier POOM+ (품 플러스) and a wallet-style payment service called ARTBOX Pay. Pricing spans entry-level stationery (e.g., 2,730 KRW notebooks) through premium ergonomic office chairs (300,000+ KRW from DuoBack), with weekend specials (주말특가) and seasonal promotions routinely offering 10-58% discounts and new-member incentives (5% off plus free shipping).
ARTBOX firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ARTBOX
- Legal name
- 公益性 (주식회사 아트박스 / ARTBOX CO., LTD)
- Website
- https://artboxmall.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- ARTBOX (주식회사 아트박스) is a South Korean specialty retailer, founded circa 1988 in Seoul, operating physical ARTBOX stores and the POOM e-commerce marketplace to sell design-oriented stationery, character merchandise, home décor, and lifestyle products to individual consumers and corporate bulk buyers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ARTBOX industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Lifestyle Retail / Online Marketplace
- NAICS
- Office Supplies and Stationery Retailers (459410), Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (459420), Home Furnishings Retailers (44912)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Pens, Pencils & Other Artists' Materials (3950), Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Craft Storage, Organization & Display Retail (CRALACAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Decorative Accessories Retail (Vases, Bowls, Sculptures, Figurines, Trays) (CRAIACAB), Decorative Storage & Baskets Retail (CRAIACAF)
Keywords
Where ARTBOX is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seocho
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
ARTBOX business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Direct product sales through POOM e-commerce platform and physical retail stores. Products include stationery, character goods, home décor, lifestyle products, camping gear, and digital accessories from multiple brands.
- Marketplace Commission: POOM operates as a marketplace where multiple third-party brands sell products, generating commission revenue from brand partners.
- Membership Services (품 플러스): Subscription membership program offering additional benefits and discounts to members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual consumer product pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
ARTBOX product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ARTBOX operates the POOM (품) design-focused e-commerce marketplace and physical retail stores, offering curated lifestyle products including stationery, character merchandise, home décor, camping gear, and digital accessories from multiple third-party brands. The company also provides integrated services such as the POOM+ subscription membership program and the ARTBOX Pay payment service.
Product overview
ARTBOX operates POOM, a design-oriented e-commerce shopping platform that offers a curated selection of lifestyle and design products across categories including stationery, home décor, character merchandise, beauty, and seasonal items. The platform features products from multiple brands and includes proprietary payment service (ARTBOX Pay) and membership program (POOM+) alongside third-party brand offerings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- POOM (품 플러스/POOM+): A specialized store/service brand operated by ARTBOX offering membership and payment services including POOM+ membership program and ARTBOX Pay.
Products and services
- POOM (품) E-commerce Marketplace POOM is the design-focused e-commerce marketplace operated by ARTBOX, featuring curated lifestyle products including stationery, home goods, character merchandise, beauty products, and seasonal items from multiple third-party brands such as Sanrio, Hello Kitty, Kakao Friends, Colgate, DuoBack, 7321 Design, and Isshin. The platform serves individual consumers across South Korea and integrates ARTBOX Pay and POOM+ membership services.
- POOM+ Membership Program (품 플러스) POOM+ is the subscription-based membership program offered by ARTBOX through the POOM platform, providing additional benefits and discounts to enrolled members.
- ARTBOX Pay Payment Service ARTBOX Pay is the proprietary integrated payment service operated by ARTBOX for transactions on the POOM e-commerce platform.
- Bulk Purchasing Service (대량구매문의) ARTBOX offers a dedicated bulk purchasing inquiry channel for business customers requiring large-volume orders of stationery, character merchandise, and lifestyle products.
- ARTBOX Mobile Applications (iOS and Android) ARTBOX mobile applications provide shopping access to the POOM platform and membership services on iOS and Android devices.
Companies that use ARTBOX
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ARTBOX technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ARTBOX partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- POOM Brand Sellers (Multiple Third-Party Brands)corePOOM operates as a marketplace hosting multiple third-party brands including 콜게이트 (Colgate), 모어바이, 가쯔, 7321디자인, 이신, 트웸코, 카카오프렌즈 (Kakao Friends), 듀오백 (DuoBack), 젤시스, 산리오 (Sanrio), 헬로키티 (Hello Kitty), and many others. These brands sell products through the POOM platform.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ARTBOX competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Miniso: Global design-led lifestyle variety retailer offering stationery, character goods, home décor, and beauty at accessible price points. Closest direct comparable to ARTBOX's curated, design-forward assortment spanning stationery, character merchandise, and lifestyle accessories.
- Kakao Friends: Korean character brand with dedicated offline stores and online channels selling Kakao IP merchandise, stationery, and lifestyle goods. Directly comparable to ARTBOX as both a character-licensed retail brand and a marketplace seller on POOM.
- MUJI: Design-focused lifestyle retailer with Korean operations, selling stationery, home goods, and minimal-design lifestyle products. Comparable to ARTBOX in design-forward positioning and category overlap in stationery and home furnishings.
- W Concept: Korean online lifestyle and design platform curating fashion, home, and lifestyle brands. Comparable to ARTBOX/POOM as a multi-brand curated marketplace targeting design-conscious Korean consumers.
- Daiso: Korean mass-market variety retailer offering broad assortments of low-priced household goods, stationery, and lifestyle items. Comparable to ARTBOX in multi-category breadth and Korean retail footprint.
- 10x10 (Tenten): Korean design lifestyle e-commerce platform offering curated stationery, gifts, character goods, and home décor online. Comparable to ARTBOX/POOM in being a Korean design-curated e-commerce destination.
Emerging players
- Kyobo Book Centre: Korea's largest bookstore chain with an expanding stationery and lifestyle category. Comparable to ARTBOX in stationery and gift merchandise overlap, though primarily anchored in books rather than character/home décor.
- Bandi & Luni's: Korean premium bookstore and lifestyle retailer with curated gift and stationery assortments. Comparable to ARTBOX as a Korean curated design retail destination with category overlap in stationery, gifts, and lifestyle items.
Broad incumbents
- Coupang: Largest Korean e-commerce platform with end-to-end logistics. Comparable as a broad incumbent in Korean online retail competing for the same consumer wallet, though without ARTBOX's design curation and licensed-IP focus.
- Naver Shopping: Korea's dominant search-driven shopping aggregator operated by Naver. Comparable as a broad incumbent shaping Korean e-commerce discovery, against which ARTBOX/POOM must differentiate through curation and IP-led assortment.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ARTBOX social profiles
Digital presenceARTBOX financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ARTBOX leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
ARTBOX funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ARTBOX M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ARTBOX
What does ARTBOX do?
ARTBOX operates the POOM (품) design-focused e-commerce marketplace and physical retail stores, offering curated lifestyle products including stationery, character merchandise, home décor, camping gear, and digital accessories from multiple third-party brands. The company also provides integrated services such as the POOM+ subscription membership program and the ARTBOX Pay payment service.
Is ARTBOX a public or private company?
ARTBOX is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ARTBOX founded?
ARTBOX was founded in 1988.
Where is ARTBOX based?
ARTBOX is headquartered in Seocho, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does ARTBOX make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are marketplace Commission and membership Services (품 플러스).
Who are ARTBOX's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Miniso, Kakao Friends, MUJI, W Concept, Daiso and 10x10 (Tenten). Emerging players are Kyobo Book Centre and Bandi & Luni's. Broad incumbents are Coupang and Naver Shopping.
Does ARTBOX have an API?
No public API is recorded for ARTBOX.
What industry is ARTBOX in?
ARTBOX's product category is Lifestyle Retail / Online Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALACAJ, Craft Storage, Organization & Display Retail, with a secondary code of CRAIACAB, Decorative Accessories Retail (Vases, Bowls, Sculptures, Figurines, Trays). Its NAICS code is 459410 and its SIC code is 5945.