SK Broadband said on Tuesday that cumulative sales of B tv Hot Deal, launched in November last year, topped 10 billion won in September after reaching 5 billion won in June. It took about 7 months to hit the first 5 billion won, and about 3 months to add another 5 billion won.

B tv Hot Deal is a TV commerce service on B tv channel 41 that introduces home shopping products through short videos of about 1 minute. Users can browse products with a remote control, then receive a product link on a smartphone to buy, or place an order by phone.

SKB said sales of daily necessities with high repeat purchases, such as kimchi, rice and toilet paper, have risen recently and led overall sales growth. Free shipping applies to all products sold on the service.

The number of participating home shopping companies has also increased to 11 from 5 at launch. Participants include six TV home shopping companies such as Lotte Home Shopping, Hyundai Home Shopping, NS Home Shopping, Home & Shopping, Public Home Shopping and GS Shop, and five data home shopping companies such as SK Stoa, KT Alpha Shopping, ShoppingNT, W Shopping and Shinsegae Shopping.

SKB does not charge separate brokerage fees to participating home shopping companies. It said the service is also used as an additional channel to sell products from small and medium-sized companies outside regular home shopping broadcasts.

SKB plans to expand B tv Hot Deal, currently offered on its IPTV service B tv, to B tv cable in the future.

Shin Seung-sik (신승식), SKB's head of commerce advertising, said surpassing 10 billion won in cumulative sales in 10 months since launch shows demand for customers to search for and buy products directly on TV. He said the company will expand the range of products and services.