Gmarket, the nation’s No. 1 online marketplace, said Thursday that it will offer incentives to users who offer better services for overseas customers.

According to the company, online cash will be given to the sellers who best promote their products in English until the end of October.

Depending on their sales and orders, the top two sellers will receive 1 million won ($850) each, it said.

Gmarket, currently owned by U.S.-based eBay, opened Korea’s first English online market in October 2006 and the sales have continued to increase.

In the first half of the year, the company saw a 70 percent growth in overseas sales, with many of the orders coming from the U.S., Japan and China.

“Coupled with the Korean Wave around the world, the English-version shop is gaining more popularity among overseas customers. We plan to expand support for small exporters as an effective channel,” said Song Seungh-hwan, head of overseas shopping at Gmarket.

As part of the efforts, Gmarket has employed workers who offer consultations exclusively for overseas transactions.

It also operates overseas logistics centers so that the items traded through the website can be distributed to some 60 countries.

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heradm.com)