Lotte Department Stores said Monday it is starting a new delivery service where customers can receive their online orders within three hours inside Seoul as the first department store to offer such a rapid delivery service here.

According to the retail giant, 90,000 products from 400 brands being sold at the department store branches will be available for the “Baro Baesong,” which is translated into direct delivery, to all areas in Seoul.

All purchases on Lotte’s online platforms including Lotteon and el Lotte, before 4:30 p.m., will be prepared and sent for delivery from the headquarter branch in Myeongdong or Jamsil Branch, in an hour, to be delivered to the customer within three hours after the order is made.

The delivery fee is charged per item, and costs 10,000 won for one item priced below 100,000 won.

Lotte Department Store offers free delivery coupons for each item costing over 100,000 won. On el Lotte, the delivery fee is 5,000 won for the items priced over 100,000 won, and free for products costing over 500,000 won.

To differ from existing delivery services, Lotte will package items in a shopping bag, the same way customers would receive their products when they shop in physical stores. This will be convenient for those wishing to deliver a gift, the department store explained.

By analyzing the customers who used the quick delivery service offered by the department store from March to May, the retailer said it found 26 percent of the purchases were made in categories of bags and jewelry, 25 percent in cosmetics and 20 percent in women’s fashion -- over 50 percent were gift items.

“We are presenting the service in Seoul for now, but plan to expand it across the country in the future,” a Lotte official said.

By Jo He-rim (herim@heraldcorp.com)