7 Shopping Tips in South Korea, Don't Be Ruthless When Bargaining!

Shopping is a must-do activity when going on vacation, no matter the destination. Especially when the place you are visiting is somewhere that cannot be visited often due to the long distance and significant vacation costs like South Korea.

Well, due to language limitations, you need to be smart to know shopping tips in South Korea. It's not just about bargaining to get a cheaper price, but also about choosing shopping places until

Let's dive right in!

1. Learn a Little Korean

The Korean language or what is commonly called hangul is indeed not easy to learn. Moreover, its characters do not use the alphabet, which certainly poses a challenge for us. However, you should at least learn some basic phrases so you won't be too confused when communicating as shopping tips in South Korea.

Phrases like anyeonghaseyo to greet when you first meet, kamsahamnida to say thank you, eolmaimnika to ask how much an item costs, and halijahadeul suittnayo? to ask for a discount. For the rest, to bargain at what price, you can use your fingers.

However, due to South Korea's popularity, many Indonesians have visited there. In fact, some street shops are owned by people from the Malay ethnic group, so they can speak Indonesian. Sometimes, they will greet you first. So, don't hesitate to ask them.

2. Don't Be Ruthless When Bargaining

Some street shops and traditional markets can be bargained just like in Indonesia. However, don't be ruthless in bargaining, okay? Don't go over 30% of the price, or you might get kicked out by the seller.

3. Browse Stores, Compare Prices

One item is not only sold in one store. You should remember this as a smart shopping tip in South Korea. Don't just settle for the first item you find and pressure the seller to give you a super low price. If you do this, you might get kicked out, remember shopping tip number 2.

Take your time to browse several stores first to compare prices. Once you find a store with a cheaper price, try asking if it can be bargained.

4. Shop at the Right Time

As a country that is highly sought after by people around the world, South Korea is certainly always busy and never sleeps. This also applies to its shopping places, especially those located in busy city centers.

Now, the next shopping tip in South Korea is to find out the right time to shop. Different shopping places have different opening hours, right? For example, at the traditional market in Seoul called Namdaemun Market, it opens from 10 AM to 3 AM. Shopping at night can be quite crowded.

For Dongdaemun Market, located near the Dongdaemun Gate, it is open 24 hours, so you can go there anytime. The busiest shopping place, Myeongdong, is open from 12 PM to 12 AM every day.

5. Request a Tax Refund

The difference in value between WON and Rupiah is not as significant as the difference between Dollar and Rupiah. However, it can still feel substantial if we shop in large quantities. The good news is, if we shop at stores that include tax, we can request a tax refund.

Tax refund can be requested if you shop above 30,000 WON or around Rp390,000. Later, at the cashier, just show your passport and visa, and you will receive a shopping receipt and tax details that can be claimed.

The receipt and tax details can be exchanged at the airport in the departments floor. However, this applies to shopping amounts below 1 million WON. Above that amount, it can only be processed at customs because the value is too high.

6. Ask About Bonuses and Promotions

For some large stores in modern markets, they sometimes do not display the details of their promotions. Here, you need to actively ask whether the items you are buying have promotions for discounts or bonuses.

There's no need to be shy or afraid; the cashier will usually explain kindly. It would be a shame if the items we buy have promotions, but we miss them, right?

7. Use Cards or Transfers, Not Cash

Now, this last shopping tip in South Korea might be surprising. Unlike in Indonesia, where cash payments are more common, it's different in South Korea.

There, even street shops that usually sell local snacks prefer to conduct transactions through cashless methods. Usually, for those who do not have a card, sellers will offer their account number for transfers. This is simpler than cash because the amount is precise when tax is applied.

Those are 7 shopping tips in South Korea that you can learn and apply when you go on vacation to the Land of Ginseng! Indeed, prices there will be much cheaper for items that will be exported to other countries like Indonesia. However, remember, don't go overboard! Don't let your luggage increase at the airport because of new shopping items.

Author: Nisa Maulan Shofa

Tips Sahabat