I have been super busy lately as I started new part-time job and I got also my free days booked full. I kind of dug my own grave xD Finally I have a free day I don't have anything specific so I have time to write this post.
Because I'm hyped about my South-Korean trip I will continue my post series with introducing shopping culture in Korea. I will go to details about restaurants and cafe's in next post because otherwise this post would be reeeeeeeeeeally long. Note; these are all my own experiences.
Manners in cosmetic stores
Every country have different manners how to act in stores and how sales assistants acts towards you. I thought to mention korean cosmetic stores specifially as there might come the biggest surprise for you which might be even uncomfortable (especially for finns who like their own space lol). In cosmetic stores sales assistants usually approach you quickly, they ask if they can be of any help and even when you say 'you are looking' or 'I don't need help' they will in 90% of cases continue to follow you. They will be right next to you and follow you through the store. Most of them don't speak english (except maybe in Myeongdong stores) but they still follow you. If you touch a product they assume you are interested in it and they usually pick up the product for you to try and are almost ready to put the product to your shopping basket. So to avoid this, don't touch products you are not interested at all ^^;;; Well, you can obviously say you are not interested to sales assistant but then they will proceed to introduce some other product to you...
Note; in some stores sales assistants leave you alone because you're foreigner but in tourist spots they will surely approach you.
By the way, in cosmetics stores they have these mini shopping baskets, they usually have some samples inside for you to keep for free. But if you are given a shopping basket or you take one yourself, sales assistants expect you to buy something from their store. So until you are sure you're going to buy something, don't take a shopping basket (I did this couple times and when I didn't buy anything I was given a mean look..)
In some stores sales assistants who follow you offer to take your shopping basket and they will carry it for you. When you are ready to pay you just have to say you're done or if you don't speak korean and they don't speak english then gesture towards cashier table.
It's very common that cosmetic stores will give you free samples, especially if you buy alot. They also have campaigns that if you buy something let's say with 50,000won they will give you bag/notebook/something extra. Cosmetic stores also have 1+1 or 2+1 offers very often which basically means buy one get one free etc. They just mark it that way rather than with a sentence. And if you are interested in a product that has this offer, sales assistants will mention it to you buy saying one plus one / two plus one. They use this expression in english which is funny, they never say it in korean.
Cosmetic stores have usually one person outside trying to attract customers to visit their store. They mostly have free samples in their hands and if you take that, they expect you to buy something from their store. If you don't, they see you as a rude person (they will let you keep the sample anyway).
And just a side note; cosmetic stores allow you to take photos of products but they do not allow you to film videos (I think only few cosmetic chains don't mind so it's better to not take videos at all to not get yelled at).
Other
Often people are confused when they go to pay and there are some mannerism that are unique to Korea. But because you're a foreigner, it is usually forgiven if you make a mistake. When you pay by card or cash, give it either with two hands or with your right hand while your left hand is below you right hand's elbow (or your wrist). This is a gesture to show your politeness and respect towards the store/restaurant/any cashier. Sales assistant/cashier will do the same to you to show respect (they will bow to you also when you leave the store/restaurant/etc) and you should receive change/your card back with same gestures.
If you forget to do this gesture, don't worry they will not mind as you are foreigner and they will not expect you to know their mannerisms. But if you do, they will respect you even more.
Stores usually have displays outside which is strange to western people; we are used to that if you leave something outside unattended, it will be stolen quickly. But Korea has very low criminal rates and if you have something stolen from you in Korea, you are extremely extremely unlucky.
So, if you walk through the streets you will notice soon that like every second store have some displays outside.
Seoul has limited space, many people and tough competition from customers. That's why many stores are in different floors, it feels really packed in most neighborhoods. So when you're shopping keep your head up to check out what 2nd and 3rd floors in buildings offer. For example in Myeongdong ground level is full of cosmetic stores while 2nd and 3rd might host great restaurants, cafes and sometimes clothing and cd shops. Sometimes entrance to these shops that are in other floors are through ground level store, sometimes through small staircase in between ground level stores.
In Korea decorations tend to be grand scale. Especially in ground level stores. They have big decorations and even bigger billboards. Billboards often show if they have sales going so definetly keep that in mind if you are on a budget.
Popular stores to shop clothes, decorations, lifestyle stuff etc. are Åland (yup, Åland), Lotte department stores, Home Plus, Forever21, Top shop, Mixxo, Artbox, Butter and so on. There's especially many unique stores in Korea that don't belong to any chain where you can get many affordable items and in these you can bargain.
Popular cosmetic stores are for example Nature Republic, Innisfree, Missha, Etude House, Aritaum, Tonymoly and Holika Holika.
Some shops offer tax free over 50,000won purchase and they will usually automaticly fill you tax free form but you can also ask shops if they have tax free service. Interesting note; in Lotte department store Myeongdong there's small post office where you can send your purchase straight to your home so that you don't even have to carry it around. I think it's great service if you want to buy something but your luggage is already full. Oh, and sending post package from Korea is extremely cheap for western people (finns know the pain of sending even small stuff with overly expensive price).
I hope this was useful information :) Until next time~
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