Tokyo Nugget #3: There’re point cards for everything
21 Dec
Point cards to create a loyal customer base is nothing new but you’ll be amazed that virtually every Tokyo store you frequent has a point card system — from Starbucks to Haagen Daz to kusuriyas (pharmacies) to chocolate counters to Subway to stationary shops.
I have a 20-page card-holder that is stuffed to the brim with just point cards. I feel like such a savvy shopper in a retail paradise such as Tokyo. Some point cards require you to accumulate a certain number to enjoy a 500JPY gift voucher or some convert the points to cash, so every point is 1JPY (200 points means 200JPY) and you get to choose how much you want to collect and when you want to cash in on the points.
I heart point cards and it’s such a clever idea to make you spend more, albeit at a discount, but you do feel you could splurge a little bit more, so it’s an integral part of the retail machine in Japan.
No related posts.
I love point cards too. When given a choice, I always choose the restaurant of which I have a point card. I just don’t like that some of them expire.
I’ve yet to have a restaurant point card — will look out for that. My friends usually show special promotional emails at big chain izakayas to enjoy discounts.