Today's Picture: 071

[akujunkan]

Is of:


point cards! Japan is huge on point cards. They come in three main varieties:

• A certain percentage of the pre-tax total is saved as points, which can later be redeemed at the store for merchandise
  
• A point is awarded per set amount of pre-tax total (usually one point for every 500/1,000 yen)
  
• A point is awarded every time the customer buys something/brings their own bag (this type is most common at restaurants and supermarkets, obviously)

The cards are actually a pretty savvy sales strategy. I know I frequent places the places that issue point cards, even if other stores selling similar goods (but without pointcards) are closer or slightly cheaper, and this has worked out to my benefit as well as the stores'. So far I've managed to score countless books, several CDs (n.b. CDs cost about 30-40USD in this country), supermarket discounts, 5 gigabytes of flash memory, a telephone, and a $50 pair of headphones (that were later stolen from me on an intercontinental flight, *gr*) with the points I've accumulated over the years.

In the picture above we see some of my various point cards. I have many more; these just happen to be the ones I carry about in my wallet, sans any that have my personal info on them.


That will be all.

Comments

[reppu.livejournal.com]

I have all of those sans Book-Off (they won't give me one) and Mister Donut. Animate's card is friggin' amazing, and K-Books is in close second. I have been trying to figure out how to check the number of points on my Bic Camera card, but alas, I am le stupid. >__>

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Really? Do they say why? The first time I tried to get a BO card here the guy was so obnoxious I considered bringing Arbito into it. And it took about five months before I could be persuaded to even set foot into the store again, let alone buy something.

The best way I know to check Bic points is to save your most recent receipt. It should have the points listed at the bottom.

[bran420-7.livejournal.com]

Awesome. Most reward cards here expect you to purchase an exorbitant amount and then use the discount in less than a month. Like I have the money to spare after the spending requirement to get the discount...the best we got here is coffee cards. Which John and I use VERY frequently.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Well, most of the cards here expire too--usually within three months to a year. I actually lost about $700 worth of points by not making it back to Japan before my 2006 point cards expired. :-/

That said, I think American point cards are *crap* (and targeted at idiots who can't do math). I mean, take the Best Buy point card--don't you have to spend something like $50 just to sign up? And unless you're spending $$$$ on luxury electronics every year, you actually *lose* money with the point card compared to just buying stuff at the regular price.

I wish Japan did coffee point cards. Also: I MISS GOING TO COURTHOUSE WITH YOU GUYS!!!

[bran420-7.livejournal.com]

Actually, you don't have to pay for the Best Buy Rewards card anymore, and you earn points for every ten or twenty, or they send you coupons and special card-holder event notices, so it's not as bad as it was. I get $5 coupons all the time. Which I shouldn't. but I just LOVE music SO much!

I miss coffee with you too. Of course, the last two times we went my coffee had a bad milk aftertaste. I suspect they need to better clean their equipment.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Huh, good to know for when I am back in the States. Maybe the one silver lining of the econ crisis is that stores like BB are going to bend over backwards to attract customers now? We can hope.

And that's...kinda really sad. Although I've got an awesome method for making coffeeshop worthy frappacino-style coffee at home. You want?

[bran420-7.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Side-note, the nasty coffee came from the east store, not the downtown. Stupid teenagers.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

Okay, good to know. They're probably too busy giving their friends free smoothies to clean the milk steamer...

[bran420-7.livejournal.com]

Right. All the giggling idiots that sit at the bar. If you don't care about the product, find a new job! Go to McD's or something....

[metal-dog5.livejournal.com]

I love these types of loyalty cards. I participate with two chains, and one is brilliant as it sends me a store gift card each time I reach a certain dollar amount, and when I spend that gift card, I get more points. The other one is similar, but I have to apply for stuff. But at the end of it, free stuff for me! ^__^

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

The free stuff is what it's all about! Alas, the Japanese chains do not give you points for spending points.