GUIDE TO POINT CARDS IN JAPAN

What are point cards in Japan? 

Point cards are used to rack up points after each purchase of goods or payment of services. Normally, every 100 yen would be equivalent to 1 point. The points that you have accumulated would then be applicable to use as payment for later purchases, with each point this time being equivalent to 1 yen. Hence, for those who go shopping often, getting a point card would be extremely economical. 

One thing to keep in mind is that many stores and supermarket chains would have certain sales days when the number of points accumulated would be several times higher than that of normal days. Don’t forget to go shopping these days to get more points, thus being able to save more money! (For example, Rakuten usually has many sales events where the number of points gets after each purchase would be 25 to 30 times higher than normal.)

• Some common point cards: Majica, WAON point, Rakuten point, Ponta,... Each of these cards is also available at different locations.
• The pros of point cards: Point cards help buyers save a little money for later purchases, whereas sellers can sell more of their goods. 
• Fee: Depending on the type of point card, some are free whereas others may cost roughly 100¥.
• Point redemption: Depending on the types of cards and the different stores, the methods of redeeming points would also vary. For some cards, 100 yen would be equivalent to 1 point, whereas for others 200 yen would be equivalent to 1 point. 

How to register for a point card

Large supermarkets usually have a booth where you can come to register for a point card. The staff would guide you throughout the process of providing user information and registering for a point card. 

Some restaurants and convenience stores also have point cards that can be used specifically for them. You can take those cards home, then register online by yourself. 

Personally, I prefer doing it directly at the stall since the process would be less time-consuming. 
 

How to use point cards

• Direct payment at the store: Normally, the staff would ask if you already have a point card. You can also tell them beforehand that you would want to use the points for payment, as well as the number of points you wish to us.

• Online payment: In the Payment tab, there would be a question asking you if you wish to use points for payment. Here, choose “Yes” and put in the number of points that you wish to use. 

• Postpaid online payment: Similar to the above process, In the Payment tab, there would be a question asking you if you wish to use points for payment. Here, choose “Yes” and put in the number of points that you wish to use. (The process for prepaid and postpaid are the same). 

Things to keep in mind while using point cards in Japan

Personally, I think that the only thing that you should note before getting point cards is to refrain from making too many cards. The reasoning for this is that you might end up having too many cards that you barely ever use, thus taking too much space in your wallet. Overall, there are no specific dangers in using point cards, so you can freely use them without much worry.