Cheap Shopping in Japan

October 5th, 2010By Category: Shopping

Flash buying has taken off in a big way elsewhere around the world and Japan has been quick to import the service, with several sites offering local variations on the ‘one-deal-per-day’ concept.

For those not familiar, essentially a-deal-a-day site dedicates its top page to a specific product or service, offered at a significant discount. Usually there is an element of group buying, for example you have to commit to bring a bunch of friends with you to receive the discount. The deals themselves can range from the relatively mundane to the particular sweet. Japan Pulse mentions one that allowed you to save 80% on an iTunes gift card as one particularly handy example.

Local Japanese versions now fill a number of different niches, for example meals in resturaunts, hotel stays, spa treatments and home appliances. Of the sites stretching to meet demand, Q:Pod has been the most successful and was recently bought out by American company Groupon.

Deals are distributed to members through email, Twitter and various phone apps, making it easy to get the latest offer the way you prefer. Those with a particularly strong urge to save while they shop in Japan (if that’s possible) can find our full list below.

Kaupon

Q-pon

Minawari

Mincou

Nicopon

Piku

Goti

Q:pod(now Groupon Japan)

Prepon

GroupMALL

GRPI

GravyTokyo

Dreampass (movie tickets)

See related coverage on AsiaJin.

Author of this article

GaijinPot

GaijinPot is an online community for foreigners living in Japan, providing information on everything you need to know about enjoying life here, from finding a job and accommodation to having fun.

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Comments

  • No doubt Japan and China are offering products in cheap prices not only in their country but also all over the world.

  • HI,
    Japan is one of my favorite place where i want to go from my childhood. I hope my dream will come true one day. Now come to the point, i think japan is a great place for shopping not only because it is cheap but also it is a traditional country and its culture. I am very much interested to study the japans culture and history. I like it very much. I have read your article and truly speaking that it was awesome.
    Thanks for such a nice and interesting post.

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