How to shop a Korean sale from abroad

Korean sales move fast. Popular shades and sets can sell out, and prices can change as soon as a sale ends. Shopping from abroad adds a step, because someone in Korea has to place the order. Here's how to make that step as quick as possible, and what happens if things don't go to plan.

Before the sale: prepare your links

The most useful thing you can do is have your list ready before the sale starts.

• Copy the product page link for each item, not a search results page or a cart link. If you're browsing in a store's app, use its share button to copy a web link.
• Write down the exact option. Shade number, size, volume, single or set, album version. If a product page has several options, tell us exactly which one you want.
• Note the quantity. Some stores limit how many of an item one customer can buy during a sale. If there's a limit, we'll tell you in the quote.
• Add the price you saw. There's a field for it in the request form. It helps our staff check we're looking at the same offer.
• Pick backups. If your first choice might sell out, add a second choice in the request note, like "if this shade is sold out, the next shade darker instead". That way we don't have to come back to you.

Group items by store

The service fee is ₩3,500 per store order, however many items are in it. Five items from one store cost the same ₩3,500 as one. Store orders of ₩200,000 or more have no service fee at all. If you're choosing between two stores for the same product, keeping more of your list at one store can save on fees.

Send requests early

Once a sale is live and you've got your list, send your request straight away. Our staff check the price and stock and send you a quote. Our support hours are Mon–Fri 09:00–18:00 KST, so check what that is in your time zone.

When the quote arrives:

• Pay promptly. A quote is valid for 72 hours, but a sale price or limited stock may not last that long. We place the store order after you pay.
• Nothing is charged until you accept. If the quote isn't what you hoped, you can let it expire at no cost.
• You can still cancel for free until we've placed the store order.

If items sell out

It happens, especially during big sales.

• Before you pay: the quote shows which items are unavailable, and you only pay for the items we can buy.
• After you pay: if an item sells out before we can buy it, we refund it in full, including its share of the fees. Refunds go back to your original payment method and usually take 5–10 days to appear.
• The rest of your order still goes ahead. One sold-out item doesn't hold up everything else.
• If the price goes up before we buy, for example because the sale ended, we ask you first. You can pay the difference or cancel that item for a full refund.

Member-only, app-only and card prices

Korean stores often show special prices that not every buyer can get: prices for logged-in members, app-only deals, coupons for first purchases, or discounts for specific Korean credit cards.

We quote the price we can actually pay. When you send a link, tell us the price you saw and where you saw it (member price, app, coupon), and our staff will check whether it applies to our purchase. If it doesn't, the quote shows the real price, and you can decline at no cost. We'd rather tell you up front than quote a price we can't get.

After the sale

• Check your arrival photos. Every parcel gets arrival photos and a basic check of the count, the option and visible damage. If something's wrong, tell us before you ship, while store return windows are still open.
• Wait for your other orders. Storage is free for 60 days, and consolidation is free, so there's no need to ship each sale haul separately. Packing & handling is ₩3,000 per shipment, so one box usually works out cheaper.
• Or ship straight away with pay once. If you'd rather not wait, pay once lets you pay for items and estimated shipping together, and we ship as soon as everything arrives.
• Check what can fly. Perfume, nail polish, metal aerosol sprays and anything with a lithium battery can't go by post. See prohibited items before you add them to your list.

For upcoming sale dates, see our Q4 sales calendar. Questions? Ask in the comments.