03 Dec
When I first moved to Korea, one of the first parts of America that I specifically missed was Amazon. While Amazon does work in Korea, the shipping is much slower and slightly more expensive than in the States. While talking to my Korean friend about this, she said: “Have you tried Coupang yet?”
Coupang is the largest online retailer used in South Korea. Its biggest competitor is G Market. I thought that using a Korean online shop would be difficult since I am still learning Korean, but it was much easier than I thought! Today, I am going to be giving you a step-by-step guide on how to use the Amazon of South Korea: Coupang!
Get Your Alien Registration Card (ARC)
Just like many things in South Korea, an ARC is required to use services like Coupang. The reason for this is because your phone number, bank account, and ARC are all connected in South Korea. Once you have the physical ARC, you can open a bank account and open a phone plan. My school helped me throughout this process, so you have nothing to worry about! Check out our step-by-step guide here if you need it!
Download The Coupang App
Coupang can be found on the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store on any recent smartphone. It will look something like this:
The first page that opens when you first start the app is a page that looks like this. You will click on the bottom option to register for a Coupang account. “회원가입” translates to “Sign Up.”
You will then need to fill out a page with your personal information. It will look something like this:
Once you submit this page, you will then need to verify your phone number. There are multiple ways to do this, but I find the easiest is clicking on SMS and verifying it through a text message code.
After you have verified that you are a real person, congratulations! You have officially created your Coupang account.
Start Shopping!
It’s now time for the best part: finding amazing deals with extremely fast shipping! Although Coupang is a Korean app, I have used English in the search bar and have had little to no issues finding what I need. I have purchased bedding, cleaning supplies, home gadgets, toiletries, and so much more with Coupang! On top of this, Coupang has something called, “Rocket Delivery.” Eligible items will be marked with a blue rocket graphic, and will arrive within 1 day or less!
Here is a screenshot of what a normal item page on Coupang will look like!
Once you have decided on what you wish to buy, it’s now time to input your home address.
TIP: If you don’t know how to read or write Korean, type in your home address on Papago and it will automatically translate it for you!
Most buildings have a front door with a password to enter the building. If this is the case, make sure to add the front door password into the delivery instructions! All of the blanks along with what should be written in them can be found here:
After that, all you need to do is hit the big, blue button at the bottom of the screen and you will be done! Coupang is an amazing resource to use when you can’t find an item in stores, or if you want to find good deals. This guide would have helped me A TON when I first found out about Coupang, so I hope it helps you too!
Gabe White, Marketing Assistant
Gabriel (Gabe) White is a soon to be English teacher in South Korea. He is a Korean, Puerto Rican-American from the Richmond, Virginia area and received a bachelor’s degree in English from Virginia Commonwealth University. Being involved in student organizations like Filipino Americans Coming Together at VCU (FACT@VCU) and VCU Globe during his college years, Gabe learned just how much he enjoys experiencing new cultures. In his free time, Gabe loves teaching local dance classes, spending quality time with his loved ones, exploring new cities, and watching nostalgic movies.