The Korean retail experience

To the editor:
    Shopping is an experience whenever you are in a foreign country. In the lead up to the Christmas season here in Korea there were lots of sales on almost everything. What you do not see as frequently is the tacky side of Christmas. At least until the final few days before the event. Then it is as if a wand has been waved. Suddenly, hundreds of Santa suits appear. Every store seems to have its own Nick and some have two or three. 

    Koreans tend to be a little thinner than Americans. That bowl full of jelly doesn’t exist. Instead it looks like the chef was trying to stretch a spoonful of the sweet stuff a little bit too far — no fat here!     There are not a lot of lights to be seen and what few displays you do see tend to be modest. The mega-light extravaganza of a million plus flashing lights is nowhere to be seen. Still you do see some lights and there are a few trees up. A decided advantage compared to the overwhelming smothering coverage of the theme back home. Still a few more lights would be appreciated.
    Shopping at many stores is like stepping back into the fantasy of “Green Acres.” Every store has the feel of an old time general store. Heaps of things are stacked around and you either wander around scratching your head to figure out the order of the store or the clerk pulls apart the heaps of goods to find that one item you want. Floor space is at a premium. Anyone larger than five foot six is going to get stuck. I am practicing my sideways shuffle.
    After finding what I want I go to the checkout and the 21st Century arrives. Armed with the laser gun the clerk manages to zap the bar codes and tally up the lot. You have to ask for a bag and they charge you for it. If you have a lot of stuff the Koreans are ahead of the U.S. All those cardboard boxes that things come in are carted to the front of the checkout line. Folded and stripped of their tape, they are recycled once again by the customers. There are tables across from the registers with tape, scissors, and stacks of boxes. You pick the ones you want and reassemble them. Slap some tape on the cardboard and it’s as good as new. This is important because one service that is offered to customers here is the chance to buy your stuff and then have it shipped to you. Instead of carting the loot to the car you box it up and head over to the shipping office. A sticky label with name, address, and phone number and a small fee and your hands are free and the lot goes by truck to your home. If you are lucky the guy bringing the packages will carry them up to your door.
    If you prefer, you take your box, make some straps out of the tape and lug it back to the bus, It costs nothing to tuck it into the cargo bay and you and your box are driven away into the sunset. A nice end to the day.