Shinsegae department store to hold 'Global Shopping Festa' through Oct. 11

Shinsegae department store will hold the "Shinsegae Global Shopping Festa" at its main, Gangnam, Centum City and Times Square branches through Oct. 11. Organized in partnership with the Korea Tourism Organization and Shinsegae duty-free, the event is the retailer's largest foreign-visitor shopping festival this year.

The event is timed to coincide with China's Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, as well as Japan's Silver Week. A total of 120 brands, global payment companies and tax-refund firms are taking part, with perks available at both the payment and tax-refund stages.

Shinsegae gift vouchers will be given out based on purchase amounts, and discount promotions on K-deli items such as tteokbokki and kimbap are also planned. Exclusive benefits will be available in the beauty category as well. Foreign customers who join Shinsegae's global membership and sign up as Visit Korea members will receive a "Mega Special Shopping Voucher Pack" containing 17 types of benefits.

Alipay users will receive instant discounts based on purchase amounts, along with Shinsegae gift vouchers and beverage coupons for Shinsegae Members Bar. WeChat Pay users will receive preferential exchange rates and discount coupons, while UnionPay users can enjoy random discounts of up to 10 percent and gift voucher benefits.

Japanese tourists can pick up a shopping voucher pack at the JCB Plaza in Myeong-dong. Customers who receive an instant cosmetics refund through Global Tax Free will also receive an additional Shinsegae gift voucher.

Foreign-visitor sales at Shinsegae's main store rose 231 percent year-on-year in the January–August period this year. "We will bring together exclusive brand promotions, payment benefits and gift voucher giveaways that can only be found at Shinsegae to boost shopping satisfaction," said Lee Seong-hwan, executive director of sales strategy at Shinsegae department store.