Let's say the weather has turned chilly and you walk into a clothing store to buy a jacket. You say, "I'm just looking," browse for a good while, and then as you pay, the staff member asks, "Your rewards number, please?" I often hear stories about international students getting flustered in this situation. ## Your Number Is Your Membership Card In Korea, your mobile phone number is the member ID at almost every store. If every store made you get a card, your wallet would get thick, right? So they made it so you can earn points and get coupons with just one number. Koreans don't change their numbers often, so it's easy to remember too. When the staff member asks, it doesn't mean "I'm curious about you," but "Shall I add points for you?" It doesn't matter whether you were just browsing. They ask every customer who pays the same way. ## Points Really Add Up During Winter Clothing Season When you buy thick clothes like now, the price is higher, so you earn a lot more points too. Many stores also give you coupons you can use next time. Cosmetics stores are similar. That's why the staff ask almost out of habit. ## What to do when it feels like a burden - If you say, "I won't collect points," they'll ring you up right away. They don't take offense. - If you have a Korean number, at many places it's usually fine to give just the last four digits. If that doesn't work, the staff will ask for the full number. - Some shops can't enter foreign numbers. Check first with the shop's app or the staff. Once you know the reason, the unfamiliar question is a little less scary, isn't it?