Shopping on Aladin Books
I recently placed an order on Aladin books after a friend introduced me to the website. I felt like I found a hidden treasure. There aren’t a ton of options for buying Korean books. The selection is massive and the pricing is reasonable. And at the time I wrote this, shipping is free over $50. Compared to GMarket Global, it’s 100 times easier to navigate. Mark-up is considerably less than Amazon or other online retailers (I’ve found so far) especially if you factor in the free shipping. It took 5 days to receive the books which is faster than any other Korean purchase I’ve made. Come to think of it, faster than most things I’ve ordered during COVID-19. The only hitch is, you have to be able to read and type Korean. If you overcome that, it’s an awesome option for buying Korean books and toys. For those of us who would otherwise spend a lot of time on Google Translate, I wanted to make an easy walkthrough.
Make sure you’re on the US version of the website. If the pink button on the top right says KOREA then you are on the US page. Also, the prices should appear in USD. If not, click the button that says “알라딘 US.”
You might as well make an account before browsing and shopping. You’ll need it if you want to make a list and save items for later. And, it will definitely make it easier for checking out.
Now for the fun part, browsing and shopping! I like finding the Korean editions of the books we already have. Try searching by the author’s name. You can also search for topics. Some keywords you might want to look for are “첫 백과” (first encyclopedia), “보드 북” (board book), and “사운드 북” (sound book.) Does your little one love 뽀로로 or 핑크퐁? ???
In the item page, you can add an item to your cart or “buy it now.” Once you go to your cart, it’s pretty straightforward. Review the details of your purchase and proceed to checkout.
Input your shipping information and choose your shipping method. There are some special circumstances due to COVID-19. I was able to qualify for free shipping with an order over $50. So, I would make a shopping list and wait until you’re ready to
Review and input your payment information. Finally, checkout! The last page will be your confirmation. You can also view your past orders. Aladin makes a really cute personalized page for your account. You can view your past orders and your (private or public) wishlists. Aladin won’t charge your card until your order ships.
Have you purchased books on Aladin? Do you have any other favorite online stores for Korean shopping?