I go to a drugstore.
It is no longer only a place to buy medicine.
Toothpaste, laundry detergent, snacks, drinks.
Sometimes, it almost feels like a small supermarket.
Then comes the checkout.
“Do you have a point card?”
“Do you use our app?”
“Would you like to use a coupon?”
“Will you be paying with ○○ Pay?”
Shopping has become more convenient.
But at the same time, it feels a little busier.
To collect points, I register as a member.
Name.
Date of birth.
Email address.
Phone number.
“Is it really okay to enter this much personal information?”
I wonder for a moment.
But I still register.
Then comes the next problem.
Input errors.
For passwords, I understand.
Uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, symbols.
But sometimes, even the address field is surprisingly strict.
“Please enter using half-width characters.”
“The format is incorrect.”
We live in an age where AI can write and translate text.
And yet, simply entering an address can stop me again and again.
As someone who is not good with IT, I quietly mutter,
“If the system knows what is wrong, couldn’t it just fix it for me?”
Other countries also have their own systems for saving money.
In the United States, some drugstores offer lower member prices, and receipts may come with many coupons for the next visit.
In France, the culture is less about stacking points and more about using a loyalty card to receive benefits. There is also strong awareness around the handling of personal information, including why the information is being collected.
In Germany, there is a deposit system for bottles and cans. When people return empty bottles or cans, they can get back the money they paid as a deposit.
Rather than collecting points, it is a system that encourages recycling.
The word “saving” may be the same, but the ideas behind it can differ from country to country.
When I shop using points,
I feel as if I have saved money.
The amount I pay becomes smaller.
It almost feels as if I received something for free.
But then I think again.
Did I really buy only what I needed in order to collect those points?
Was I tempted by a coupon and buy something I had not planned to buy?
At that moment, it felt like a good deal.
But when I look at the whole picture,
was it really a good deal?
I am not completely sure.
Shopping has become more convenient.
It has also become easier to save money.
But behind that convenience,
we hand over personal information,
increase the number of apps on our phones,
and sometimes struggle with registration screens.
In the end,
the best deal may not be collecting as many points as possible.
It may be shopping in a way that feels comfortable and manageable for me.
Convenience matters.
Saving money matters too.
That is why I do not want to be controlled by shopping.
I want to keep the small joy of choosing for myself.
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