FAQs

We operate entirely online and do not have any physical classrooms. However, we do operate an office in Tokyo, Japan. A large percentage of are staff are from foreign backgrounds and speak fluent English. We can also provide support in a number of other languages such as Japanese, German and French.

Click here to find out more about us

We conduct our classes online via Skype and our online classroom software. Due to this, there are a number of prerequisites that are required to ensure that you can take full advantage of our systems.

For taking lessons, you will need to have:

HARDWARE

– A computer (Mac or Windows, purchased within the last 4 years) or tablet computer (It is possible to use a smartphone, however this would not be ideal as the screen is too small and you cannot make use of our desktop software)

INTERNET CONNECTION

– As the quality of Skype calls vary depending on internet connection, we recommend that you use our service from a computer with a high speed wired internet connection. However, it is also possible to take lessons over WiFi or 4G. For those using a mobile internet connection, make sure to take lessons from an area with a strong connection.

SOFTWARE

– We mainly use Skype for individual lessons. It is recommended that you create a free Skype account and download the latest version of the software onto your computer. We also offer lessons through Google Hangouts for corporate customers.

Ecom is one of Japan’s largest online language schools and we teach over 20 languages including English, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, French, German and Spanish. Ecom points can be used across all of our language websites. However, at the moment most of our other websites are in Japanese and designed for Japanese customers. We can however provide you with support and introduce you to teachers of other languages in English. Please contact us for more information.

Your privacy is very important to us.

Rest assured that we do not share your personal information with third parties.

• We use the secure PayPal payment system for processing payment, meaning that we will never ask you to provide your payment information directly to us.
• Whilst we usually share your basic profile with your teacher, we can refrain from doing this on request.
• Teachers do not see your personal contact information (other than your Skype account) under any circumstance.
• We also do not send advertising email and only send one email after the trial lesson to see whether or not you would like to enroll.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Our lessons are designed to fit your busy schedule. The minimum (and most popular) lesson time is 30 minutes, however there is no set duration and you can extend the lesson time in 30 minute blocks.

Once you enroll, you will have access to our online student portal. Through the portal, you can view when teachers are available and book lessons for a time that is most convenient for you. You can also book lessons months in advance and/or set up a regular schedule. Lessons can be cancelled up to 12 hours prior to the start of the lesson without penalty, however we recommend that you let us know of cancellations as soon as possible.

Our teachers teach all levels of Japanese from total beginner to advanced. We also teach specialized subjects such as Business Japanese or preparation for the JLPT. All our lessons are one to one and we endeavor to design lessons that allow you to achieve your personal goals, whether they be improving your conversational ability or preparing for a business presentation.

Yes, we have an online system for making reservations from which you can read teacher profiles and select the teacher that is best for you. We can also match you with a teacher we feel best matches your needs.

Student Cancellation;

Students can cancel lessons without incurring a penalty up to 12 hours prior to the start of each lesson. From 12 hours onward, you will be charged half of the points for the lesson. From 30 minutes prior to the lesson start time, you will be charged all the points for the lesson.

Please contact us ASAP when you’d like to make a cancellation.

Teacher Cancellation;

Sometimes, teachers may need to cancel their lessons due to unforeseen circumstances. In this case, we will notify you ASAP and you will not be charged for the lesson.

Ecom uses a point system ‘Ecom points’ to facilitate payment for lessons. Students purchase points, which can then be exchanged for lessons.

1.5 Points = 30 Minutes / 3 Points = 1 Hour

Points cost around $20 AUD each. We offer discounts for bulk purchases of points and points can be shared between family members or coworkers and can be used across all the languages that we offer.

Click here for more information

Ecom points are used to pay for lessons. We teach over 20 languages, and you can use the points on all of our websites. You can also share points between family members or coworkers.

*Please keep in mind that most of our other language websites are currently designed for Japanese speakers, however we can provide support and introduce you to teachers of other languages in English. Please contact us for more information.

*The ability to share points requires a one off fee upon enrollment

Yes, Ecom points do have expiry dates, after which they can no longer be used. The expiry date depends on the amount of points that you purchase.

Please be aware that the expiry date noted applies to each set of points. For example, if you purchase 16 points (4 month expiry) and then another 16 points a week later, the 4 month expiry period of the second lot of 16 points will not begin until you have used all the original points.

We will send you a reminder email one month prior to the expiry of your points.

If your point balance becomes lower than one point, your reservations will be cancelled automatically by our system.

We cannot refund points within one month of their expiry date.

See the pricing page to find out more about purchasing points.

We use PayPal for payments. Using PayPal, you can pay with any major credit card. Those with a PayPal account can also pay with their account balance or bank transfer.

Paypal charges fees for payment which are the customer’s responsibility.

We accept payment in Australian Dollars or Japanese Yen.

Yes, students must pay a one off enrollment fee of $95 AUD.

After paying the enrollment fee, you have access to all of our services.

Please be aware that if you do not access your account for six months, you account will be deleted and you will need to repay the enrollment fee again if you wish to re-enroll. If you would like to take a break of over 180 days, please contact us and we will discuss the options with you.

We can refund your points at any time as long as the following conditions are met.

• The expiry date of the points that you would like to have refunded is not within 1 month of the current date
• The value of the remaining points is not less than $100 AUD

How we calculate refunds;

We use the following algorithm to calculate refunds;

Point purchase price x Number of points remaining – $100 refund processing fee.

After we receive a refund request, we will send a PayPal refund to your account within 5 business days. Please contact us if you are considering a refund and our staff will assist you.