Buying from Japan, step by step
Last updated: 26 September 2026
Japanese second-hand marketplaces like Mercari, Yahoo! Auctions and PayPay Flea Market do not ship abroad. Don't worry: to buy there, you use a proxy service. It buys the item for you in Japan, receives it at its warehouse, then sends it on to you. Fleaven links to Buyee, one of the most widely used. Let me walk you through it.
The steps
- Create a Buyee account. Signing up is free. You will need a bank card or a PayPal account.
- Buy or bid. On a fixed-price listing, the purchase is immediate. On an auction, Buyee bids for you up to the maximum you set. Winning an auction commits you to paying.
- Buyee receives the item in Japan. The seller ships it to Buyee's warehouse, usually within a few days.
- Choose international shipping. You can combine several purchases into one parcel to save on shipping. Buyee offers several shipping methods, some faster than others.
- Pay for shipping, then the taxes on arrival. Depending on the carrier, import taxes are paid when you order or on delivery.
What you pay
On Fleaven, I show the listing price converted to euros. That is only the beginning: here is everything that is added before the parcel reaches your door. Buyee's fees are those published on its website on 25 September 2026.
| Cost | Amount | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Listing price | Price shown, in yen | For an auction, the final price can climb well above it. |
| Buyee purchase fee | ¥500 per order | The same for Mercari, Yahoo! Auctions and Rakuma. |
| Buyee protection option | ¥0 to ¥500 | Shipping insurance and item checks, depending on the option you choose. |
| Domestic shipping in Japan | Around ¥150 to ¥1,500 | From the seller to Buyee's warehouse, depending on weight and size. Always included in the price on PayPay Flea Market. |
| International shipping | Depends on weight and method | Often the biggest cost. Combining purchases brings it down. |
| Import VAT | Depends on your country | In the European Union, VAT is due on every parcel from outside the EU, whatever its value (20% in France). |
| Customs duty | €3 per item in the EU | Since 1 July 2026, a flat duty applies to distance sales under €150 imported into the EU. Outside the EU, check your own country's rules. |
| Carrier fees | Variable | Some carriers charge a customs clearance fee on delivery. |
A worked example
Let's take the 1988 Hello Kitty pencil case I spotted in September: ¥5,555 on Mercari, about €31. Once packed, it weighs around 300 g. Here is the estimate for a parcel sent to France.
| Cost | In yen | In euros |
|---|---|---|
| Listing price | ¥5,555 | €31 |
| Buyee purchase fee | ¥500 | €3 |
| Domestic shipping in Japan (estimate) | ¥300 | €2 |
| Shipping to France (Japan Post, International Air Packet, 300 g) | ¥1,240 | €7 |
| Import VAT in France (20%) | €8 | |
| Flat customs duty | €3 | |
| Delivered total, about | €54 |
So for a listing shown at €31, expect about €54 once the pencil case is at your door. Keep the rough figure in mind: for a small, light item, fees often add around twenty euros. For a heavy or bulky item (a Sylvanian house, a bundle), shipping costs much more: check the amount Buyee quotes before you pay.
What about OFFMALL listings?
OFFMALL is the online shop of the Hard-Off, Hobby-Off and Off House stores: every item is for sale in a real shop somewhere in Japan, at a fixed price with a condition grade (from S, like new, to D, with flaws). OFFMALL does not ship abroad and has no direct Buyee page, so you use Buyee's order-by-link service.
- Copy the OFFMALL listing address (the radar link goes straight to it).
- Paste it into Buyee's order-by-link form, with the quantity. Buyee reviews the request within three days.
- Pay if Buyee accepts: a ¥500 purchase fee per shop, then domestic and international shipping as for any other purchase.
As the item is also on sale in the shop, it may go before your request is processed. The radar collects OFFMALL once a week: the newer the listing, the better your chances.
Buyee or another service? The comparison
Buyee is not the only proxy service. Fleaven links to Buyee because it is an official partner of Mercari and Yahoo! Auctions, but other services can work out cheaper depending on what you buy. Fleaven is not linked to any of them.
| Service | Service fee | Combining and storage | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buyee | ¥500 per order, however many items from the same seller. Protection option from ¥0 to ¥500 | Combining available, as an option | Several items from one seller, Yahoo! Auctions bids |
| ZenMarket | ¥800 per item on Mercari and auctions, ¥300 to ¥500 in shops | Free combining, 60 days of free storage | Japanese online shops |
| Neokyo | ¥350 per item, domestic shipping included | Paid packing: ¥500 up to 2 kg, then ¥150 per kilo. 45 days of free storage | Single items from different sellers, thanks to the included domestic shipping |
| Remambo | ¥500 per order (one auction or one listing) | Free combining, 60 days of free storage | Yahoo! Auctions bids, long storage to combine parcels |
| FROM JAPAN | Multi-tier pricing (flat fee per item and a commission on some sites); comparisons disagree | Depends on the plan | Compare case by case: check the total before paying |
What to remember:
- A single item on Mercari: Buyee (¥500, plus domestic shipping) and Neokyo (¥350 with domestic shipping, plus ¥500 packing per parcel) are neck and neck. ZenMarket charges ¥800.
- Several items from the same seller: Buyee, charged per order, becomes clearly cheaper than services charged per item.
- Several items from different sellers: the gaps narrow, and combined international shipping makes the difference.
- In every case, international shipping weighs more than service fees: compare the total shown when you pay for shipping, not just the starting fee.
Understanding a listing's condition
Japanese sellers often use these words. Buyee translates them automatically, sometimes loosely.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 未使用 | Never used |
| 美品 | Very good condition |
| 中古 | Second-hand |
| 当時物 | Vintage, made at the time, not a reissue |
| 動作確認済み | Working, checked by the seller |
| ジャンク | Sold as is, often damaged or not working, no returns |
My advice before you start
- Start with a small fixed-price purchase to see how it all works without any risk.
- Look at every photo: what is not shown is not guaranteed.
- For an auction, set your maximum with the delivered price in mind, not just the listing price: the example above gives you the rough figure.
- Combine your purchases over a few weeks to pay for a single international shipment.
Sources
- Buyee, service fees
- Neokyo, service fees
- Nihongo Hub, Buyee, ZenMarket, Remambo and Neokyo compared (September 2026)
- Otaku Shopping Guide, 2026 comparison
- Japan Post, International Air Packet rates
- French customs, flat €3 customs duty (in French)
Fleaven is not linked to any of the services mentioned and earns no commission. This information may change: always check the terms on the proxy service's website.