At the eBay Japan Awards 2023 held recently at a certain location in Tokyo, a total of 16 sellers who sell items from Japan to the world were honored.
This time, we will introduce the Authenticity Guarantee Service and eBay SpeedPAK along with the state of the party held after the awards ceremony.
Leading Sellers Representing Japan Gather at “eBay Japan Awards 2023,” Strong Performance in Branded Goods and Card Games
A Party Where Many Sellers Interacted and Exchanged Information
Saiga NAKAfter the eBay Japan Awards 2023, a party crowded with many participants, starting with the award-winning sellers, was held.
While listings from Japan are on an upward trend on eBay, there is still room for recognition and the accumulation of know-how.
All participants were actively interacting and exchanging information.
Live Commerce Demonstration
Saiga NAKCurrently, live commerce is showing explosive popularity as a new form of EC around the world.
It is a new sales format that allows sellers and buyers to communicate in real-time through video.
The appeal is that it can be started with just simple lighting and a smartphone, and there are many examples in the world where appearances by influencers and celebrities have led to significant sales.
Saiga NAKThe state of live commerce was actually shown at the venue.
Categories that can be listed are diverse, including brand bags and trading cards.
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In February 2024, there is also a stance of focusing on this, such as opening the Qoo10 Live Studio in Shibuya, which is the world's first live commerce dedicated studio for the entire eBay Group.
Since streaming culture has been deeply rooted in Japan for a long time, it seems likely to spread quickly in the EC field as well.
eBay Authenticity Guarantee
Saiga NAKeBay has released the top 10 cross-border EC transaction values from Japan for 2023 as follows:
- 1st: Women's Apparel & Bags Brand Accessories
- 2nd: Watches, Parts & Accessories
- 3rd: Animation Art & Character Goods
- 4th: Camera Lenses & Filters
- 5th: Trading Cards
- 6th: Film Cameras
- 7th: Car Parts
- 8th: Men's Apparel & Bags Brand Accessories
- 9th: Video Games (Consoles)
- 10th: Digital Cameras
Especially in the case of brand bags and trading cards, not only the quality and condition of the product but also whether it is authentic is extremely important.
It is very difficult to judge by photos alone.
Therefore, eBay has been providing the Authenticity Guarantee Service since November 2020, which performs appraisals of high-priced items such as bags and watches for free.
By having items purchased on eBay checked by professional appraisers, safe and secure transactions become possible for both sellers and buyers.
Saiga NAKFurthermore, in December 2023, the eBay Authentication Japan Center, the first authenticity guarantee and shipping base in the Asian region, was opened in Tokyo.
It is a system where products handled at the authentication center are placed in a dedicated box along with a card indicating they are authenticated and shipped to the buyer.
Product information data is embedded in the attached card, allowing one to wait for the arrival of the product with peace of mind.
Saiga NAKCurrently, brands such as Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Celine, and Chanel from the handbag category are covered by the authenticity guarantee, but target categories and brands are planned to be added sequentially in the future.
Since trading cards in particular are traded heavily both inside and outside of Japan, we can look forward to future service additions.
eBay SpeedPAK
eBayI believe everyone has experience with domestic mail and shipping products in Japan, but regarding delivery to outside of Japan, many may feel it is a major hurdle for cross-border EC.
In December 2023, eBay launched the official logistics service eBay SpeedPAK for the Japanese market.
It links directly with the eBay system to support the seller's product shipping process.
With eBay SpeedPAK, completion of shipping to outside of Japan is possible in as little as one business day.
Based on a track record of handling over 200 million items so far, it realizes smooth delivery procedures and low costs in cooperation with international couriers.
Localization for Japanese sellers and generous customer services such as chat and telephone are also fully available.
Seigo Makita, an individual business owner who was honored within the eBay Japan Awards 2023, also says he receives feedback from buyers saying, "It's faster than buying in America!"
Precisely because eBay focuses on supporting cross-border EC, being able to clear the hurdle of delivery issues is a great strength.
Listening to the stories of the sellers, it seems that everyone indeed initially worked through trial and error while searching for the right way.
However, it is also a fact that Japan has many strengths such as automobiles, digital products, anime, and games, and possesses the materials to promote sales to the world.
While many EC sites in Japan have their own characteristics and user bases, from the perspective of cross-border EC, there is no doubt that eBay is a head above the rest for both individuals and corporations.
When you consider the 8 billion people in the world instead of the 100 million in Japan, it made me think that business opportunities might still be rolling around everywhere.
Listing on eBay is possible from 0 yen.
For those who already have a domestic EC or are interested in cross-border EC as a side job or main business, why not try eBay, which also has extensive Japanese language support?
