An in-depth look at a Chinese group that “bought up 4．5 million yen worth of Disney goods” “Reselling will never stop, especially in Japan”

“I wonder if the fact that resale is so much of an issue is a phenomenon unique to Japan.” These are the words of freelance writer Okukuba Yuki, who pursues so-called “scalpers” who buy up popular items and then resell them at inflated prices. He recently published a book called “The Dark Economics of Resellers” (Shinchosha). In Japan, whenever a limited edition Hello Kitty product is released, Japanese and foreigners line up to buy it all up with the intention of reselling it. The incident then gets covered on a television news program. This is the usual scene. In the past, it has been pointed out that reselling can result in products not reaching those who really want them. When considering measures to combat resale, we should also look at why resellers are so targeted in Japan. ● Walking 14km a day to “buy” with a Chinese resale group at Disneyland
Even after the mask resale boom during the COVID-19 pandemic calmed down, Okukubo felt that the resale of various products was “expanding as a business,” and so he continued his research. A Chinese woman living in Japan bought up 9 million yen worth of merchandise at an event featuring figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu. A Japanese man made a huge profit by selling rare liquor he purchased from a department store’s sales representative. A young college student who, with no knowledge whatsoever, decides to make a living by reselling and becomes obsessed with the business. The book features people involved in resale and many of the products that are resold. When Okukuba accompanied a group of Chinese people who were “buying” merchandise at Disneyland and DisneySea, the group walked 14 kilometers in one day, carrying 15 kilogram bags bulging with stuffed toys and other items. Also, from the perspective of the resellers, they realized that there were multiple groups of resellers engaging in similar behavior within the park. Although this was before the event management had taken certain measures, they purchased merchandise worth a total of about 4.5 million yen, which they sold to make a profit of 20-30%. ●Chinese international student: “Reselling will never go away. “Especially in Japan,” Okukubo explains, “there is good reselling and bad reselling.” For example, unearthing rare books from the used bookstore district of Jimbocho, selling them at auctions, and having them purchased by collectors is a good example of reselling. The buying up of tickets at Disney mentioned earlier is an example of “bad reselling.” “Finding something buried in the market and giving it to someone who wants it is a good way to resell. Bad reselling occurs when the involvement of resellers makes it difficult for people who really want the item to obtain it. Another way of saying it is bad reselling is when someone feels bad. “Selling tickets for concerts and other events where the capacity is fixed and the number cannot be increased is particularly malicious,” he said, pointing out that such resale activity will likely continue to thrive in the future. It has a strong “social evil” aspect, with price gouging and products not reaching fans. Measures are urgently needed. A young Chinese student who was part of a resale group targeting Disney reportedly said the following. “Resale will never disappear from the world. In Japan, where reselling is considered bad, there are plenty of business opportunities. There aren’t many people who want to do it.”
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He also mentioned the unexpected risks of reselling. The gap between rich and poor is widening, and young people and mothers with young children are turning to “illegal part-time jobs.” “People who are forced to queue up for resale are sometimes forced to sign smartphone contracts. This is also one of the illegal part-time jobs. I have not heard of them taking part in any robberies, but I can point out that reselling is a gateway to illegal part-time work.”
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[Bengoshi.com]
2024/11/18 (Mon) 10:09.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/44d32cca2dc6c7c9b64f65efe73e8d412c15687d