One of the cheapest ways to buy lolita fashion is shopping the secondhand market in Japan. One for the places to find the best deals is Yahoo! Japan Auctions. You’ll find Japanese lolita fashion brand items for often times hundreds of dollars less than they sell for new. However, it can be intimidating if you’re never done this before. Here’s a quick guide on how to shop on Yahoo! Japan Auctions.
Step 1: Search for the item you’re looking for.
Yahoo! Japan Auctions doesn’t require an app or a log in, so you can browse listings on any browser. You can use the search bar to find specific items or brands you’re looking for. English or Japanese search terms will both give you results. I’ll typically search for the brand of whatever items I want to find, then narrow my search further with the built in filters. I can’t read Japanese, so I rely on Google Translate on my Chrome browser to do the heavy lifting. Most browsers have similar tools built in.
If you are looking for a particular item, you can also search for the item name. Check Lolibrary for the Japanese name!
Step 2: Make sure you understand the listing.
Once you’ve found an item you’re interested in, make sure to look at the listing carefully and confirm that you understand all color options, defects, shipping fees, and other details. There is nothing worse than bidding on an item that looked black in the photo, only to purchase it and realize that it was navy! I also like to convert the price to USD in a calculator so I can start budgeting for my purchase!
It is also important to note on Y!JA, sellers have the option to “automatically extend” the auction in the last 10 minutes if multiple buyers are bidding to discourage sniping. I know this was a bit of an adjustment for me, since I love last minute eBay sniping!
Step 3: Find a shopping service.
Unfortunately, without a Japanese phone number, you cannot sign up for a Y!JA account. Instead, you will need to bid on items and have them shipped with a shopping or proxy service. There are many to choose from and I’ve reviewed several different companies on this blog. Different shopping services have different benefits and fees, so check out a few of them and see which one makes the most sense for you. For this auction, I’m going with Zenmarket. They sponsor me, so if you sign up with my referral link or with code LOVELYLACEANDLIES, you’ll get 800 Zenpoints, which you can use as a discount on shipping (1o0 points = $1 off).
Zenmarket charges a flat fee of 500 yen per item, and also allows for automatic bidding. I have some other items that I want to purchase from other secondhand sites, and Zenmarket will hold onto my items for 60 days free of charge. I can wait for all of my purchases to arrive at Zenmarket’s warehouse and then ship them out together.
Step 4: Sign up or log in to your shopping service and order your item.
This step will obviously vary depending on your shopping service. Since I’m using Zenmarket, I’ll be using the order flow from their website, but most proxy services work the same way.
Sign into your account. Copy the listing on Yahoo! Japan Auctions. Zenmarket has a large “+” near the top right side of their website that allows you to add to your order. Some shopping services may want you to add details about the listing, including the color, quantity, and price, but Zenmarket pulled all of this information in automatically.
Zenmarket also has a calculator on the auction purchase page to determine shipping. This wasn’t necessary for me since I will be shipping additional items with this order, but this is great if you want to get an idea of what shipping will cost for one item.
Add money to your account to pay for your item (if your shopping service requires this). Zenmarket and some other proxy services require you to put money into your account prior to bidding on your item. This protects the shopping service so that if a buyer changes their mind, they aren’t left with an item they don’t want AND a charge for the item. You can add funds to your account with a credit card or PayPal. There is a transaction fee, which is charged by the credit card or PayPal. Zenmarket also requires that you pay their 500 yen commission fee at this point.
Once you have added money to your account, you are ready to make a bid. Zenmarket allows you to place the bid by putting in your maximum bid. Zenmarket will put in your maximum bid to Yahoo! Japan Auctions, which will only bid enough to outbid any other buyers until your maximum bid is reached.
When you are placing a bid, you have the option to place a normal bid (Zenmarket will bid your maximum amount as soon as you place the order) or delayed bid (sniper bid). As stated above, some sellers may “automatically extend” the auction if a bidding war is happening, so using a sniper option doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get an item!
Step 5: Wait patiently.
Depending on how long the auction is, you may have to wait a few days to see if you’ve won!
Step 6: Follow up with your shopping service when you’ve won.
Assuming you win your auction, your shopping service will purchase the item and arrange to have it shipped to their warehouse within Japan. This can take anywhere from 2-7 days, so be patient. You may also be asked to pay any domestic shipping fees at this point.
Step 7: Choose your shipping option.
When your item arrives to your shopping service’s warehouse, you will typically receive a notification or email letting you know. At this point, you can purchase additional items and ship everything together, or you can ask your shopping service to pack your order. Some proxy services will offer photos of your items when they arrive, which can allow you to spot any undisclosed damages. I’ve personally never opted for this service, but I know some people prefer to have this option.
You will likely have a few different options for shipping, including EMS, DHL, or Japan Post. There are benefits and drawbacks to all of them, so you can do research to see which one makes the most sense for you.
Once you’ve chosen your shipping option, your shopping service will pack your order and send you a final invoice for international shipping. I know that I was surprised when I first got into this fashion that shipping wasn’t included as an upfront cost, but it’s very common to get a second invoice after you have purchased your item for shipping! Once your final invoice is paid, your package will be mailed!
FAQ
Is it safe to order from Yahoo! Japan Auctions?
It is as safe as ordering on a site like eBay. Some sellers are sketchy or flaky, some sellers go above and beyond. Look at the listing, look at the seller feedback, and when in doubt, ask your shopping service if you have questions.
What is the best shopping service to use?
It’s hard for me to say! I’ve personally used Japan Shopping Service, Zenmarket, From! Japan, and Buyee. I have not had particular problems with any of them, but I like some of them more than others. Check Reddit, Discord servers, or your local community for more recommendations.
What search terms can I use?
In addition to searching for brand names, I’ve also found this list of search terms very helpful!
How do I estimate shipping?
Your shopping service will likely have a shipping calculator. If they don’t, you can use EMS, DHL, or Japan Post‘s website and this helpful list of common item weights to estimate yourself!
The seller didn’t list the name of the dress or provide any measurements! Will this dress fit me?
Honestly, this is one of the most terrifying and joyful thing about shopping Japanese secondhand sites. With practice you will get better at finding items on Lolibrary using just photos, but sometimes you just have to take a gamble. You can always ask other lolitas for help identifying items, but be warned, if you post a live auction in a server with other lolitas, you run the risk of having something else buy your item! If you do buy something that doesn’t turn out the way you hope, you can always bid it farewell.