Secondhand Shops Rush for Branded Goods in Japan

   Tokyo, Feb. 2 (Jiji Press)--Secondhand shop operators in Japan are focusing on developing channels to procure luxury and other branded goods as demand from foreign visitors surges amid the yen's historic weakness.
   Some are teaming up with major department stores to improve their product offerings, while others are beginning to use artificial intelligence to evaluate goods brought in by customers.
   According to the trade publication Reuse Economic Journal, Japan's secondhand goods market has been expanding year by year, totaling 3,122.7 billion yen in 2023, up 7.8 pct from the previous year. Of the 2023 total, branded goods accounted for 365.6 billion yen, up 19.4 pct.
   "The momentum (for expansion) seems to have continued in 2024," an official of the newspaper said.
   Since last summer, Komehyo Co., a major buyer of used goods based in the central city of Nagoya, has been opening outlets in department stores under the J. Front Retailing Co. group, hoping to get branded goods from department store customers.

(2025/02/02-10:00)

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