TOKYOOctober 7 (News On Japan) – Disney’s exclusive merchandise releases in Japan have sparked a new controversy, not only over traditional resale, but also over a trend known as “proxy shopping.”
Fans eager to get their hands on new items, like the recently released Duffy & Friends merchandise at DisneySea, have found many of these products at flea markets like Mercari shortly after release.
Proxy shopping is different from traditional resale. Sellers accept orders through social media and purchase the items on behalf of the buyers, charging the item’s fees, shipping costs, and additional charges. Despite Oriental Land Co.’s ban. on purchasing goods for resale, these proxy shoppers operate largely as businesses, often processing numerous orders and making profits of around ยฅ10,000.
Some proxy shoppers claim they are motivated by their own frustration at not being able to purchase exclusive goods in the past. Oriental Land Co. however, has stated that it is considering further measures to address issues with both resale and proxy shopping.
Source: FNN