E-commerce penetration ratio in households in Japan 2014-2023

In 2023, over 53 percent of households with two or more people in Japan purchased goods or services online, remaining at a similar level as the previous year. The number of households using e-commerce services increased steadily in recent years, with fashion and electronics representing a recurring category purchased online.

B2C online retail

Business-to-consumer (B2C) online retail is the main consumer-oriented e-commerce market, with marketplaces, direct-to-consumer (D2C) stores, and digital general merchandisers being common websites accessed in Japan. In particular, marketplaces, taking on the form of a virtual shopping mall, are considered popular one-stop solutions for consumers’ needs. Consequently, Amazon, Rakuten Ichiba, and Yahoo! Shopping are the most successful e-retailers in Japan, gathering millions of visitor numbers regularly. Apart from the business-to-many (B2M) platforms, the companies also offer consumer-to-consumer (C2C) services.

Japanese C2C platforms

C2C e-commerce in Japan is made up of the reuse market encompassing online auctions and flea markets, and the smaller sharing economy segment. The auction business is dominated by Yahoo’s C2C platform Yahoo! Auctions, whereas the successful mobile application operated by Mercari has been shaking up flea market platforms in the country. The main user base of second-hand platforms are adults between the age of 20 to 49, as it is considered a popular mean to save money or shop sustainable.