How to buy in Amazon Japan for international customers

Buying from Amazon Japan may appear challenging for shoppers outside of the country. The website is in Japanese and doesn't ship many items overseas. However, with the right tools and knowledge, you can access Japan's largest online marketplace from anywhere in the world.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through how to buy from Amazon Japan as an international customer. We'll cover how to access Amazon Japan in English, search for and select items, complete your order, and have items shipped worldwide.

Why buy from Amazon Japan?

There are several reasons why shopping on Amazon Japan is worthwhile for international customers:

Huge selection of authentic Japanese products

Amazon Japan has one of the largest product selections of any ecommerce site in Japan. You'll find authentic Japanese products that simply aren't available outside of Japan, including:

• Japanese snacks like Pocky, KitKats, and Ramune soda

• Japanese beauty and skincare products

• Anime merchandise and manga

• Japanese kitchenware like bento boxes

• Electronics and gaming items released only in Japan

So if you love Japanese culture and want access to local products, Amazon Japan is invaluable.

Lower prices on some items

Prices in Japan are generally lower than in North America and Europe for certain product categories, especially Japanese goods. For example, Japanese cosmetics and skincare can be up to 50% cheaper when buying directly from Amazon Japan.

Some electronic items like video games and gadgets also see major discounts compared to international pricing. So you can save money buying directly from the source.

Easy proxy buying through Janbox

The biggest challenge with Amazon Japan is actually getting items shipped internationally. But proxy buying services like Janbox (part of Ezbuy Japan) make the process easy.

You shop for items on Amazon Japan like normal. Then Ezbuy Japan purchases, consolidates, and ships your orders worldwide through our warehouse network. This proxy buying approach solves the biggest fulfillment issue with Amazon Japan.

So in short, Amazon Japan gives you unique access to authentic Japanese products at great prices. Proxy services then handle the international shipping and customs clearance process on your behalf.

How to buy from Amazon Japan: a step-by-step guide

If you want to tap into the amazing selection of Amazon Japan, here is a step-by-step guide to start buying as an international customer:

Step 1: Access Amazon directly on Janbox

The first step is accessing the Amazon Japan website. The site is entirely in Japanese, so you'll need to view it translated into English.

Rather than copy-pasting item links back and forth, the easiest way is to access Amazon Japan directly through Janbox

• Go to janbox.com, choose your language and sign up for an account. This is quick and free to do.

• Look at the Japan market list on the left side. Click "Amazon Japan" to go shopping. We organized popular categories, popular keywords, popular brands, recommended sellers, and suggestions for you. 

Step 2: Search for names or copy-paste the link of your items

With Amazon Japan now in English, you can search and browse for items just like the regular Amazon website in your country.

To find products, you can:

• Search by keyword or product name

• Browse Amazon Japan categories like toys, beauty, electronics, etc

• Directly copy-paste an Amazon Japan product link into Janbox if you have one Amazon Japan's product selection. 

The Japanese market is massive, so take your time to dig in and search for authentic Japanese items or discounted pricing on tech and goods.

Step 3: Browse the available Amazon listings

Once you've searched for an item, you'll see the full listings available on Amazon Japan. However, not every listing may be able to ship internationally.

Carefully review each listing for:

• Ships from and sold by Amazon JP - This indicates Amazon Japan themselves have the item in stock. Anything shipped by Amazon JP is able to be sent internationally by proxy.

• Prime eligible - Amazon Prime items are also in stock and able to be proxied.

Listings that say "ships within Japan only" may not be proxyable. Stick to items shipped by Amazon or marked proxyable to ensure you can buy them.

Step 4: Add items to your cart

If everything looks good, add your Amazon Japan items to the cart alongside anything else you want to order. You need to review carefully the main factors like: 

• International shipping estimate

• Import duties estimate

• Final total cost

• Options to select color/size/quantity

 Shop across multiple Japanese sites to make international shipping worthwhile.

>>> Read more: How to buy in Yahoo Auctions Japan

Step 5: Pay for your items

When ready, go through the checkout process. You'll select your shipping speed and complete payment.

Ezbuy Japan will then place the domestic orders in Japan, purchase and consolidate everything in our warehouse, and ship it internationally to your door.

So that's the full process! Follow those steps and you can seamlessly access and buy from Amazon Japan from anywhere worldwide.

FAQs

Here are answers to some common questions about buying from Amazon Japan:

Why do I see this error message: “Sorry, this item cannot be shipped to your selected address”?

If you receive this error on Amazon Japan, it means the seller has restricted international shipping for that specific listing. Even if the item is eligible to ship worldwide, the individual seller may choose not to.

To fix it, you need to find a listing sold by Amazon JP directly or marked proxyable. Restricted listings won't be able to ship overseas. Stick to Prime-eligible or Janbox-verified listings to avoid issues.

How can I browse Amazon Japan in English?

The Amazon Japan website is fully in Japanese, so you'll need translation to shop in English. The easiest way is to access Amazon Japan through Janbox because we integrate English and 4 other languages to serve international customers. You can seamlessly search and browse Japanese sites in your own language this way.

Does Amazon Japan ship to my country?

Amazon Japan themselves only ships domestically within Japan. But proxy services like Janbox enable international shipping to over 150 countries worldwide.

When checking out items, we will calculate the shipping estimate and duties to your country. As long as those are listed, you can buy them from Amazon Japan.

So in summary, while Amazon Japan doesn't directly ship overseas, proxies like Janbox handle the international fulfillment process. This gives you access to buy from Japan's largest marketplace no matter where you live.

Conclusion

Buying authentic Japanese products just got much easier with this guide to shopping on Amazon Japan internationally. Language and shipping barriers made it difficult in the past, but no longer thanks to the appearance of proxying service. 

With millions of products at great prices, Amazon Japan is a trove of hidden gems for international shoppers. Source unique Japanese goods, save money on tech, and import the latest Japanese products worldwide. Open up this channel of online shopping and import a piece of Japan directly to your door.