Overview
Buying online from Japan involves two separate logistics stages:
Those stages should be priced and managed separately.
- seller to warehouse inside Japan
- warehouse to your country
Stage 1: Japan domestic delivery
The Japanese seller or store ships the item to the JPS warehouse.
Domestic shipping may be free, included, separately charged, or calculated by size and location.
JPS passes through the seller’s actual domestic shipping charge.
Stage 2: Warehouse handling
After arrival, JPS can:
JPS provides:
- perform a basic receiving check
- store the item
- provide optional photos
- consolidate eligible purchases
- prepare the final international parcel
- 60 days free storage
- free consolidation
- item photos ¥500/item
- packing from ¥500
International shipping is calculated after packing
The real international rate depends on:
A pre-purchase estimate cannot be as accurate as a final packed quote.
- actual weight
- parcel dimensions
- destination
- contents
- carrier
Actual carrier rate
JPS charges:
Actual carrier rate — no JPS markup
Shipping restrictions matter before purchase
Check in advance for:
A seller may be able to ship an item domestically in Japan even when international forwarding is restricted.
- lithium batteries
- liquids
- aerosols
- perfume
- alcohol
- compressed gas
- flammable materials
- oversized goods
Consolidation is not always the cheapest option
Combining small items often works well.
Combining several bulky boxes can create high dimensional weight.
Compare:
- one consolidated parcel
- split shipment
- product packaging preservation
- carrier size limits
Customs is destination-specific
Import rules vary by country.
Possible destination charges include:
These are separate from JPS fees unless a specific carrier service states otherwise.
- duties
- taxes
- brokerage
- customs processing fees