What it costs

A base fee, plus 5% of what the items cost. That's it.

I don't count items. One thing or twenty, the fee for an order works out the same way.

The item price, the payment fee, and both shipping costs are money that passes straight through me to the shops and the carriers. None of it is mine. The service fee is the only part I earn.

Worked examples

Here's what the bill actually looks like, service by service. The international shipping figures are Japan Post's published EMS rates.

• The 5% applies to the item cost only — not to shipping or packing.
• Asking for both online and in-person buying? Each base fee applies, but the 5% is charged once, on the total.
• There's a 3.6% payment fee — exactly what Stripe charges me, so I can't discount it.
• Item prices and domestic shipping inside Japan go through at cost. No markup.
• Everything is billed in Japanese yen. Your own card issuer converts it, so their exchange rate and any foreign transaction fee are between you and them.
• International shipping follows my rate table, and I confirm it once your item lands.
• This is a launch period: these rates hold for the first 50 orders.

What shipping costs

These are Japan Post's own published EMS rates.

Not my numbers — you can check them on Japan Post's own site. For heavier or bulkier parcels, courier is often cheaper, so I'll compare both and tell you which wins.

• Shipping goes on whichever is bigger: actual weight, or volumetric weight (L × W × H ÷ 5000). Light but bulky things cost more than you'd think.
• Packing starts at JPY 300. Reinforced packing is JPY 1,000 per box if you want it.
• Customs duties and import taxes are on top of this. You pay those to the carrier on delivery.
• Not in one of these three countries? That's fine — I'll look it up when I quote you.