Starting an import business

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alexb

alexb

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Dec 6, 2007
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I have a friend who moved to Japan, and we decided to start a little import business (otakuimports.com). If there are any Japanophiles on this board, I'd be interested in hearing what kind of stuff you think we should carry.

Tentacle rape/loli/adult stuff is out.
 


Those vinyl figurines that you get to colour yourself. Also see if your city has a j-pop/j-rock following, and then ask them what they'd like brought over.
 
Oh, definately jrock CDs/posters.

Go to batsu.org and ask in the mosh board, they got kiddies who are into hardcore jrocker and they're mostly in USA.
 
Nani? Mukatsuku!

If you can get the food licenses, there's some amazing snack foods in Japan though.
Also keep an eye out for weird computer accessories.
You may also want to go to some anime conventions and just do some market research the good old fashioned way.
Not only tells you what people want, but you can see what local stores want, and you can even look into setting up shop as a conventioneer... Although if you go that way, we're expecting photos of cosplayers in insanely skimpy outfits.

Other than that, I think you're already going to be get owned by J-list. Those guys have everything covered... including Hentai.
 
condomads.jpg
 
zany zoroaster said:
Those vinyl figurines that you get to colour yourself. Also see if your city has a j-pop/j-rock following, and then ask them what they'd like brought over.
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Hai, so desu!

Metalheads over here would probably go for some merch from the japanese metal bands that you can't get here in the states.
 
ohayoooooooo ....

Ya, some powersellers are making a killing with cosplay shit. Sell jrock clothes at $50 a pop.
 
I could totally go for looking like the bastard offspring of Marilyn Manson and Sesame Street's BigBird.
(I'm not even sure if I'm actually being sarcastic or not here, that's the scary part)

Got another idea though:
See if you can get the permission to translate some of those doujinshi games into English and remarket them here!
Some of them are REALLY high quality and make their way to the big time, like Melty Blood and Guilty Gear.

Matt: Where can I get me some of those!?

Tedel: English Manga is owned by Tokyopop and Darkhorse pretty much, and Japanese manga wouldn't be a large enough chunk of market outside of Japan to be worthwhile... Not to mention shipping costs. Paper is actually really heavy when you stop to think about it.
 
alexb said:
I have a friend who moved to Japan, and we decided to start a little import business (otakuimports.com). If there are any Japanophiles on this board, I'd be interested in hearing what kind of stuff you think we should carry.

Tentacle rape/loli/adult stuff is out.
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I suggest tentacle rape and loli, adult stuff.
 
Wall scrolls, snack foods (OMG there are so many varieties of Pocky there), and little anime trinkets/toys. The selection at most online stores now is almost identical since it's all licensed from the same 2-3 companies.

Oh, and seriously, if you can get some of those life-size life-like love dolls they only make in Japan, you could sell them for $xxxx each over here easy...

http://ya-ya-ya.com/lovedoll/index.htm
 
Dan Grossman said:
Wall scrolls, snack foods (OMG there are so many varieties of Pocky there), and little anime trinkets/toys.
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Speaking of Pocky, I saw the chocolate kind in a rural Midwestern Super Wal-Mart a little while back. Maybe it's just that common these days, but it struck me as really odd that Wal-Mart, of all places, would be carrying it.
 
stefanie said:
Speaking of Pocky, I saw the chocolate kind in a rural Midwestern Super Wal-Mart a little while back. Maybe it's just that common these days, but it struck me as really odd that Wal-Mart, of all places, would be carrying it.
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Pocky's all over now, although usually in only one or two varieties. I can buy it at both of the local supermarket chains.

If I take a longer drive to one of the rich suburbs, there's a little Japanese food store there that carries like 4 varieties of Pocky.
 
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