[Awareness Survey on Fixed Cost Review and Gigabyte Assets] Approximately 40% of people review smartphone costs as a fixed expense, while an average of 7.4GB of data is wasted each month.
Mercari conducted an awareness survey on "gigabyte assets," focusing on wasted data and the intention to sell it.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 28, 2026 at 00:56
- 🔍 Collected: March 28, 2026 at 21:59 (21h 3m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 03:57 (413h 57m after Collected)
Mercari, Inc. (hereinafter "Mercari") conducted an "Awareness Survey on Fixed Cost Review and Gigabyte Assets" targeting 600 individuals out of 1,881 men and women aged 18 to 69 nationwide who reported contracting with a telecommunications company and paying communication fees themselves.
◾️Background
In April 2026, the surge in price increases affecting consumers, such as the price hike for 3,593 food items (*1) and the revision of landline telephone charges (*2), is becoming even more severe. Amidst this, the spring new lifestyle season is when fixed costs, including smartphone expenses, are most actively reviewed.
Meanwhile, as high prices persist, consumers' household budget defense is shifting from merely "reducing expenses" to "maximizing the value of what they already possess."
Against this backdrop, "Mercari Mobile," Japan's first mobile service that allows buying and selling of data, which celebrated its first anniversary since launch, conducted this survey with the aim of revealing that the data many people unconsciously discard actually has value as an "asset," and to present a new option for smart management of communication costs.
*1 According to Teikoku Databank (as of December 26, 2025)
*2 According to announcements from NTT East and NTT West (as of January 10, 2026)
◾️Results Summary
① 97.5% of consumers feel the impact of rising prices. "Smartphone costs" are among the top priorities for "fixed cost review."
・While 97.5% of consumers feel the impact of rising prices, approximately 40% (43.6%) have reviewed fixed costs as a measure to protect household finances.
・"Smartphone costs" were one of the most frequently reviewed items, with actions including "reducing data capacity" and "switching to a low-cost smartphone."
・However, only 10.1% of people consider "utilizing leftover data (data rollover or buying/selling data)" as an option for reviewing smartphone costs.
② Approximately one-quarter of contracted data capacity goes unused. An average of 7.4GB of "data" per person is wasted each month.
・Approximately one-quarter (23%) of contracted data, or an average of about 7.4GB per person per month, is actually being wasted.
・Meanwhile, about 40% of consumers are indifferent to their leftover monthly data. Only 13.5% perceive data as a financially valuable "asset."
③ 64.9% of people would sell their "gigabyte assets" if possible. Utilizing data with "Mercari Mobile" can save approximately 7,400 yen annually.
・While the majority of people show little interest in "gigabyte assets," 64.9% of respondents said they would like to sell their leftover data.
・With "Mercari Mobile," which allows buying and selling of data, one in three users has experience trading data.
◾️Detailed Survey Results
① 97.5% of consumers feel the impact of rising prices. "Smartphone costs" are a top priority for "fixed cost review," alongside "utility costs."
In response to the recent series of price hikes, 97.5% of consumers feel the impact of rising prices, and it was found that approximately 40% (43.6%) have reviewed their fixed costs as a measure to protect household finances.