22% of Resale Service Users Report 'Couldn't Sell as Expected', With 'Low Demand for the Item' as the Top Reason

Reality Check on Resale Service Failures

Many people have likely used resale services to part with unwanted items. From home appliances and brand-name goods to hobby items, the range of eligible products is wide, and such services have become increasingly commonplace in recent years.

On the other hand, some may have experienced frustration when their expectations were not met after requesting a resale service.

Therefore, this time, in collaboration with LOPA Inc., we conducted a survey on 'resale service failures' targeting 500 men and women nationwide.

*When citing the contents of this press release, please adhere to the following:

・State that the source is 'a survey by NEXER Inc. and LOPA Inc.'

・Provide a link to LOPA Inc. (https://lopa-eco.com/)

'Survey on Resale Service Failures' Overview

Survey Method: Internet questionnaire

Survey Period: April 13, 2026 – April 24, 2026

Target Respondents: Men and women nationwide

Valid Responses: 500 samples

Questions:

Question 1: Have you ever experienced not being able to sell items as expected when requesting a resale service?

Question 2: What are the applicable reasons for not being able to sell as expected? (Multiple answers allowed)

Question 3: What did you do after failing to sell as expected through a resale service?

Question 4: Please tell us the reason.

Question 5: What do you want to be careful about in the future to prevent resale failures? (Multiple answers allowed)

Question 6: What do you want from resale companies? (Multiple answers allowed)

Question 7: Please tell us specifically what you want from resale companies.

*As a rule, figures are rounded to the first decimal place, so totals may not always equal 100%.

22.0% Report Experiencing 'Couldn't Sell as Expected' in Resale Services

First, we asked whether respondents had ever experienced 'not being able to sell items as expected' when requesting a resale service.

The results showed that 22.0% answered 'yes,' and 78.0% answered 'no.'

It was found that approximately one in five people had experienced some dissatisfaction with resale services.

37.3% Attribute Failure to 'Low Demand for the Item'

Next, we asked those who answered 'yes' to having experienced unexpected selling failures about the reasons.

The most common reason was 'the item had low demand,' at 37.3%.

This was followed by 'expected too much without knowing the market price' at 28.2%, 'the item was outdated/old' at 25.5%, and 'the item's condition was poor' at 20.9%.

It seems that not only the market value of the item itself but also the discrepancy between personal price expectations and reality contributes to the feeling of 'failure.'

44.5% Opted to 'Give Up and Dispose' After Failure

We then asked what actions respondents took after failing to sell as expected through resale services.

The most common response was 'gave up and disposed of it,' at 44.5%.

This was followed by 'kept it as is' at 20.9% and 'requested another company' at 15.5%.

We share some specific reasons for choosing these actions:

Those who answered 'gave up and disposed of it':

・If it won't sell, I have no choice but to throw it away. (30s, female)

・Cancellation fees are quite high. (30s, male)

・It's troublesome to take it to another store, so even if it didn't fetch a price, I had it disposed of there. (40s, female)

Those who answered 'kept it as is':

・Disposing of it is a hassle, and it felt like a waste. (10s, male)

・I didn't want to sell it for a throwaway price. (20s, male)

・If it's not going to sell for a significant amount, I thought it was better to keep it. (30s, male)

Those who answered 'requested another company':

・I was curious if another place would take it. (20s, female)

・I wanted to compare. (30s, male)

・I thought another place might offer a better price. (40s, male)

Many responses indicated psychological hurdles to trying again after a setback in resale, such as 'it's a waste,' 'it's troublesome,' or 'I don't want to sell it for a throwaway price.'

42.7% Plan to 'Research Market Prices Beforehand' to Prevent Future Failures

Next, we asked what respondents plan to be careful about in the future to prevent resale failures.

The most common response was 'research market prices beforehand,' at 42.7%.

This was followed by 'prepare the item's condition as much as possible' at 38.2%, 'compare multiple companies' at 30.0%, 'check if it's eligible for purchase beforehand' at 26.4%, and 'ask clearly for appraisal reasons' at 25.5%.

All of the top responses relate to 'preparation,' highlighting the lessons learned from past failures.

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