世論 What Japan Thinks

At the start of June MyVoice surveyed its internet monitor community to find out about their use of internet auction sites. 14,023, 54% female, successfully completed their private internet-based questionnaire. 3% of the sample were in their teens, 22% in their twenties, 39% in their thirties, 24% in their forties, and 12% in their fifties.

Internet auctions is one thing I’ve never done, although I did have two ideas for businesses there than never took off. The first probably required a partner in the USA or UK for bulk shipping, but would consist of buying Hello Kitty mobile phone straps and other cheap nick-nacks, charging $5 on top for postage, and raking in most of the profit, even if sold for list price, on the overcharging for handling. The second was to open lots of bank and credit card accounts all over the place and get the free cartoon character (or even perfumed) plastic cards and pass books, promptly close the accounts then sell the stuff on eBay. Shortly before implementing the scheme, however, I discovered that this was probably highly illegal and would also destroy any credit rating I might have in Japan!

Q1: Have you ever participated in an internet auction? (Sample size=14,023)

Bid for items only	27.9%
Put items up for bids only	2.0%
Both bid and put items up for bids	29.2%
Not participated, but looked at the goods available (to Q5)	12.4%
Not visited at all (to Q5)	28.5%

Q2: About how often do you participate in internet auctions? (Sample size=auction participants)

Almost every day	2.7%
Four or five times a week	1.6%
Two or three times a week	4.9%
Once a week	6.6%
Two or three times a month	16.6%
Once a month	15.0%
Less than once a month	24.3%
Previously participated, but currently do not	27.8%
No answer	0.6%

Q3: Which internet auction sites have you participated on? (Sample size=auction participants, multiple answer)

Yahoo! Auction	81.1%
Rakuten Super Auction	25.5%
Rakuten Fleamarket	23.7%
bidders	18.5%
NSN Auction	2.8%
eBay	1.8%
WANTED Auction	1.4%
BIGLOBE Auction Plaza	1.3%
@nifty Auction	1.1%
goo Auction	1.0%
livedoor Auction	0.9%
woman.excite Auction	0.6%
Other	3.0%
Don’t know	0.4%
No answer	0.3%

Q4: What are the important points when choosing an internet auction site to participate on? (Sample size=auction participants, multiple answer)

Can trust the company running the auction	49.5%
Comprehensive seller evaluation system	46.4%
Comprehensive range of goods	46.0%
Lots of users	42.7%
Well-known auction site	41.8%
Easy to use site	39.6%
Many ways to pay	26.5%
No fees when paying for goods	18.1%
No fee for usage of site	14.0%
Many ways to have goods delivered	12.7%
Can also be used from mobile phone	4.5%
Can use escrow service	2.4%
Other	2.5%
Don’t know	2.6%
No answer	0.5%

Q5: Why have you not participated in internet auctions? (Sample size=auction non-participants, multiple answer)

Wary of fraud and other crimes	49.8%
Wary of quality of goods	45.3%
Don’t trust person on other side of the deal	40.3%
Registration fee or usage fees, etc are needed	33.7%
Wary of security issues	33.1%
Worried about personal information leaking	27.0%
Difficult to understand bidding system	18.9%
Don’t trust auction management company	17.6%
No time to participate	12.4%
No goods I want	11.1%
Other	3.6%
Just don’t think I want to use	11.2%
No answer	4.2%