Question 1

How do I bid on JDirectItems Auction?

Accepted Answer

You can place a bid on JDirectItems Auction by following these steps:

1. Search for the item you want to bid on:
https://auction.j-subculture.com/

2. Make a deposit that covers the amount you wish to bid.
Log in to your account and add your deposit here:
http://www.j-subculture.com/deposits/choose

3. Enter your bid amount on the auction page and click the "Bid" button.

Please note:
You must have a deposit equal to or greater than the amount you wish to bid before placing your bid.

Question 2

Are there items that can't be shipped internationally?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The following items cannot be shipped internationally:

- Flammable items (e.g., lighters, spray cans, perfumes, nail polish)
- Plants and animals
- Meat products
- Items prohibited for export by the Japanese government
- Currency or money
- Air guns
- Items restricted under the CITES agreement

Additional notes:

- These items can only be shipped to addresses within Japan.
- We are unable to cancel or refund an order or bid once it has been placed.
- Items prohibited from international shipping are not covered by our Insurance Plan.
- Some items may be allowed for export from Japan but could be confiscated by your country's customs. Please check with your local Customs Office for import restrictions.

Question 3

What’s the difference between a real-time bid and a snipe bid?

Accepted Answer

Here's how real-time bids and snipe bids differ:

Real-time bids:
- Your bid is placed immediately on the auction once submitted through our system.
- You cannot cancel a real-time bid once it has been placed.

Snipe bids:
- Your bid is automatically placed 2–5 minutes before the scheduled auction end time.
- You can cancel or adjust your bid (raise or lower it) before the actual bid is submitted.

Please note:
In some cases, your snipe bid may not be placed:
1. Another bidder has already placed a higher bid than your maximum.
2. The seller ends the auction earlier than scheduled.

Question 4

How can I raise my bid price?

Accepted Answer

To raise your bid, log in to your account and go to the auction page. From there, you can update your bid to a higher amount before the auction ends.

Question 5

Can I cancel the auction I’ve won?

Accepted Answer

No. Once you have placed a bid and won the auction, cancellation is not possible under any circumstances. Please make sure you are committed before placing your bid.

Question 6

Why is my auction pending?

Accepted Answer

Your auction may be pending for the following reasons:

1. The auction is listed in a restricted category.
Categories such as Cars & Motorcycles and other regulated types of items may cause your bid to be temporarily held for review.
If your auction goes pending, please contact us through your message board to check whether it can be approved.

2. The auction price exceeds 50,000 JPY.
General Users have a bidding limit of 50,000 JPY. To place bids on higher-priced auctions, you must upgrade to a Business User account.

You can learn more about the benefits of becoming a Business User here:
https://www.j-subculture.com/pages/business_user

To request an upgrade, please contact us via your message board.

Question 7

Why did I lose the auction I bid on?

Accepted Answer

You may have lost the auction on JDirectItems Auction for one of the following reasons:

1. The seller canceled the auction and blacklisted our account after your bid. Some sellers do not wish to deal with proxy services like ours. Although we do not reveal that we are a proxy service, certain sellers may suspect it and block us.

2. The seller ended the auction earlier than scheduled, so our snipe bid could not be placed.

3. The seller canceled our bid for their own reasons. Some sellers occasionally remove bids without notice, even if no rules were broken.

4. JDirectItems Auction may have changed its system, which prevented our system from placing your bid properly.

If you would like to know the specific reason, please contact us through your message board.

Question 8

Can I ask questions for an auction I wish to bid for?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you have any questions about an auction, please send your inquiry through your message board. We will contact the seller on your behalf and reply once we receive a response. Please allow at least 24 hours for us to complete the communication process.

Question 9

Can I ask the seller to combine items if I won multiple auctions from them?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can request the seller to combine items. However, if the items were not won on the same day, a bank transfer fee will be charged.

Please note:
"The same day" refers to the 24-hour period from 9:00 a.m. to 8:59 a.m. the next day (Japan time).

Question 10

Can I bid for non-physical items (such as accounts or codes)?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can bid on non-physical items such as digital accounts or codes. However, a special handling fee applies: 500 JPY + 10% of the item's winning price.

For details, please refer to the "Digital Item Handling Fee" section on our cost page:
https://www.j-subculture.com/pages/cost

Question 11

Why is my item price higher than it's listed in the auction?

Accepted Answer

If the seller is a professional (store) seller on JDirectItems Auction, a 10% consumption tax is added to the final price. This is standard in Japan and automatically applied by the seller.

Question 12

What’s the fee breakdown for the proxy auction service?

Accepted Answer

Here's a breakdown of the main fees for using our proxy auction service:

Item price: The winning bid amount.  
Protection Plan Fee: 100, 250, or 600 JPY per item (based on your choice).  
Handling Fee: 250 JPY per transaction.  
Domestic delivery fee: Shipping cost from the seller to our warehouse.

Please note:  
The international shipping fee will be charged separately once your item arrives at our warehouse.

For more details, please see our cost overview page:  
https://www.j-subculture.com/pages/cost_overview

Question 13

Can I ask the seller to give me a discount on auction?

Accepted Answer

No. Unless the auction specifically mentions that discounts or price negotiations are allowed, you cannot request a discount from the seller.

Question 14

Can I have a refund or compensation if the item was a counterfeit?

Accepted Answer

No. We cannot offer refunds or compensation in cases where the item turns out to be counterfeit. This is one of the risks associated with bidding through auction platforms. If you have concerns about authenticity, please contact us before placing a bid so we can inquire with the seller on your behalf.

Question 15

Why can't I see Adult category auctions?

Accepted Answer

Auctions listed in the Adult category are available only to Business Users. To browse or place bids on these items, you must switch your account to Business User status. You can learn more about the benefits of becoming a Business User at the link below:
https://www.j-subculture.com/pages/business_user

To request the switch, please contact us through your message board.

J-Subculture FAQs