ZenMarket vs Buyee — Which Japan Proxy Service Should You Use in 2026?

Amazon Japan ships directly to about 30 countries now. If you’re in the US, UK, Australia, or most of Europe, you can order straight from the source. But that still leaves a massive chunk of the world without direct access — and it does nothing for you when the product you want is on Rakuten, Yahoo Auctions, or Mercari.

Most Japanese stores simply don’t offer international shipping. Not because they don’t want foreign customers — it’s just not built into their checkout. You need a middleman: a service that has a Japanese address, receives your purchases, and forwards them overseas.

ZenMarket and Buyee are the two most popular options in English. Both work. Neither is obviously better for every situation. Here’s how they actually differ and which one fits your use case.

What ZenMarket is

ZenMarket is a purchasing agent. You give them a product URL, they buy it for you, store it in their warehouse, and ship it when you’re ready. They act as the buyer on your behalf.

This makes ZenMarket particularly useful for marketplaces that require a Japanese account or phone number — Yahoo Auctions and Mercari being the big ones. You can’t just create an account and bid on Yahoo Auctions from outside Japan. ZenMarket handles all of that.

You submit orders through their website. A human agent processes each request, contacts sellers if needed, and handles any issues that come up. That human touch is both the strength and the limitation — it’s flexible, but it’s not instant.

ZenMarket also works well for Amazon Japan and Rakuten orders, though Buyee has a faster automated flow for those.

What Buyee is

Buyee is run by Tenso, one of the oldest forwarding companies in Japan. It’s a hybrid: part forwarding service, part purchasing agent. For supported stores, you can shop directly through Buyee’s browser extension or integrated storefronts and the purchase is handled automatically.

Buyee has formal partnerships with over 50 Japanese stores and platforms. When you shop at a partner store through Buyee, the item goes straight to their warehouse without any manual processing. No waiting for an agent to place the order.

For non-partner stores, Buyee also does purchasing agent work — you submit the URL and they buy it. But their strength is the automated flow on supported platforms.

The interface is more polished and the whole experience is built to be low-friction for new users. You don’t need to understand how Japanese e-commerce works. Buyee abstracts it.

Fee comparison

Fees are where the details matter. Here’s a direct comparison:

ZenMarket’s free consolidation is a meaningful advantage if you’re ordering multiple items. At Buyee, combining packages costs ¥180 per package. Small difference on one shipment, real money when you’re building a haul.

Buyee’s storage window is shorter. 30 days is usually fine, but if you’re waiting on multiple orders to consolidate, ZenMarket’s 90 days gives you more breathing room.

Speed comparison

For Amazon Japan and other major retail stores, Buyee is faster. Automated purchasing means the order goes in immediately after you submit it — usually same day, often within hours.

ZenMarket uses human agents. Turnaround for standard orders is 1–3 business days. That’s fine for most use cases, but if an auction ends soon or a limited item is running low, speed matters.

For Yahoo Auctions specifically, ZenMarket can bid on your behalf with a maximum price you set. They monitor the auction and bid when necessary. That’s not instant, but it works. Buyee also supports Yahoo Auctions bidding with a similar system.

Once items are in the warehouse and you request shipping, both services process within 1–3 days. International shipping time is the same — EMS to most countries takes 1–2 weeks.

Which stores each service supports

Both services cover the major platforms. Here’s where they differ:

ZenMarket supports: Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Yahoo Auctions, Mercari, Qoo10, Wowma, and most other Japanese stores via direct URL submission.

Buyee supports: Amazon Japan, Rakuten, Yahoo Shopping, Yahoo Auctions, Mercari, Yodobashi Camera, ZOZOTOWN, Mango (vintage clothing), Suruga-ya (anime/games), and 50+ other stores with the automated flow. Plus URL submission for others.

Buyee’s store list is longer. If you’re specifically targeting Yodobashi Camera electronics or ZOZOTOWN fashion, Buyee’s automated integration makes it noticeably smoother. You can shop those stores directly through Buyee’s interface like you would locally.

For anything obscure — a small specialty retailer, a niche manga shop, a store that only exists as a Japanese-language website — both services accept URL submissions, and ZenMarket’s agents tend to handle oddball requests without complaint.

When to use ZenMarket

ZenMarket is the better choice in these situations:

• Yahoo Auctions and Mercari secondhand shopping.ZenMarket’s agents are experienced with private sellers, condition disputes, and the quirks of secondhand listings. Their service fee is competitive.
• Large consolidation orders.Free consolidation up to 5 items makes a real difference when you’re combining a dozen purchases.
• Long storage window needed. 90 days free storage gives you time to collect multiple orders without paying holding fees.
• Stores Buyee’s automated flow doesn’t cover.If you want something from a small retailer that isn’t in Buyee’s partner list, ZenMarket’s URL submission works reliably.
• You want free item photos. Two photos per item included at no charge. Useful for checking condition before committing to shipping.

ZenMarket suits people who want more control, don’t mind a slightly slower process, and are doing the kind of shopping — auctions, Mercari finds — where human judgment adds real value.

When to use Buyee

Buyee makes more sense in these situations:

• Regular Amazon Japan or Rakuten orders.The automated flow is faster and the interface is easier to use if you’re not already comfortable with Japanese e-commerce.
• Shopping from Buyee’s partner stores. Yodobashi, ZOZOTOWN, and other partners work with zero friction. The experience is close to shopping locally.
• You want minimal communication with agents.Buyee’s automated system handles most situations without requiring back-and- forth. If you find agent communication stressful, Buyee reduces that.
• You need FedEx or more carrier options.Buyee has FedEx available, which ZenMarket doesn’t. Relevant if FedEx is cheaper or faster to your location.
• First-time users.Buyee’s onboarding and interface are built for people who have never used a proxy service before. Clear steps, good English support documentation.

Buyee fits shoppers who want a streamlined, mostly automated experience and are buying from mainstream Japanese retailers.

The verdict

Use Buyee if you’re new to thisand primarily shopping on Amazon Japan, Rakuten, or Buyee’s partner stores. The automated flow, cleaner interface, and wider carrier selection make it the easier starting point. You won’t need to learn anything unusual.

Use ZenMarket if you’re shopping secondhand— Yahoo Auctions or Mercari — or if you’re consolidating lots of small orders. Free consolidation and free photos are tangible savings. The agent model also handles edge cases better when sellers are individuals rather than retailers.

Many regular importers use both: Buyee for new retail items from partner stores, ZenMarket for auctions and secondhand. Once you’re comfortable with the process, switching between them for different order types is painless.

If you’re only picking one: ZenMarket edges out Buyee on cost for high-volume or secondhand use. Buyee edges out ZenMarket on speed and simplicity for standard retail orders.

FAQ

Can I use ZenMarket or Buyee for Amazon Japan even if Amazon ships directly to my country?

Yes, but there’s usually no reason to. If Amazon Japan ships directly to you, the shipping cost is typically lower than using a proxy service on top of it. Use direct shipping from Amazon Japan when available. Proxy services earn their keep on stores that don’t ship overseas at all.

How long does international shipping take?

EMS (Japan Post express) typically takes 1–2 weeks to most countries. DHL and FedEx are faster — often 3–7 business days — but more expensive. Surface mail (sea freight) is cheap but slow: 1–3 months. Factor in 1–3 days warehouse processing before the item ships.

What happens if an item arrives damaged at the warehouse?

Both services photograph items on arrival and will contact the seller if damage is noted. ZenMarket’s included photos make it easier to catch this before you commit to shipping. If damage happened in transit to the warehouse, both services work with the seller on your behalf, but resolution depends on the seller’s policies.

Do I pay Japanese consumption tax (JCT) when using a proxy?

Yes, the purchase price includes Japan’s 10% consumption tax, the same as any Japanese buyer would pay. Some stores offer tax-free purchasing for export, but this varies and isn’t guaranteed through a proxy. You may also owe import duties in your home country — check your local customs threshold before placing large orders.