In this part of the article, I will provide a list of websites that provide deputy services. I have not tried all of these services myself, but those I’ve listed are sites that I’ve heard good feedback about. Please look though their terms and fees carefully before bidding!

Some things to note:

• In addition to the basic fees, some sites charge an extra commission.
• You will need to pay for bank transfer charges to the Japanese seller, which is not included in the basic fees. A Yahoo final fee and sales tax might also be required, depending on the seller.
• You will be required to pay a deposit before your bid can be placed. Some sites require full payment before they will bid for you.

1. Rinkya
A popular site, but the fees are expensive and you need a credit card to sign up. You can bid in real time with your own Rinkya account. They charge a handling fee of US$15 per auction, as well as commission, which is dependent on the price of the auction.

2. Shopping Mall Japan
Another popular site, and their fees are generally cheaper than Rinkya. They offer real time bidding with their automated system. Items can be stored in their Japan office for up to 1 month, or in their US office for up to 3 months.

3. Crescent Shop
Their fees are very reasonable, with a deputy fee of 500 yen if the winning price is 4000 yen or less. International shipping can be combined. They are also able to translate for you, or help you ask the seller questions.

4. Celga
They place bids manually, and you have to inform them about your bid at least 24h before the end of the auction. The bids are placed as close to the end of the auction as possible. They have a tiered fee structure, with a minimum fee of US$5 per auction.

If you have any comments about these sites and you like me to add them here, feel free to drop me a note. 🙂