Proposal for a Novel Method to Eradicate Scalpers of Otaku Goods

With the recent expansion of the otaku goods market, the problem of individuals and dealers buying up limited-edition products and reselling them at exorbitant prices (“scalpers”) has become a serious concern, placing an economic burden on fans and causing market distortion. Measures against resale, such as determining buyers on a first-come, first-served basis or by lottery, are common; however, their effectiveness is limited because scalpers can buy up all the products using swarm tactics. This problem can be solved by selecting buyers through an auction system, but in practice this method is rarely used. This study examines the reasons why the auction method is not easily adopted and proposes a new method to eliminate scalpers. The auction method, which seeks a fair market price, is difficult to adopt because sellers prefer to deliver products to those who deeply appreciate their work rather than those willing to pay the highest price, a characteristic often associated with otaku goods. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a system that facilitates product ownership for individuals with a strong appreciation for the work. This study proposes embedding information media, such as microchips, into products to register ownership details. Owners could then access services such as bonus videos and images and receive email notifications marking the anniversary of their acquisition. We believe that unfair price inflation by scalpers can be suppressed by updating the owner’s information, provided the product is traded exclusively within this system, which may restrict reselling for a certain period after the transaction.