DREAM PONY’s New Used Electronics E-commerce Business “DPS+R” to be Featured in ‘Reuse Keizai Shimbun’

Scheduled Feature in ‘Reuse Keizai Shimbun’
Background: Overlapping Growth of E-commerce and Reuse Markets
1. Expansion of the E-commerce Market
2. Increase in Reuse Demand
Why “Used Electronic Devices”?
Structural Challenges in Used Electronic Device E-commerce
The Core of DPS+R: Designed to Be Chosen for “Reassurance,” Not “Low Price”
From Product Selection to Improvement: Replicable Operations
Relationship with the Product Sales Franchise “DPS”
Meaning for Franchisees: Supplementing “Sourcing Expertise” with a System
Social Significance: Creating “Non-Disposable Options”
Representative Comment
Future Outlook
Company Overview

Scheduled Feature in ‘Reuse Keizai Shimbun’

‘Reuse Keizai Shimbun’ is an industry newspaper that specializes in trends within the recycling and reuse industry. Its annual “Reuse Industry Market Size Estimate” serves as a widely referenced indicator both within and outside the industry, and it has been a crucial reference for DREAM PONY in developing the DPS+R business concept.

The e-commerce sale of used electronic devices, which DPS+R is entering, is a relatively new segment within the reuse industry, with significant variations in quality standards and information disclosure among businesses. The company believes that being featured by an industry specialized paper for its approach of “preparing and selling items to a consistent standard” holds significant meaning.

Background: Overlapping Growth of E-commerce and Reuse Markets

DPS+R targets the intersection of two continuously expanding markets:

Expansion of the E-commerce Market

The domestic e-commerce market for home appliances, AV equipment, PCs, and peripherals has reached 2,219.4 billion yen. Comparing specifications, prices, and reviews online rather than visiting physical stores has become a common purchasing behavior for many consumers.

Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, “FY2024 E-commerce Market Survey”

Increase in Reuse Demand

The domestic reuse market has reached 3,262.8 billion yen, expanding for 15 consecutive years. Driven by increased cost-consciousness due to rising prices and growing interest in sustainability, consumers are increasingly choosing used items not “out of necessity because they are cheap,” but “as a rational choice.”

Source: Reuse Keizai Shimbun, “Reuse Industry Market Size Estimate 2025”

The “E-commerce × Reuse” market, particularly the online sale of used goods, is expected to see sustained demand. DPS+R is entering this market with a focus on “used electronic devices.”

Why “Used Electronic Devices”?

Among various reuse products, DREAM PONY has focused on used electronic devices for clear reasons: they are structurally well-suited for e-commerce sales.

Easy to search by model number: Unlike clothing or miscellaneous goods, electronic devices are often searched for by model number or product name. This characteristic makes them easy for prospective buyers to find if properly listed.
Easy to compare by specifications: Information such as capacity, compatible models, connection methods, and operating hours is clear and numerical, making it easy for buyers to make decisions without physically inspecting the product. This aligns well with the “cannot check the actual item” nature of e-commerce.
Clear price difference from new items: The market price of new products is clear, making it easy to convey the price advantage of used items to buyers. Seeing “how much is saved” at a glance encourages purchases.
Small and easy to ship: Compared to furniture or large home appliances, they require less storage space and involve less effort in packaging and shipping, offering practical advantages for operations to start with a small team and scale.
Continuous demand for daily use: Products like earphones, chargers, and PC peripherals are used daily in life and work. Demand constantly arises due to malfunctions, loss, or replacement, ensuring ongoing purchase needs rather than one-off sales.

Anticipated products handled include:

Audio equipment such as headphones, earphones, and bone conduction devices
Smartphone and tablet peripherals
PC peripherals
Small gadgets
Game-related devices

Structural Challenges in Used Electronic Device E-commerce

However, e-commerce sales of used electronic devices face unique difficulties, primarily the buyer’s “anxiety about the condition.”

Potential buyers of used electronic devices often have questions such as:

Will it really operate normally?
To what extent are there scratches or signs of use not visible in photos?
Are accessories like cables and instruction manuals included?
Has the previous owner’s data been properly erased?
What if it breaks down immediately after delivery?

In peer-to-peer sales or flea market apps, the extent of operation checks, cleaning, and descriptions of condition varies greatly among sellers. The meaning of “good condition” can differ depending on the seller. Consequently, buyers often worry about the risk of “getting a bad deal” more than the price. This means that merely listing products cheaply is not enough to attract buyers. DPS+R believes that the key to success lies not in price competition but in addressing buyers’ anxieties one by one.

The Core of DPS+R: Designed to Be Chosen for “Reassurance,” Not “Low Price”

To address these challenges, DPS+R has designed six key sales points:

Data Wiped: For products involving personal information, such as smartphones and tablets, data wiping is performed. This proactively removes risks for both sellers and buyers.
Condition Rank Stated: The presence of boxes and manuals, signs of use, and the extent of scratches are indicated with easy-to-understand ranks. By using common standards instead of vague adjectives, a clear information environment is provided for buyers to make informed decisions.
Accessories Stated: The presence or absence of boxes, manuals, cables, etc., is clearly indicated to prevent misunderstandings such as “I thought it would be included, but it wasn’t.”
Multiple Product Photos: Multiple photos are provided, showing the overall appearance, scratched areas, accessories, and connection points. It is believed that showing everything transparently leads to trust.
Warranty Included: Conditions are set to ensure both buyers and sellers can transact with peace of mind.
Initial Defect Support: In the event of an unexpected issue, a dedicated team is available to provide support, for example, through group LINE chats.

These six points do not require special technology. However, consistently executing them to a certain standard every time is not easy. DPS+R differentiates itself from individual sellers by incorporating this “standardization of the obvious” into its operational mechanism.

From Product Selection to Improvement: Replicable Operations

DPS+R has established a system to support a series of processes, including those unique to used goods, as replicable operations:

Product Selection: Choosing product categories and model numbers based on demand and turnover rate.
Market Price Confirmation: Checking new product prices and used market prices to grasp appropriate price ranges.
Procurement Decision: Deciding whether to procure or pass based on procurement costs and estimated selling prices.
Listing: Listing products with condition ranks, accessories, and photos according to standards.
Sales: Responding to inquiries and shipping products.
Improvement: Reviewing selection, pricing, and listing content based on sales performance and inquiry details.

The characteristic of DPS+R is that it integrates the unique processes of used goods—”procuring cheaply, preparing the condition, and selling with reassurance”—into the existing listing and operational mechanisms accumulated through DPS.

Relationship with the Product Sales Franchise “DPS”

DPS+R is a derivative business of DREAM PONY’s product sales franchise, “DPS (DREAM PONY SYSTEM).”

While DPS primarily deals with new general merchandise on Amazon, DPS+R specializes in used electronic devices (reuse items). The products handled and the necessary processes differ, but the fundamental philosophy of “creating a mechanism that franchisees can operate with reproducibility” is common.

DPS+R is positioned as building upon the foundation of listing design, pricing strategy, and operational management know-how cultivated in new product sales, by adding the processes unique to used goods, such as inspection, cleaning, and condition notation.

Meaning for Franchisees: Supplementing “Sourcing Expertise” with a System

Selling used goods is often said to be an area where “experience matters” more than selling new goods. Market intuition, condition assessment, and pricing decisions are often described as individual skills, which has been a barrier to entry. DPS+R aims to replace this individuality with a system as much as possible.

By pre-defining criteria for what categories to handle, what price levels to procure at, and what items to check before listing, the goal is to enable operations to maintain a certain quality even at an early stage of experience. Furthermore, for post-listing improvements, the cycle of reviewing based on actual reactions such as sales performance and inquiry content is emphasized. It is believed that this iterative process of adjusting listing content, prices, and products based on feedback is the most reliable path to improvement in used product sales.

Social Significance: Creating “Non-Disposable Options”

Beyond business aspects, the distribution of used electronic devices also holds social significance. Many usable devices are discarded because the effort for operation checks and cleaning is deemed too high. Many households likely have earphones or cables tucked away in drawers after replacement, remaining unused.

When such devices are properly inspected and transferred to the next user with their condition clearly stated, it creates a meaningful cycle from the perspective of effective resource utilization. DREAM PONY believes that the 15 consecutive years of growth in the reuse market are driven not only by price rationality but also by this shift in awareness.

DPS+R’s commitment to “design for visible condition” is not just for sales; it is seen as an initiative to lower the psychological barrier to choosing used products. If more used products that can be chosen with confidence become available, more people will choose reuse. This accumulation is believed to lead to the healthy expansion of the entire market.

Representative Comment

Tsudzuki Ichinose, Representative Director of DREAM PONY Co., Ltd., stated: “The market for used goods has continued to grow for 15 consecutive years. The idea of valuing items and connecting them to the next person has become commonplace. However, used electronic devices are not products that sell simply ‘because they are cheap.’ What buyers truly want to know is, ‘Does this work properly?’ and ‘Are there any hidden scratches?’ DPS+R aims to increase transactions where both sellers and buyers feel secure by creating a sales system that addresses these anxieties one by one. We are very grateful for the opportunity to have our approach featured in ‘Reuse Keizai Shimbun,’ a publication that specializes in the reuse industry and whose market data we have referenced as an indicator. We appreciate the chance for the industry to learn about our philosophy.”

Future Outlook

DREAM PONY will continue to build a system through DPS+R that enables franchisees to establish new revenue streams in the used electronic device e-commerce sector. Furthermore, with the expansion of the reuse market, the standards buyers expect for used goods are anticipated to increase year by year. The company aims to further refine its “reassurance design with visible condition” and contribute to the very nature of information disclosure in used goods transactions.

The feature in ‘Reuse Keizai Shimbun’ is planned for September 2026 or later. Once the publication date is confirmed, it will be announced on the company’s official website and in subsequent press releases.

For business details or franchise inquiries, please contact DREAM PONY at: https://dream-pony.jp/