Shopping Guide
HELP / FAQs
By onemall 
TL;DR
Book Off Japan (BOOKOFF, ブックオフ) is a second-hand retail group with 835 stores (May 2026). Its official online store declines credit cards issued outside Japan, but you can now buy from it directly on OneMall: search in English, switch between new and used prices, and ship to the US.
- New or used: many titles carry both, with two prices on one product page.
- Whole series: a View Set listing counts as one item, so it takes one ¥300 service fee.
- Japan shipping: free at an item total of 1,800 JPY or more, 368 JPY under that, per our BOOK·OFF shopping instructions.
- Condition: no grades; used stock either meets BOOKOFF’s quality standard or isn’t sold.
As of November 2026, you no longer need a workaround to shop BOOKOFF from overseas: its official online store is now a channel on our site. Below: the chain, the two prices and sets, the full fee math and what stays out of reach, all checked on November 6, 2026.
What is Book Off Japan?
BOOKOFF Japan opened its first directly operated store in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, in May 1990.[1] Its parent, BOOKOFF GROUP HOLDINGS, is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market (code 9278) and counted 466 directly operated and 369 franchised stores as of May 2026, 835 in total.[1]
A standard store is a used bookstore crossed with a media shop.[2] BOOKOFF Online opened in August 2007,[1] and today’s BOOKOFF Official Online Store says it always stocks over 3 million items.[4]
That store is what our channel connects to, in six categories: comics, books, magazines, CDs, DVD and Blu-ray, and games. Book Off manga readers get single volumes next to full sets; BOOKOFF games run from Famicom cartridges to Switch titles.
What is BOOKOFF SUPER BAZAAR?
BOOKOFF SUPER BAZAAR (often typed Book Off Super Bazaar) is the chain’s “comprehensive, large-format reuse store.” The first opened under that name in September 2009; the company traces the format to a Chuko-Gekijo store from December 2000.[1] The group compares its formats like this:[2]
| Format | Average sales floor | What it sells |
|---|---|---|
| BOOKOFF | About 130 tsubo (approx. 430 m²) | Books, CDs, DVDs, games, trading cards, hobby goods, phones |
| BOOKOFF PLUS | About 300 tsubo (approx. 990 m²) | The standard range plus apparel and fashion accessories |
| BOOKOFF SUPER BAZAAR | About 950 tsubo (approx. 3,100 m²) | The standard range plus apparel, branded goods, miscellaneous items, sporting goods, tableware |
Worth visiting? In person, yes, especially for used clothes and sporting goods. From the US, the catch is access: the chain’s FAQ says stores generally don’t deliver in-store purchases and keep no central stock database.[5] The online stand-in is ブックオフオークションストア, BOOKOFF’s Yahoo! Auctions store, which showed 1,082,627 listings on November 6, 2026, from fashion and sporting goods to appliances and furniture.
Does BOOKOFF Online ship internationally?
Its help pages describe no overseas option. The BOOKOFF Official Online Store is listed as Japanese only,[2] orders go to a registered address or a store for pickup, credit cards issued outside Japan are not accepted, and the delivery chart lists only Japanese carriers: Japan Post, Yamato Transport and Sagawa Express.[4] Our integration closes that gap: we buy from the store, receive the item at our Tokyo warehouse and ship it on.
| Where to buy | Ships to the US directly? | How to buy it with us |
|---|---|---|
| BOOKOFF Official Online Store (BOOKOFF Online) | No overseas option on its help pages | Our BOOKOFF channel; ¥300 per item, a complete set counts as one item |
| BOOKOFF, BOOKOFF PLUS and SUPER BAZAAR stores | No: stores generally don’t deliver in-store purchases | Not supported |
| BOOKOFF’s Rakuten shop and Yahoo! Auctions store | Rakuten’s FAQ points overseas orders to a forwarding service;[6] the auction store’s page doesn’t say | Our other supported platforms: ¥300 per item on Rakuten; (winning bid + tax) × 3%, ¥200–¥300 per item on Yahoo! Auctions (Trust & Safety page, checked November 6, 2026) |
What makes Book Off Japan different from other Japanese resale stores?
Three differences matter when you shop the BOOKOFF channel.
One title, two prices
Many titles are stocked both new and used. The product page shows New and Used tabs, each with its own price; on the Haikyu!! Vol. 1 page we checked on November 6, 2026, the used tab was the cheaper one. Our BOOK·OFF promo page (checked November 6, 2026) limits used copies to 1 each and new copies to 99 per order.
A whole series as one listing
BOOKOFF manga sets are the standout. If a title is also sold complete, its product page shows a View Set button, and the set page lists each volume with its condition, stock and price. The Haikyu!! set we checked that day held 45 items (43 used, 2 new) and showed one 300 JPY service fee; bought singly, those volumes would cost 45 × ¥300 = ¥13,500 in service fees alone. Sets are 1 each too, and the promo page notes that our team checks them before purchase, so they may take a little longer to process.
No condition grades
Mandarake and Treasure Factory ask you to read a grade. BOOKOFF asks you to choose new or used:
| Store | Condition system (checked November 6, 2026) | What you compare |
|---|---|---|
| BOOKOFF | No grades; used stock must meet a quality standard[3] | New price against used price on one page |
| Mandarake | 10-point scale for all items since May 2024 | Copies of the same item, by grade and by branch |
| Treasure Factory | Six ranks, S to E | Single pre-owned items, each with its own rank |
How do I buy from Book Off Japan in the USA?
You order in English on our site:
- Step 1: Open the channel. Open the BOOKOFF channel, or on desktop click BOOKOFF in the top navigation.
- Step 2: Search. Type the title in English or Japanese; haikyu and ハイキュー both returned the series on November 6, 2026. Titles are machine-translated, so confirm the Original title line on the product page.
- Step 3: Filter and sort. Filter by category (書籍 Books, コミック Comics, 雑誌 Magazines, CD, DVD・ブルーレイ, ゲーム Games), price range, stock or Second-Hand Only. The Price sort offers New Price and Used Price, low to high or high to low.
- Step 4: Read the product page. Labels show In Stock, New or Second-Hand, Set and Free domestic shipping. Below them: New and Used tabs, View Set, customer comments, “Dispatches within 1–5 days”, Item Condition, and the Japan Domestic Shipping Fee and OneMall Fee lines. Compare the Item price, not the New-user price; the page links back to the source listing for images it doesn’t show.
- Step 5: Order and pay. Click Add to Cart or Buy It Now and sign in. The service fee is charged with the item price at checkout, by Visa, Mastercard or PayPal, settled in USD (Trust & Safety page). You can cancel until our purchasing agent accepts the order, usually within 3 business days of payment; after that, cancellations for personal reasons aren’t available. If an item is out of stock or the seller refuses, the item price, service fee and domestic shipping fee are refunded.
- Step 6: Store it. In-stock items usually reach our Tokyo warehouse 3–5 business days after BOOKOFF ships them (estimated average). You get 90 days of free storage after arrival (30 days after consolidation), and the first 6 orders consolidate free, ¥100 per additional order (same page).
- Step 7: Pay for international shipping. Your second payment covers ECMS, DHL or Japan Post EMS (DDP), billed on the larger of actual and volumetric weight (L × W × H ÷ 5000, cm to kg, on the outer box the warehouse uses).
Since August 29, 2025, US-bound parcels of any value go through customs and pay applicable duties, taxes and fees — the $800 de minimis exemption no longer applies.[8] Duties, taxes and clearance fees are paid by the buyer.
How much does it cost to buy from Book Off Japan?
Here is the bill line by line, read from our own pages on November 6, 2026.
| Cost | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Service fee (shown as OneMall Fee) | ¥300 per item; a complete set counts as one item. Charged with the item price at checkout. | BOOK·OFF shopping instructions, promo page, product pages |
| Japan shipping | “Item total of 1,800 JPY or more: Free domestic shipping. Item total under 1,800 JPY: 368 JPY domestic shipping fee.” The item total excludes service fees. | Same instructions, quoted as written |
| International shipping | By method and billed weight; paid after your items reach our warehouse. | Shipping calculator |
That math is why a single cheap volume isn’t where BOOKOFF pays off: ¥368 plus ¥300 can top the price of a low-priced used copy. A set past the free-shipping line skips the first charge and pays the second only once.
The calculator quoted these for one parcel to New York 10001 on November 6, 2026, before its import duty and payment fee lines. Packaging and volumetric weight can change the final amount.
| Method | Estimated transit | 1 kg, 30 × 20 × 10 cm | 5 kg, 35 × 25 × 25 cm | Import duty (shipping page) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECMS | 10–20 days | ¥3,766 | ¥7,120 | Pre-collected at checkout |
| Japan Post EMS (DDP) | 10–12 days | ¥5,300 | ¥15,100 | Pre-collected at checkout |
| DHL | 3–7 days | ¥6,697 | ¥13,316 | Billed directly by DHL |
Shipping is billed per shipment, so combining orders lowers the cost per package; the saving depends on the box, so run your own numbers.
How does BOOKOFF judge used manga, books and games?
With a pass-or-fail standard, not a grade. The official store says it stocks only items that meet a set quality bar; used copies can show wear as long as it doesn’t get in the way of use:[3]
| Category | Sold | Not sold |
|---|---|---|
| Books and comics | Some color change, tears of a few millimeters, some writing | Clear discoloration, tears of 1 cm or more, writing across several pages, stains, water damage, mold |
| CDs, DVDs, games | Disc scratches that don’t affect playback, slight case scratches | Unplayable discs, large case scratches or cracks |
Extras such as the obi (帯), sleeve case, liner notes and download codes aren’t included unless the description says so. First-press and regular editions that share a JAN code are sold as the same product, and the cover image can differ from your copy. Game manuals vary by console; 【箱説なし】 in a console title means no box or manual.[3]
Our shopping instructions are direct about the limit: OneMall acts as a purchasing agent and can’t guarantee item authenticity or condition. If a specific copy matters, add unboxing photos at our warehouse before international shipping, ¥500 for basic or ¥700 for advanced. Exterior photos are free when the item price is over ¥20,000, full unboxing photos over ¥30,000.
What can’t you buy from BOOKOFF through us?
- Store stock: shelves at BOOKOFF, BOOKOFF PLUS and SUPER BAZAAR aren’t supported; the online store isn’t linked to store inventory.[5]
- Trading cards, figures, apparel, watches and phones: these aren’t categories on our BOOKOFF channel, and test searches on November 6, 2026 returned books, discs and games instead. For figures and collectibles, see our Suruga-ya guide and Mandarake guide.
- Lottery and restricted sales: items that need a lottery entry, have purchase limits, or require Japanese identity verification or a merchant account can’t be bought.
- Blocked goods: items marked “Not Available for Purchase” are held back by export or import rules, dangerous-goods limits or flagged sellers; see the prohibited items list. Consoles with built-in lithium batteries ship only by carriers that accept them.
- English editions and region-free media: our BOOK·OFF promo page (checked November 6, 2026) notes that books, manga and magazines are Japanese-language editions, DVDs are usually Region 2 and Blu-rays Region A, and Famicom and Super Famicom cartridges may need a Japanese console.
Conclusion
BOOKOFF comes down to two choices: new or used, then single volume or set. Read the fee lines on the product page before you commit, and remember that a used copy has met a pass-or-fail standard, not earned a grade. Ready? Search the BOOKOFF channel on OneMall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Book Off in the USA?
Yes. BOOKOFF USA opened its first store in New York City in 2000, and the group’s goal is 100 US store locations by 2033.[7] BOOKOFF USA’s Q&A says there’s no nationwide inventory database, so shopping BOOKOFF Japan online still means the channel above.
Book Off vs Hard Off: are they the same company?
No. BOOKOFF began handling used home electronics as a HARD OFF franchisee in December 1996 and canceled that agreement with HARD OFF CORPORATION in March 2015.[1] For Hard Off (often typed hardoff), see our Hard Off guide.
Why is Book Off so cheap?
BOOKOFF’s Rakuten shop says it prices used stock by time since release, stock and sales, not by condition, and that prices can change daily.[6] So a title there looks cheap or expensive because of demand, not because of how clean the copy is.
Does BOOKOFF sell Pokemon cards?
Yes, in stores: trading cards are a standard category, and the group runs Japan TCG Center card shops.[2] Cards aren’t on our BOOKOFF channel, but a ポケモンカード (Pokémon cards) search in its Yahoo! Auctions store returned 11,683 results on November 6, 2026, and you can bid on those through our Yahoo! Auctions channel. See also our Japanese Pokémon cards guide.
Is Book Off a thrift store?
It’s a second-hand chain: the company buys used goods from customers, in store or by mail, and resells them. Its online store also lists new books, CDs, DVDs and video games.
Last updated: 2026-11-06.
Related guides
References
- BOOKOFF GROUP HOLDINGS — About Us. bookoffgroup.co.jp
- BOOKOFF GROUP HOLDINGS — Business Portfolio. bookoffgroup.co.jp
- ブックオフ公式オンラインストア — 中古商品の品質 (used-item quality standard). bookoffonline.co.jp
- ブックオフ公式オンラインストア — help pages: 購入：ご注文の流れ (how ordering works); どのような支払い方法がありますか (payment methods); 配送業者ごとのお届け目安 (delivery chart).
- BOOKOFF — よくあるご質問 (store FAQ): 店舗で購入した品物を、配送するサービスはありますか？ (store delivery); 全国のお店の在庫 (store stock).
- ブックオフ 楽天市場店 — 初めての方へ（ご利用ガイド） (shop guide); よくある質問 (shop FAQ).
- BOOKOFF GROUP HOLDINGS — Worldwide Strategy. bookoffgroup.co.jp
- Federal Register — Notice of Implementation of the President’s Executive Order 14324, Suspending Duty-Free De Minimis Treatment (September 2, 2025); Indefinite Suspension of the De Minimis Exemption (June 24, 2026).