It happens on every trip to Japan: a rice cooker in an electronics store, sneakers in your size at a department store, a box of seasonal KitKats you only see here. You still have three neighborhoods to walk through, or your size is not on the shelf. Can you skip carrying it and pick it up at your hotel instead?
01In the store: what to note down
A clear photo of the package front and the price tag is often enough for us to find it.
Electronics and appliances have a model number on the box or the shelf label. Most packaged goods also carry a 13-digit number under the barcode (the JAN code). Either one lets us find exactly the same item, not a near-match.
Many products come in several colors or sizes with almost the same name. One line saves a round of questions.
The store name and area help if the item turns out to be sold only in that store.
02Buy it now, or have it delivered?
| Buying it in the store yourself | Sending it to soracross | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Shelf price. Purchases you make yourself with your passport can be tax-free | Regular tax-included price + our service fee (10% of the item price + ¥1,000 per order) + hotel delivery ¥1,000 per parcel (a shop’s own shipping, if any, is included in the item price) |
| Carrying | You carry it for the rest of the day | Delivered to your hotel during your stay, if it accepts parcels |
| Size or color not on the shelf | Try other branches | We look for it at Amazon Japan, Rakuten and Yodobashi |
| Timing | You have it right now | Takes a few days — we check the real ship time against your dates |
| Japanese needed | A little, at the register | None — send a photo or a link |
If it fits in your bag and you are standing in the store, buying it right there is usually the cheapest option, and we will tell you so. soracross is worth it when the item is bulky or fragile, your day is not over, the size you want is missing, or you only decide later that you want it.
03What soracross can do
We usually buy online: the same item, from Amazon Japan, Rakuten or Yodobashi, and other online shops may be possible too. Some items are sold only in stores — a store-only color, an overseas-voltage appliance, a shop’s own goods. Buying in the store itself can be arranged separately on request: tell us in your quote request, and we tell you whether we can do it and what it costs before you pay anything. We cannot promise every store-only item.
Want it? Send it.
Free quote, usually within 24 hours. Nothing is bought until you say go.
04Where it usually goes wrong
- Almost the same item. Stores and online shops sometimes sell versions with slightly different model numbers, colors or set contents. The model number or barcode number avoids buying the wrong one.
- Different price online. The online price can be higher or lower than the shelf price. Your quote shows the real price before you pay anything.
- Store-only items. Some items are never sold online. Ask us — buying in the store can be arranged separately, but not every item can be.
- Voltage on appliances. Many Japanese appliances run on 100V only. Check the rated voltage before you buy — our small-electronics guide explains what to look for.
05Your worry, side by side
| Your worry | Doing it yourself | With soracross |
|---|---|---|
| A heavy or fragile box | Carrying it through the city all day | Delivered to your hotel during your stay, if it accepts parcels |
| Size or color sold out on the shelf | Walking from branch to branch | We look for it online at the big retailers |
| Not sure it is the exact same item | Guessing from a Japanese product page | Send the model or barcode number — we match it |
| Japanese-only online checkout | Stuck on a sign-up form | No Japanese account needed |
| Not sure the hotel will accept it | You find out at the front desk | We ask your hotel in Japanese before buying (+¥1,000) |
06The easy way: take a photo, collect at your hotel
soracross is a personal-shopping service for travelers in Japan. We buy on your behalf — the purchase contract is between you and the retailer — and items are bought new and delivered unopened in their original box. Send a photo, a model number or a link, get one all-in quote, and pay only after you approve it. No link? Sourcing is +¥1,000 per item.
07See a rough estimate first
Estimate your total
Enter the item's retail price to get a rough total. This is only a guide — we confirm the exact amount in your quote before you pay.
| Item price | — |
| Service fee (10% + ¥1,000) | — |
| Delivery | — |
| Estimated total | — |
Estimate only. Your actual quote depends on the items and is confirmed by us before payment.
Items from different shops arrive as separate parcels, and the hotel delivery fee (¥1,000, our charge for arranging and tracking each delivery) applies per parcel. Any shipping fee a shop charges is included in the item price. No need to work it out here — we confirm the full total in your quote before you pay.
If you don't enter a product URL yourself, a +¥1,000 item sourcing fee applies per item.
Want it? Send it.
Free quote, usually within 24 hours. Nothing is bought until you say go.
08FAQ
Can you buy it at the store where I saw it?
I only have a photo. Is that enough?
Is it cheaper to buy it in the store myself?
I saw it on my last trip. Can I order it before my next one?
What if my hotel refuses the parcel?
09Related guides
soracross is an independent purchasing agent and is not affiliated with Amazon, Rakuten or Yodobashi. Your purchase contract for the goods is with the retailer. Details are correct as of each guide's update date.