Parcel forwarding from France to Japan: prices, delays, customs
Japan has one of the world's keenest appetites for French vintage, secondhand luxury and the brands that never open a Tokyo store — and almost no French sellers willing to ship there. Here's how the price of bridging that is built, with the one line that decides whether it's worth it.
Vinted has no Japanese version. Leboncoin never left France. And the French brands that do sell online rarely list Japan at checkout, or price the shipping to discourage you. For a buyer in Tokyo or Osaka, the French secondhand market is fully visible and fully out of reach.
This guide explains how the price of a shipment is built, where the grid climbs, and how to stay under it. The exact price of your parcel is calculated live on our estimator, from its weight and size.
Two ways to get a parcel to you
You order yourself. On French sites that accept your card, you enter your FrenchShopper address at checkout. To the shop you're a French customer; the parcel lands at our warehouse, and we handle the export.
We buy for you. On Vinted, Leboncoin, and any seller who only ships within France or rejects a Japanese card, you send us the link. We check, quote, and once you've paid, buy with our own French account and card. The details are here.
Either way, your items wait free for 45 days in our warehouse so you can gather several — and leave together in one box.
How the shipping price is built
Our price covers transport, packaging and insurance, and it depends on the weight and size of the box. Carriers charge on the higher of actual and volumetric weight, so a big half-empty box is billed as if it were full. You see every offer, with its price and delivery time, before you pay — and you can estimate your parcel before you order anything.
The five-kilo line
There are two different stories in Japan's grid. Up to about five kilos, the price is reasonable for a route this long. Past that, the carrier's grid climbs steeply: on most of our destinations, doubling the weight adds a fraction to the price; on Japan, it can double it.
That's the carrier's pricing, not ours, and we'd rather you planned around it than discovered it:
- Aim for the 40 × 30 × 20 box, filled. Three to five garments, a bag, a pair of shoes: that's the parcel Japan is priced for. Use the 45 free days to fill it.
- Above five kilos, split. Two mid-size parcels almost always cost less to Japan than one large one. When your finds add up past the line, we'll say so when we quote, and suggest the split.
- Watch the volume, not just the weight. A bulky coat in a big box is billed on the box. We measure every parcel and quote on what it really is — and we pack tight.
The delivery times we see
On our measurements, Colissimo International — the cheapest option — shows delivery eight days after handover; Chronopost and FedEx express options show six. Customs clearance is included. Each offer displays its own time before you pay.
What Japan Customs collects
A parcel from France is an import. Above a value threshold, Japan Customs assesses consumption tax, and duty where the goods call for it, on the declared value of your items. The carrier pays these on your behalf and collects them at delivery, usually with a handling fee. Thresholds and rates change: check Japan Customs' current guidance before a large order.
What we do, and what we don't
- We declare the real value of your items, from your invoices. It's the law, and it's what protects you: our insurance covers the declared value.
- We never under-declare, even on request.
- Consumption tax, duty and handling fees are never in our price. They depend on Japan, not on us — and can only be known on arrival.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the 10 kg rate jump so much?
Because the carrier's grid for Japan climbs steeply past the five-kilo mark: above it, the price per kilo rises sharply. If your finds add up to more than that, two mid-size parcels usually cost less than one large one — we'll tell you when quoting.
Are Japanese consumption tax and duties included in your price?
No — they can't be. Japan Customs assesses consumption tax, and duty where it applies, on the declared value when the parcel arrives, and the carrier collects them at delivery with a handling fee. Our price covers transport, packaging and insurance, never Japanese taxes.
How long does a parcel from France to Japan take?
On our measurements, about eight days with Colissimo International, the cheapest option, and six with the express carriers — customs clearance included. Each offer shows its own time before you pay.
Does French Vinted ship to Japan?
No. Vinted has no Japanese version and French sellers almost never ship outside France. For anything on Vinted or Leboncoin, we buy it for you with our French account, then ship it with the rest of your finds.
