Maxus

What Maxus does

Maxus is a Tokyo-headquartered Japanese reuse (used goods purchasing) company founded in 2012 (originally as 株式会社SJCコーポレーション, renamed to マクサス in 2022). The company purchases a broad range of used items — furniture, appliances, electronics, jewelry, antiques, and liquor — from individual consumers through four channels: 30+ company-owned and franchise-operated retail stores, an on-site visiting purchasing service (最短15 minutes in central Tokyo), the proprietary SEL-LIVE video chat appraisal system, and a mail-in option. SEL-LIVE is positioned as an industry-first video-mediated appraisal technology (patent filed), while MakxScore is a proprietary BI tool used by franchise operators to analyze business performance. Maxus's core value proposition targets the friction in selling large, heavy, or numerous used household items by offering free appraisals, free on-site visits, and same-day cash or bank transfer payment.

The business operates as a multi-revenue platform with five streams: (1) resale margin on purchased goods (core), (2) franchise (FC) startup and recurring fees from operators using the Maxus brand and systems, (3) licensing revenue for SEL-LIVE and MakxScore, (4) consulting services for new reuse business entrants covering licensing, web marketing, and operations, and (5) SNS/content revenue from a YouTube channel (せきえもんの買取大学) and blog (出張買取ドットコム). The company is fully founder-owned (CEO Norihito Seki holds the full equity), bootstrapped with no external investors, and is regulated across 16+ Japanese prefectures via antique dealer permits (古物商許可証) and Metropolitan Public Safety Commission permits. Distribution relies on content marketing (SEO-driven blog, YouTube), direct inbound via phone/LINE/Chatwork, and a dedicated franchise recruitment site. The go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer retail, a franchise/licensed operator model that enables capital-light scaling, and a product-led growth angle via the SEL-LIVE self-service appraisal channel.

Name

Maxus

Legal name

株式会社マクサス

Website

https://makxas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Maxus is a Japanese reuse company that purchases used furniture, appliances, electronics, jewelry, and antiques from individual consumers via 30+ retail stores, on-site visits, and its proprietary SEL-LIVE video chat appraisal system, supported by a franchise program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices28 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Reuse / Purchasing Operations: Core business buying used goods (furniture, appliances, electronics, jewelry, antiques, liquor, etc.) from consumers through on-site visits, store drop-offs, and video chat appraisals. Revenue generated from resale margins on purchased goods.
2. Franchise (FC) Fees: Recurring franchise fees and startup fees from franchisee operators who open Maxus-branded purchasing businesses using the SEL-LIVE system and MakxScore tools.
3. System Licensing (SEL-LIVE / MakxScore): Licensing revenue from franchisees and potentially third parties for use of SEL-LIVE video chat appraisal platform and MakxScore analytics tools.
4. Consulting Services: Paid consulting for new reuse business entrants and existing purchasing operators covering licensing, web marketing, and operational best practices.
5. SNS / Content Revenue: Revenue derived from YouTube channel content and blog media operations, including affiliate and advertising income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Maxus (株式会社マクサス) operates a video chat-based used-goods purchasing (reuse) business that buys a wide range of second-hand items — furniture, appliances, electronics, jewelry, antiques, and liquor — from individual consumers and resells them through a nationwide network of specialist buyers. Customers can sell items via in-store drop-off, on-site home visits (最短15 minutes in central Tokyo), the proprietary SEL-LIVE video chat appraisal system, or mail. The company also licenses the SEL-LIVE platform and MakxScore BI tool to a 30+ store franchise network across Japan.

Product overview

Maxus operates a unified platform centered on its reuse (リユース) purchasing service, supported by proprietary technology systems. The core offerings include: the SEL-LIVE video chat appraisal system (patented industry-first technology), the マクサスコア BI tool for franchise analytics, and direct purchasing services via the '買取マクサス' brand. The company also provides franchise opportunities, consulting for reuse business startups, system development services, and educational content through its YouTube channel. The product portfolio functions as a platform-plus-services model where the proprietary systems (SEL-LIVE, マクサスコア) enable and differentiate the core reuse business while the franchise and consulting offerings expand market reach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Used Goods Purchasing Service (リユース事業 / 買取マクサス) Core service that purchases a wide range of used items (furniture, appliances, electronics, jewelry, antiques, liquor) from individual consumers, accessible via store drop-off, on-site home visits, video chat appraisal, and mail. Customers receive free appraisals and same-day payment.
• SEL-LIVE Video Chat Appraisal System (SEL-LIVE / セルライブ) Proprietary video chat platform enabling real-time remote item appraisal via smartphone video call. Covers assessment, payment, and pickup processes. Licensed to Maxus franchisees and used as the company's signature technological differentiator.
• MakxScore BI Tool (マクサスコア) Business intelligence tool developed in-house that analyzes franchisee operational performance, pricing, and metrics to provide actionable insights. Used by Maxus and licensed to franchise operators.
• Franchise Business (フランチャイズ事業) No-storefront franchise system allowing entrepreneurs to start a reuse business from home or a single room. Franchisees receive the Maxus brand, SEL-LIVE video chat system, MakxScore BI tool, nationwide buyer network access, and ongoing operational support.
• Reuse Industry Consulting (コンサルティング事業) Paid consulting services for new reuse business entrants and existing purchasing operators, including antique dealer licensing support, web marketing, and operational best-practice guidance.

Quantifiable outcome

• On-site appraisal within 15 minutes in central Tokyo areas
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• RACCOON (ラクーン, formerly ReRe): Japanese reuse operator running the ReRe platform and B2B reuse services, purchasing used goods from individuals and businesses. Comparable technology-enabled reuse-purchasing model and target customer to Maxus.
• BuySell Technologies: Publicly listed Japanese reuse purchasing company operating a national network buying used goods (electronics, jewelry, furniture, etc.) from individuals and businesses. Most directly comparable to Maxus in product offering and target customer, with significantly greater scale and capital resources.
• Treasure Factory (トレジャー・ファクトリー): Japanese reuse retailer and purchasing company (publily listed) operating comprehensive reuse stores across Japan. Directly comparable to Maxus in its reuse-purchase-from-consumer model and multi-category merchandise mix.
• Eco Ring (エコリング): Japanese reuse purchasing company with a network of stores buying used goods (brand items, jewelry, antiques, etc.) from consumers. Directly comparable all-category purchasing model to Maxus.

Emerging players

• Sustainable Japan (サステナブルジャパン) / regional reuse startups: Emerging Japanese reuse and circular-economy startups building digital purchasing and resale platforms. Comparable to Maxus in applying digital channels to the reuse-purchasing workflow, though typically smaller in scale.

Broad incumbents

• Hard Off Corporation (ハードオフ): Publicly listed operator of Japan's largest chain of reuse stores (Hard Off, Book Off, Mode Off, etc.) buying and selling used electronics, books, and household goods. Broad incumbent comparable to Maxus in reuse-purchasing model but at vastly larger scale.
• Book Off (ブックオフ): Publicly listed Japanese reuse retailer best known for used books/media but also operating broader reuse stores. Established broad incumbent competitor in the Japanese reuse-purchasing space.
• Komehyo (コメ兵): Publicly listed Japanese reuse retailer specializing in pre-owned luxury goods, jewelry, watches, and brand apparel with both retail and purchasing operations. Comparable to Maxus's higher-value category handling, but with luxury specialization.
• Geo Holdings (ゲオホールディングス): Publicly listed Japanese holding company operating GEO video rental, 2nd STREET reuse retail, and other second-hand businesses. Comparable broad-incumbent reuse retail footprint that competes with Maxus for both consumer transactions and franchise recruitment.
• 2nd STREET (セカスト): Operated by GEO Holdings, 2nd STREET is one of Japan's largest reuse retail chains with hundreds of stores buying and selling used clothing, furniture, electronics, and more. Comparable business model to Maxus but at substantially larger scale and broader category mix.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maxus