What Minne does

Minne is a Japan-based two-sided online marketplace that connects individual handmade creators with buyers seeking artisanal goods. Operated by GMO Pepabo Inc. (GMOペパボ株式会社), a publicly listed Japanese internet services company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (ticker 3633), Minne hosts more than 970,000 creator brands across 20 major categories and 309 subcategories, spanning accessories, fashion, home goods, art, food, vintage items, and digital downloads. The platform is accessible via web (minne.com) and a mobile app that has accumulated 17.6 million downloads, making it the most-downloaded handmade marketplace app in Japan.

The platform's core technology is a web and mobile marketplace that enables direct seller-to-buyer transactions, supporting diverse listing types including physical handmade crafts, digital content (patterns, lesson videos), food, and consigned antique/vintage items. Minne provides built-in payment processing, shipping label support, and an overseas shipping service that lets sellers reach international buyers without managing export logistics. Beyond the core marketplace, the product portfolio includes minne PLUS, a three-tier subscription (¥880–¥3,300 per 30 days) offering reduced commission rates (from 10.659% down to 10.45%), analytics, video storage, and seller tools; minne LAB, a YouTube-based creator education channel; minne Gift Tickets, a digital gifting channel; and the minne Alliance Program, a B2B offering for corporate clients to collaborate with the creator community.

Minne generates revenue primarily through a 10.659% transaction commission on each completed sale, supplemented by subscription fees from minne PLUS and advertising/sponsorship revenue from corporate Alliance Program clients such as Shachihata, 3M Japan, Sakura Craypas, KADOKAWA, and PADICO. The go-to-market approach is product-led and community-led: creators self-register at no cost, buyers are acquired through SEO, social media (~530,000 combined X/Instagram followers), app downloads, editorial content (the minneともものづくりと magazine, with 127+ creator interviews), and offline events including the minne Handmade Market. Minne serves three primary segments — individual creators, consumer/gift buyers, and enterprise/corporate alliance clients — and positions itself as Japan's largest handmade marketplace.

Name

Minne

Legal name

GMO Pepabo Inc. (ＧＭОペパボ株式会社)

Website

https://minne.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Minne is Japan's largest handmade marketplace, operated by GMO Pepabo Inc., connecting 970,000+ individual creators with consumers across 20 product categories. It earns revenue via a ~10.659% transaction commission, a tiered minne PLUS creator subscription, and a B2B corporate Alliance Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Shibuya

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Transaction Commission: Minne charges a commission fee on each sale completed through the platform. Standard commission rate is 10.659% of the sale price (including shipping and options). This is the primary revenue stream.
2. minne PLUS Subscription: A subscription service for creators offering reduced commission rates (from 10.659% down to 10.615% for Light, 10.505% for Standard, and 10.45% for Advanced), plus additional features including message templates, video upload storage, push notifications, analytics, and sales reservation tools. Three tiers: Light at ¥880/30 days, Standard at ¥1,650/30 days or ¥16,500/365 days, and Advanced at ¥3,300/30 days or ¥33,000/365 days.
3. Alliance Program / Advertising: Minne offers a corporate alliance program (minne Alliance Program) where businesses can collaborate with Minne's creator community for custom content and marketing campaigns. This generates advertising and sponsorship revenue from enterprise clients seeking access to Minne's creator base and audience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Minne is Japan's largest online handmade marketplace, connecting individual craft creators with buyers across a catalog of 20 major categories and 309 subcategories including accessories, fashion, home goods, art, food, antiques, and digital downloads. The platform enables free seller registration, handles payment processing and shipping logistics (including overseas delivery), and monetizes primarily through a 10.659% transaction commission alongside a tiered minne PLUS subscription that lowers fees and unlocks creator tools.

Product overview

Minne is a C2C handmade marketplace operated by GMO Pepapabo, serving as Japan's largest platform for individual craft creators and buyers. The core marketplace platform connects over 970,000 creators across 20 major product categories and 309 subcategories, offering handmade goods from accessories and fashion to food and traditional crafts. The product portfolio includes the core marketplace, supported by subscription add-on minne PLUS (offering tiered plans with reduced commissions from 10.65% to 10.45%, enhanced messaging, video storage, and analytics), educational platform minne LAB for creator development, gift ticket service, and the B2B minne Alliance Program. The mobile app has achieved 17.6 million downloads, and the platform supports diverse sales categories including digital downloads, food products, and vintage items.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• minne PLUS: A subscription service for creators with three tiers (ライト, スタンダード, アドバンス) offering reduced commission rates, message templates, video storage, analytics, and other creator tools starting from 880 yen per month.
• minne LAB

Products and services

• Minne Marketplace (minne.com) Japan's largest online handmade marketplace connecting 970,000+ individual creators and brands with buyers. Catalogs 20 major categories and 309 subcategories of handmade goods including accessories, fashion, furniture, food, art, digital downloads, antiques, and vintage items, with no upfront seller registration fees.
• minne PLUS Subscription Three-tier subscription (Light ¥880/30 days, Standard ¥1,650/30 days or ¥16,500/365 days, Advanced ¥3,300/30 days or ¥33,000/365 days) that lowers transaction commission from 10.659% to 10.45–10.615% and unlocks creator tools including message templates, video upload (2–20GB), push notifications, sales analytics, and sales reservation.
• minne Alliance Program B2B partnership program connecting Japanese corporations (e.g., Shachihata, 3M Japan, Sakura Craypas, KADOKAWA, PADICO) with Minne's 970,000+ creators for collaborative content creation, brand campaigns, influencer-style promotions, and PR. Reports a 78% corporate-client repeat rate.
• minne LAB Educational YouTube channel and resource hub providing craft-making tutorials, beginner guides (5-step guides), and business-growth content for artists and creators on the Minne platform.
• minne Gift Ticket Digital gift ticket service enabling buyers to purchase a 'gift experience' that recipients redeem to choose their own handmade items on the marketplace, marketed as 'selecting the joy of choosing' as a gift.
• Digital Downloads Marketplace category enabling creators to sell digital content — patterns, templates, and lesson videos — to craft enthusiasts for instant download.
• Minne Mobile App (iOS/Android) Mobile shopping and seller-management application for iOS and Android; with 17.6 million cumulative downloads as of January 2026, it is the most-downloaded handmade marketplace app in Japan.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17.6 million app downloads — No.1 handmade marketplace app in Japan
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• シヤチハタ株式会社 (Shachihata Corporation)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerShachihata collaborated with Minne's creator community for multiple stamp/stationery campaigns. They leveraged Minne's creator network for content creation featuring unique handmade stamp works, generating awareness among craft enthusiasts. The collaboration allowed Shachihata to connect with Minne's engaged maker audience.
• スリーエムジャパン株式会社 (3M Japan)minorGTM or Marketing Partner3M Japan used Minne's creators to demonstrate and review packaging and shipping-related products. Creators provided creative use cases and photography showcasing 3M products in handmade contexts, expanding product awareness to craft-focused consumers.
• 株式会社サクラクレパス (Sakura Craypas)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSakura Craypas partnered with Minne for Instagram live streams to introduce their craft adhesive product 'Craft Koman' to Minne users, demonstrating creative uses through live demonstrations with creator participation.
• KADOKAWAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKADOKAWA is listed as a partner brand collaborating with the Minne creator community through the Alliance Program, though specific campaign details are not provided.
• 株式会社パイクリ (PADICO)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPADICO is listed as a partner brand in the Minne Alliance Program, collaborating with Minne's craft creator community for creative campaigns and content creation.
• GMOペパボ株式会社 (GMO Pepabo)coreOthersMinne is operated by GMO Pepabo, a publicly listed Japanese internet services company (TYO: 3535). GMO Pepabo provides the infrastructure, financial backing, and operational platform for Minne's marketplace operations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pinkoi: Asian handmade marketplace operating across Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, and Thailand. Comparable C2C handmade model with cross-border reach, directly relevant to Minne's overseas shipping ambitions.
• Etsy: Global handmade and vintage marketplace operating a similar two-sided C2C model with a transaction-based take rate. The most direct international analog for Minne's marketplace mechanics, scaled globally.
• Creema: Japan-based handmade marketplace with overlapping creator base and category mix. Closest domestic competitor, taking commission on similar handmade goods.
• iichi: Japanese handmade marketplace focused on artisanal and craft goods. Competes directly with Minne for Japanese creators and gift-buyer demand.

Emerging players

• BASE: Japanese no-code e-commerce platform popular among individual creators and SMBs for standalone shops. An alternative to marketplace participation, especially for sellers scaling beyond Minne's take-rate structure.
• STORES.jp: Japanese online store builder targeting small merchants. Adjacent to Minne as a creator-economy platform, though more focused on standalone brand building than marketplace aggregation.

Broad incumbents

• Rakuten Ichiba: Japan's largest general e-commerce marketplace, hosting handmade sellers alongside mass-market goods. Provides a broad-incumbent competitive pressure on marketplace traffic and category share.
• Shopify: E-commerce platform enabling individual creators to build their own storefronts. Competes with marketplaces like Minne as some creators graduate to direct-to-consumer channels on Shopify.
• Amazon Handmade: Handmade goods category within Amazon's broader marketplace. Leverages Amazon's logistics and buyer base; competes for share of consumer handmade spending but is part of a wider retail portfolio.
• Mercari: Japan's leading C2C marketplace (C2C general goods, including handmade). Overlaps with Minne's buyer behavior and seller tooling, though Mercari's scope is broader (used goods, resale).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/minnecom
• Facebookfacebook.com/minnecom
• Instagraminstagram.com/minne_official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Minne