Eco Ring

What Eco Ring does

Eco Ring (株式会社エコリング), founded in May 2001 in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, is a privately-held Japanese reuse company that purchases used goods from individual consumers and redistributes them through both retail and wholesale channels. The company operates 320+ retail stores across Japan (with a stated target of 500 stores by end of FY2028), plus wholly-owned subsidiaries in 11 countries spanning East and Southeast Asia (Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Korea, and others) — making it one of the largest reuse operators in Asia by transaction volume, handling 10M+ items annually with reported revenue of ¥358B in FY2024 and a stated FY2025 target of ¥420B. Headcount stood at 622 full-time employees as of January 2026.

The company operates a multi-channel acquisition infrastructure spanning in-store purchasing, home-visit (出張) appraisal, mail-in (宅配) with free prepaid kits, LINE-based instant photo appraisal, and a new delivery-based service via Uber Japan. Underlying the retail network are two proprietary B2B online auction platforms — EcoOku (エコオク) for brand goods, watches, and jewelry, and EcoTrade (エコトレ) for general merchandise including consumer electronics and furniture — hosting weekly live auctions of 2,000+ items per session to a base of 5,000+ licensed antique and secondhand dealers. The acquisition funnel is supported by an internally developed automatic appraisal/authentication system recognized under METI's Monodzukuri subsidy program, which uses computer-vision-based condition assessment alongside human expertise. The company has additionally launched EcoRing Pick, a self-service unmanned store concept (August 2025), and operates franchise stores, Yahoo! Auctions and my EcoRing on-line storefronts, and a corporate purchasing service that includes CO2 reduction reporting for ESG-oriented enterprise clients.

Revenue is generated primarily through gross-margin retail resale of purchased goods supplemented by transaction fees from the B2B auction platforms, franchise fees from 22 partner stores, and corporate service fees. The company sells items where they command the highest price — domestic stores, Yahoo! Auctions, B2B auctions, and overseas subsidiaries — and reports a 0.1% disposal rate of acquired items, with each redistributed item reducing CO2 emissions. Eco Ring holds B Corp certification (first Japanese company, June 2021), JSB Bronze (April 2026), ISO 27001:2022 (April 2026), and LEED BD+C Gold for its new Himeji headquarters; it operates the group under a holding company structure (Eco Ring Japan Holdings) following an April 2025 CEO transition from founder Issei Kuwata to Hiroshi Kawata.

Name

Eco Ring

Legal name

株式会社エコリング

Website

https://ecoring.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Eco Ring is a Japanese reuse company that purchases used goods from individual consumers through 320+ retail stores and multiple channels, then redistributes them domestically and across 11 Asian countries via B2B auction platforms and overseas subsidiaries handling 10M+ items annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reuse and Resale Services

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Used Merchandise Retailers (45951), Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Retailers (4583), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110)

SIC

Retail-Miscellaneous Shopping Goods Stores (5940), Retail-Variety Stores (5331), Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944)

akta.pro primary industry

Overstock & Surplus General Merchandise Retail (CRAEAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vintage & Antique Collectibles Retail (CRALAGAE), Jewelry, Watches & Luxury Goods Online Retailers (CRAFADAN)

Keywords

• Reuse purchasing services
• Used goods retail
• Brand goods resale
• B2B online auctions
• Circular economy reuse

Headquarters

HQ city

Hyogo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Purchasing (金庫事業): Eco Ring purchases used goods from individual consumers at its 300+ physical retail locations (including franchise stores). Items purchased include brand goods, watches, jewelry, accessories, clothing, electronics, and miscellaneous items. Revenue is generated by reselling these goods through various channels at a markup.
2. Home-Visit and Mail-In Purchasing: Purchasing services where Eco Ring sends staff to customers' homes or sends a prepaid shipping kit for mail-in assessment and purchase. These services expand the addressable market beyond walk-in customers.
3. B2B Online Auction (エコオク / エコトレ): Eco Ring operates industry-scale B2B web auction platforms (EcoOku for brand goods, EcoTrade for general merchandise) where thousands of registered antique/secondhand dealer customers bid on items sourced from the retail purchasing network. Revenue comes from transaction fees on successful auctions.
4. Sales of Purchased Goods (販売事業): Resale of purchased goods through Eco Ring's own stores, Eco Ring Pick unmanned stores, Yahoo! Auctions storefront, and the EcoOku B2B auction platform. Goods are also sold internationally through overseas group company networks.
5. Franchise (FC) Fees: Revenue from franchise partners who pay for the right to use the Eco Ring brand, business model, supply chain, and platform. The franchise system enables rapid national expansion with limited capital outlay.
6. Corporate Purchasing Service (法人買取サービス): B2B service purchasing surplus office furniture, IT equipment, and excess inventory from corporate clients. Provides environmental impact reporting (CO2 reduction) to enterprise customers as a value-add.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Eco Ring purchases used goods—including brand bags, watches, jewelry, clothing, electronics, and household items—from individual consumers through 300+ physical retail stores, home-visit purchasing, mail-in (宅配) service, LINE-based assessment, and an Uber delivery partnership. Purchased inventory is redistributed through the company's own sales channels and the proprietary EcoOku and EcoTrade B2B online auction platforms, serving over 5,000 licensed antique and secondhand dealers across Japan and 11 Asian countries.

Product overview

Eco Ring operates a multi-channel reuse purchasing and sales ecosystem with four main purchase service types (store, home visit, mail, and delivery), supported by two BtoB auction platforms (EcoRing the Auction for brand goods and EcoRing Trade Auction for general merchandise), complemented by an online store (my EcoRing on-line) and innovative self-service concept (EcoRing Pick). The company connects sellers of used goods with buyers through both consumer-facing retail and business-to-business auction channels, with operations spanning 300+ stores across Japan and international markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Store Purchase Service (店面収购) In-store purchase service where consumers bring used items to one of 300+ Eco Ring physical retail stores nationwide for face-to-face appraisal and immediate cash payment. Targets individual consumers looking to liquidate brand goods, watches, jewelry, clothing, electronics, and household items.
• Home-Visit Purchase Service (出張収购) Field sales service where Eco Ring appraisers travel to customer homes or offices to assess and purchase used items on-site. Suitable for customers with large volumes or items difficult to transport; also serves corporate clients with surplus inventory.
• Mail-In Purchase Service (宅配収购) National mail-in purchasing service where Eco Ring sends a free prepaid shipping kit to customers, who pack and return items for assessment and purchase. Expands addressable market beyond physical store catchment areas.
• LINE Easy Purchase Service LINE app-based purchase service where consumers send photos of items for preliminary appraisal via the LINE platform, then ship the items to Eco Ring for final assessment and payment.
• Delivery Purchase Service (Uber Partnership) Delivery-based purchase service launched March 1, 2026 in partnership with Uber Japan, where Uber drivers pick up shipping kits from customer homes and deliver them to Eco Ring logistics centers, enabling a seamless mail-in purchasing experience.
• Corporate Purchase Service (法人収购) B2B service purchasing surplus office furniture, IT equipment, and excess inventory from corporate clients. Provides CO2 reduction quantification and environmental impact reporting to support enterprise ESG and sustainability initiatives.
• EcoRing the Auction (エコオク) Real-time B2B web-based auction platform for brand bags, watches, jewelry, and accessories. Hosts weekly live auctions with 2,000+ items per session, serving over 5,000 registered licensed antique and secondhand dealer customers.
• EcoRing Trade Auction (エコトレ) B2B online auction platform for consumer electronics, home appliances, designer furniture, daily goods, and trade merchandise sourced from 100+ Eco Ring stores. Serves licensed secondhand dealers nationwide.
• my EcoRing on-line Online shopping platform operated by Eco Ring for purchasing reused goods, with member registration required for transactions.
• EcoRing Pick (Unmanned Self-Service Store) Self-service unmanned store concept launched August 9, 2025, where customers select items and use self-checkout registers without staff present. Features 24-hour surveillance and enables off-hours purchasing of used goods.

Quantifiable outcome

• 0.1% disposal rate — virtually all purchased items are redistributed rather than sent to landfill
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hiroshima Prefecture (広島県)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Eco Ring signed a disaster response agreement with Hiroshima Prefecture (June 2026) to provide rapid relief supplies using its network of 341 stores and logistics hubs nationwide. The company maintains pre-positioned reusable goods (clothing, daily necessities) that can be deployed to affected areas immediately following disasters. This builds on the company's experience providing relief supplies after the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
• Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture (兵庫県姫路市)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026Disaster response cooperation agreement signed with Himeji City (March 2026) to provide reusable goods as emergency supplies during disasters. Leverages Eco Ring's local store network and inventory for rapid deployment.
• Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture (愛知県名古屋市)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2025Disaster response cooperation agreement signed with Nagoya City (November 2025) to enable rapid supply of reusable goods to disaster-affected areas through Eco Ring's store network.
• Niiza City, Saitama Prefecture (埼玉県新座市)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2025Disaster response cooperation agreement signed with Niiza City (April 2025) for rapid deployment of reusable goods from local Eco Ring stores to affected communities.
• Saitama Prefecture (埼玉県)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2025Disaster response cooperation agreement signed with Saitama Prefecture (April 2025) to provide reusable goods as emergency disaster supplies through the prefecture's emergency response network.
• Circular Economy Research Institute, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (経済産業省 サーキュラーエコノミー研究所)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Eco Ring was selected as an exhibitor/participant at the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025 'Circular Economy Research Institute' booth, organized by METI. Represents official government recognition of Eco Ring's circular economy leadership.
• Japan Sustainable Finance Association (JSFA) — Supporting MemberminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2025Eco Ring became a supporting member of JSFA, participating in industry-wide sustainability finance and ESG initiatives.
• NPO SALASUSU (認定特定非営利活動法人SALASUSU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership for the 'Egao Project' (えがおプロジェクト), providing educational support to children in Cambodia through a co-creation model. Eco Ring and SALASUSU co-publish interviews and reports on sustainable support initiatives. Eco Ring participates in volunteer activities in Cambodia and hosts charity events in Japan. The partnership has evolved from simple donations to 'co-creation' style collaboration.
• Watarlis Co., Ltd. (株式会社ワタリス)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership in the Tohoku region where donated kimonos from Eco Ring customers are transformed by Watarlis — a brand founded by women affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake — into upcycled products (plush toys, keychains, coin purses, coasters). Creates economic opportunity in disaster-affected areas while reducing waste.
• ICAN (Philippines NGO — 路上教育から職業訓練への統合支援プロジェクト)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Through the 'EcoFan' (エコファン) platform, Eco Ring supports ICAN's project in the Philippines combining street education with vocational training (cooking, baking). The 'EcoFan' platform enables customers and supporters to contribute to social contribution projects with clear outcomes.
• Aioi Bay Natural Regeneration Learning Conference (相生湾自然再生学習会議)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration with a local environmental NPO in Aioi, Hyogo Prefecture, participating in seagrass (amamo) transplantation activities and coastal clean-ups. Part of Eco Ring's community environmental engagement in Hyogo Prefecture.
• Arigatou Farm (ありがとうファーム) — Disability Art Support ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration with the Arigatou Farm disability art support organization where Eco Ring collects damaged/imitation accessories from customers and employees, which artists transform into upcycled art pieces through their creative practice. The resulting artworks are gifted to customers who support the initiative.
• KCJ GROUP (キッザニア)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Eco Ring became an official sponsor of the 'Reuse Shop' pavilion at KidZania Koshien (opened February 2020) and KidZania Fukuoka (opened July 2022), offering children 'appraiser' career experiences. Children learn about product authentication, valuation, and the value of used goods through hands-on role-play.
• Haseko Community (株式会社長谷工コミュニティ), Daikyo Astage (株式会社大京アステージ), Duskin Merry Maids (株式会社ダスキン メリーメイド)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Corporate partnerships with major property management companies (Haseko Community in Kansai, Daikyo Astage in Kanto) where Eco Ring appraisers conduct on-site assessment events at managed apartment complexes. Duskin Merry Maids refers decluttering clients to Eco Ring for post-organization purchasing services.
• GOMI Fantasista Project (ゴミファンタジスタプロジェクト)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2016Community cleanup initiative where Eco Ring participated in street litter collection events in Osaka's America-mura district. Eco Ring collected 132kg of litter across 39 bags, earning a letter of appreciation from Osaka Chuo Ward office. Employees volunteer alongside local residents including families with children.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Mercari: Japan's largest C2C marketplace for secondhand items with tens of millions of users. Adjacent to Eco Ring's business as an alternative channel for consumers seeking to sell used goods, though operates a fundamentally different platform-based business model that competes for seller mindshare rather than direct retail traffic.

Direct peers

• Komehyo (コメ兵): Japanese luxury reuse specialist operating ~200 stores focused on jewelry, watches, and brand goods. Directly comparable to Eco Ring's brand goods, watches, and jewelry handling business; both operate B2C purchase-and-resale models for high-value items with in-store authentication.
• Treasure Factory (トレジャーファクトリー): Japanese reuse retailer operating ~200 multi-category stores selling secondhand clothing, brand goods, jewelry, electronics, and furniture. The most directly comparable peer to Eco Ring — both operate physical retail stores purchasing and reselling used goods across broad categories, with similar franchise expansion strategies.
• Brandear (ブランディア): Japanese reuse purchasing service specializing in brand bags, watches, jewelry, and apparel via mail-in and home-visit. Directly comparable to Eco Ring's brand goods and watches purchasing/resale operations and overlaps in target customer (consumers seeking to monetize high-value items).
• BUYSELL (バイセル): Japanese reuse purchasing business specializing in antiques, jewelry, watches, and brand goods via home-visit and store-based purchasing. Directly comparable to Eco Ring's core purchasing service model — particularly the home-visit (出張) channel — and competes for the same high-value seller segment.
• Book Off Corporation (ブックオフ): Japanese reuse retail chain operating 800+ stores primarily focused on books and media with expanding general merchandise offerings. Comparable to Eco Ring as a multi-format reuse retailer with broad consumer appeal and a comparable mix of vertical and horizontal store formats.
• Hard Off Corporation (ハードオフコーポレーション): Japanese reuse retailer operating 400+ stores under multiple sub-formats (Hard Off for electronics, Off House for general goods, Mode Off for fashion, Hobby Off for hobby items). Comparable to Eco Ring's multi-format reuse retail strategy and franchise/sub-brand approach to category expansion.
• GEO Holdings (ゲオホールディングス) / 2nd Street: Parent of 2nd Street, Japan's largest reuse shop chain operating 700+ stores across multiple formats including clothing, media, books, and furniture. Comparable to Eco Ring's multi-format reuse retail strategy, store expansion velocity, and mass-market positioning in Japan.

Regional players

• The RealReal: US-based online luxury resale marketplace focusing on authenticated designer fashion, watches, and jewelry. Comparable to Eco Ring's luxury resale business from a category and authentication perspective, though primarily serving the US market rather than Asia; useful as a public-market comparable for the luxury resale vertical.

Emerging players

• Rakuma (ラクマ): Rakuten-operated C2C marketplace for secondhand goods. Comparable to Mercari's platform model and represents an alternative channel to Eco Ring's purchasing services for consumers looking to monetize used items, though with a smaller user base and partial overlap in product categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ecoring_official

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries19 records

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 Eco Ring