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Sale of Goods
You have several options for selling your stuff (and some of those options have sub options). You can take it home with you (luggage or shipping), you can throw it away (make sure it’s on the right garbage day), donate it, leave it for your successor, or sell it to them.
Selling stuff to your mystery successor. That’s an important part of the initial JET experience as it helps the both the seller and their successor out. Beneficial for everyone! Please remember to treat your successor like you would like to be treated. If you think you got a bad deal from your predecessor, don’t do the same thing to your successor. This always causes problems, so please be careful and thorough in your dealings and your item descriptions.
Things to consider when selling items to your successor:
1. Always deal in Japanese currency, despite American currency being widely accepted. Your successor and you both reside in Japan and the goods in question were bought in Japan. Therefore it is justifiable and easier to deal in Japanese currency.
2. Be realistic about prices. Appliances, cars and household goods are comparatively cheap.
3. Remember you are part of a community and it is your responsibility not to profit from your successor. Be loyal to the community. Try to recall how you felt when first arriving in Toyama. Remember how overwhelming it was and try to be accommodating to the needs of your successor.
4. Make precise lists of all items. Do not exaggerate the age or price of items. Be honest. Eventually the person will see the goods and realize the age and condition.
5. Clean out your apartment. Do not leave personal items such as clothing, cosmetics, toiletries etc. These are unnecessary and often useless items for your successor. (It might be nice for you to leave some soap/shampoo/etc. Ask your successor if they want any of the stuff before you ditch all of it.)
6. Make sure all bills have been paid. If the bills do not arrive before departing Toyama, leave sufficient funds for your supervisor to pay the bill on your behalf.
7. Send color photos of what your apartment, car and goods look like, ASAP.
8. If unsure of the value of the goods, have an evaluation by a second-hand dealer. Alternatively, ask the opinion of a local person or someone who has lived here for a long time of what are reasonable prices. Ask for a price estimation so you can use this as a basis for your asking price.
9. Remember you have used the goods and consideration needs to be given to this. You have had some use of them and the price should genuinely reflect this fact.
10. Ask yourself the following questions when collating a list:
- How often did I use the goods?
- How well was it maintained?
- Is it a useful item?
- How much did I pay for it?
- How old is it?
11. Find the receipts of large items, such as your car, telephone, etc. Have these available to aid negotiations.
And if your successor doesn’t want to buy…
If your successor doesn’t want to buy all of your wonderful treasures you may need to get rid of them some other way. You can try to sell them to other re-contracting JETs, or other people’s successors. One great way to do this is to get on the message boards and post a message in the “For Sale” section. Anumber of jets have also set up blogs or website to sell their goods and put a link on the website, this works well. Be sure to give as much information as you can, and provide photographs where possible. Below is ‘Smiljka’s Rough Guide’ to second hand buying and selling in the shi. You may also have local re-cycle shops in your area...
“The flea market is held on the first Sunday of every month and it is at Gokoku Jinja. It starts EARLY! Stalls get set up at 6 am or something ridiculous like that and they don't pack up until 1pm or so (depending on the cold). I'm not sure what it takes to set up your own stall - I guess it’s first come first serve so grab yer spots early. People also display mini stalls sometimes on the same day as the market on the road in front of the Toyama Citizens` (aka. Shinmin) plaza.
DIRECTIONS TO GOKOKU JINGA:
From the south exit of JR Toyama station follow the tram tracks to the right. Eventually, they will turn right at an intersection with a bank. Follow with them. Continue straight for 3 lights until you come to an intersection with a gas station and Jaguar dealership. Turn left here. Continue straight to the next set of lights and turn right… into the shrine.
All tech stuff like computers, TVs, etc can be bought and sold at Hard-Off (on route 359 a couple of hundred meters down from Yamaya towards Favore) and there's also Nandemokanteikyoku near ‘Pit One’ on a little street off 359 too (in the opposite direction to Hard-Off). The Russian store at the north exit of Toyama Guchi station also sells second hand furniture and things and will probably pay you to get rid of some of your unwantables.
Recently more and more “recycle stores” have been springing up in Toyama ken. There’s one called “2nd street” that will take lots of your stuff. They have stores in Tonami, Toyama City (Kamiino and Tenshouji), Kosugi, Takaoka (in Saty – maybe only clothes and other bits and pieces) and also a huge new one just off the 359 in Fuchu. The website is in Japanese but has a list of the stores in Toyama with pretty easy maps for you to follow: http://www.2ndstreet.jp/search/hokuriku.html#16