Process
How It Works
HIBIKOTO provides direct access to the Japanese market. Our work centres on purchase support and sourcing: locating, securing, and shipping the pieces you are looking for, from marketplace listings and auctions to rare archive finds. Alongside this, we offer a curated selection of pieces we have sought out ourselves. Every request is handled individually, with the care these garments deserve.
Seller communication in Japanese, with negotiation where possible.
Section 01
Purchase Support
When you have already found the piece.
You have found something specific. We secure it for you.
01
Submit Item
Share the listing or link to the piece you would like to acquire.
02
Request Reviewed
We verify availability, condition, and seller details before proceeding.
03
Invoice Issued
You receive a clear invoice covering the item and applicable costs.
04
Payment Received
Purchase begins once payment is confirmed.
05
Item Purchased & Secured
We acquire the piece on your behalf and confirm it is secured.
06
International Shipping Arranged
The item is prepared and dispatched to you worldwide.
Section 02
Auctions
Yahoo Auctions and time sensitive bidding.
For pieces available through auction, we bid on your behalf within a clearly agreed limit.
01
Submit Auction Listing
Send us the auction you would like us to pursue.
02
Maximum Bid Confirmed
You set the highest amount you are willing to commit.
03
Bid Placed by HIBIKOTO
We bid on your behalf, up to your confirmed maximum.
04
Auction Won
If the bid succeeds, the piece is yours to complete.
05
Invoice Issued
You are invoiced for the final winning amount.
06
Payment Received
Payment confirms the acquisition.
07
International Shipping Arranged
The piece is prepared and shipped to you.
Please note
- ·A maximum bid is treated as a firm commitment to purchase.
- ·Winning bids cannot be cancelled.
- ·You pay the final winning price, not your maximum bid.
Section 03
Sourcing
When the piece has not surfaced yet.
Some pieces require the hunt. We search the Japanese market on your behalf.
01
Submit Request
Tell us what you are searching for: brand, era, size, condition.
02
Request Reviewed
We assess the request and its feasibility.
03
Sourcing Requirements Assessed
We determine the scope, rarity, and effort involved.
04
Sourcing Fee May Be Quoted
Where applicable, a sourcing fee is quoted in advance.
05
Options Presented
We present the pieces and options we have found.
06
Purchase Support Available
Once you choose, we secure and ship as in Purchase Support.
Please note
- ·Not every request requires a sourcing fee.
- ·Rare pieces or extended searches may carry a fee, always agreed beforehand.
Section 04
Store Partnerships
For boutiques, stores, and stylists.
An ongoing relationship for those sourcing from Japan continuously.
01
Ongoing Sourcing
Continuous sourcing aligned with your buying focus.
02
Shared Tracking Dashboard
A live, shared dashboard tracking every piece and its status.
03
Weekly Purchase Payments
Merchandise settled on a regular weekly basis.
04
Monthly Partnership Fee
A partnership service fee settled at month end.
05
Consolidated Shipping
Pieces consolidated and shipped together to reduce cost.
Please note
- ·Partnerships operate differently from standard Purchase Support.
- ·Terms are tailored to each partner.
Section 05
Payment Flow
Clarity, before anything is secured.
HIBIKOTO operates on a purchase after payment basis. This is how we guarantee that a piece is pursued the moment it becomes available, and how we protect you in a market where pieces move quickly.
Standard Purchase Support is paid in advance. Items are acquired only after payment is confirmed.
A piece is not guaranteed or reserved until payment is complete. Listings and stock change in real time, and we cannot hold an item without commitment.
Store Partnerships may follow separately agreed payment terms, defined for each partner.
International shipping is invoiced separately, once the item has arrived with us and final weight and dimensions are known.
Wise and Revolut are our preferred methods, settled in USD, Euro, or AUD to avoid conversion fees.
Stripe is available, though card processing fees may apply.
Coming Soon
Live Sourcing
In-person sourcing.
For select pieces, HIBIKOTO sources in person, visiting stores and dealers directly to view, assess, and secure items by hand. An extension of our service for those seeking the rarest pieces, available as this offering expands.
Section 06
Important Policies
Clear terms, openly stated.
- 01Purchases cannot be cancelled once an item has been bought.
- 02Auction wins cannot be cancelled.
- 03Invoices are typically due within 24 hours.
- 04Customs duties and import taxes are the responsibility of the buyer.
- 05Availability is never guaranteed, as stock and listings change continuously.
HIBIKOTO. Sourcing archive fashion, with care, from Japan.