Aucfan Co., Ltd.
Public · 2 known investors
Aucfan operates a "D2X Commerce" business that uses trading and market data to plan and brand products, sourced through a global procurement network, and distributes them across multiple channels to consumers, businesses, creators, and small operators. Its group includes the aucfan and NETSEA platforms, building on established distribution data and customer infrastructure.
Also known as aucfan · Aucfan Group · 株式会社オークファン
Investors · 2
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Aucfan Co., Ltd. is a Tokyo-based company that operates commerce data services, e-commerce platforms and its own product brands. Its longest-standing service, "aucfan," is an auction and shopping price search and statistics site that provides market price quotations for online shopping and auctions and a statistical price comparison service, drawing on a stated 70.0 billion units of transaction data. Around this data asset the company sells professional-grade market price search engines, data analysis and bulk lowest-price search tools, RPA tools aimed at non-specialist users, a centralized system for running multiple online shops, and e-commerce marketing support services.
The group organizes itself into three segments. The Solution Business covers the data, pricing and EC operating tools described above. The Platform Business includes an in-house lifestyle goods brand, a fashion brand focused on bags and apparel, a live commerce sales platform, NETSEA — described as one of Japan's largest BtoB wholesale platforms — and a physical trade show in Osaka that connects suppliers with buyers. The Incubation Business provides advisory and financial support to startups in AI, data, fintech and the sharing economy in Japan and overseas, covering business strategy, sales and marketing, and business management.
The company currently positions itself as a "D2X Commerce Company." In this model it uses a global production, supply and sourcing network to plan and manufacture products, and then distributes them through the group's own platforms and an "Appreciator" network of creators, entrepreneurs and side-business operators to consumer (toC), corporate (toB) and small-business (toSmallB) buyers. Consolidated headcount was 165 as of the end of September 2023, and capital stood at 973.68 million yen at the same date.
Business model
Aucfan combines subscription and tool-based services for e-commerce sellers (price data, search, analytics, RPA, multi-shop management, marketing support) with platform operation (the NETSEA BtoB wholesale marketplace, a live commerce platform, an Osaka trade show) and, increasingly, first-party product sales under in-house brands sourced through overseas manufacturing networks. A separate incubation arm supplies advisory and financial support to startups.
Revenue is generated across three reported segments — Solution (data and SaaS-type tools and marketing support for online sellers), Platform (wholesale marketplace, live commerce, trade show and sales of in-house brand goods such as KACHIKA and AP LAB), and Incubation (support for startups alongside financial investment).
Traction
Consolidated employees numbered 165 at the end of September 2023 and capital was 973.68 million yen at that date. The company reports 70.0 billion units of data in its price service, support for more than 1 million merchants, and cumulative sales of 25,000 units for the AP LAB dish drying rack series as of August 2026.
Latest developments
Recent announcements include a strategic partnership with Zhejiang China Commodities City Group (operator of the Yiwu Market) in August 2023; the launch of the AP LAB brand on TikTok Shop for live commerce and short video selling (July 2026); five new dish-drying-rack variants extending the AP LAB line to twelve products after 25,000 cumulative units sold (August 2026); new colors for the KACHIKA "SOLA" backpack (August 2026); an "AI Online Shop Operations Support" service for e-commerce businesses covering workflow assessment, integration with existing systems and internal adoption (August 2026); and the KACHIKA bag-in-bag product launch (August 2026).
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history
Market position
Aucfan operates what Globis Capital Partners describes as the largest auction/shopping search and statistics website in Japan, and its NETSEA marketplace is presented as one of Japan's largest BtoB wholesale platforms. The company frames its opportunity around the roughly ¥22 trillion of goods liquidated from Japanese company inventories each year that never reach consumers.
The company cites three stated strengths: large-scale transaction data used to set optimal prices for hard-to-value goods; multiple sales channels in Japan and overseas that allow new, used and otherwise-disposed goods to be placed while preserving brand appeal; and a long-standing base of small merchants and side-business sellers served with both individual and corporate offerings.
Technology
The core asset is a large repository of actual transaction and point-of-sale data — cited at 70.0 billion units — used to compute optimal pricing for goods whose value is hard to determine because of variation across e-commerce sites, product condition, promotions, expiry dates and competing products. On top of this the company offers market price search engines, bulk lowest-price search, data analysis tools, RPA tools operable without specialist knowledge, and centralized multi-store management systems, with AI positioned as an extension of these capabilities.
Go-to-market
Distribution is multi-channel: the group's own platforms and marketplaces, third-party channels including TikTok Shop for live commerce and short-form video selling, a physical wholesale trade show in Osaka, and an "Appreciator" network of creators, entrepreneurs and side-business sellers. Partnerships with overseas wholesale infrastructure, such as the operator of the Yiwu Market, support sourcing.
Consumers (toC), corporate clients including e-commerce operators, retailers and suppliers (toB), and small-scale sellers such as creators, sole proprietors and people running side businesses (toSmallB). The company states it has supported more than 1 million "merchants" working via remote work, crowdsourcing and side businesses.
Geography
Headquartered in the Sumitomo Fudosan Osaki Twin Building East, Kitashinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, about eight minutes' walk from Osaki Station. Group companies include SynaBiz Co., Ltd., Aucfan Incubate Co., Ltd. and Aucfan (Hainan) Network Technology Co., Ltd. in China, and the company describes sales channels and sourcing networks in Japan and overseas.
History
The company was established in June 2007 (Globis Capital Partners records a founding date of May 2007). Globis Capital Partners made its initial growth-stage investment in August 2011, announcing the investment in September 2011. Aucfan listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers market in April 2013 under ticker 3674, which Globis records as its exit. In August 2023 the company announced a strategic partnership with Zhejiang China Commodities City Group, operator of the Yiwu wholesale market, and it has since repositioned around the "D2X Commerce" strategy with in-house brands including KACHIKA and AP LAB.
Compiled by commissioned research from 8 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 8
launches, deals, and filingsA service supporting EC operators from workflow assessment through integration with existing systems to internal adoption of AI.
Five new variants extended the AP LAB dish drying rack line to twelve products, after cumulative series sales of 25,000 units.
The in-house AP LAB brand began selling on TikTok Shop using live commerce and short-form video.
Aucfan announced a strategic partnership agreement with Zhejiang China Commodities City Group Co., Ltd., operator of the Yiwu Market wholesale market.
Aucfan listed on the TSE Mothers market under ticker 3674, marking Globis Capital Partners' exit from its investment.
Globis Capital Partners announced a growth-stage investment in Aucfan, operator of Japan's largest auction/shopping search and statistics website; GCP records its initial investment as August 2011.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 8
primary sources listed
- Aucfan Co., Ltd.aucfan.co.jp · web
8 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Aucfan Co., Ltd. do?
- Japanese listed operator of the aucfan price-data and NETSEA wholesale platforms, now building a data-driven "D2X Commerce" business.
- Who are Aucfan Co., Ltd.'s investors?
- Aucfan Co., Ltd.'s investors include Globis Capital Partners, STRIVE.