1.
reseller; scalper; someone who buys goods to resell at a higher price
A person who purchases products — typically limited-edition goods, concert tickets, or popular items — with the intention of reselling them at a markup. Carries a strongly negative connotation in Japanese, implying profiteering at the expense of genuine buyers.
Combines 転売 (resale) and 屋 (dealer, -er suffix for a person in a trade). The 屋 suffix here carries a somewhat derogatory nuance, framing scalping as a dubious trade.
Common collocations
- 転売屋から買う: to buy from a scalper
- 転売屋が買い占める: scalpers buy up all the stock
- 転売屋対策: anti-scalping measures
- 転売屋に流れる: to end up in scalpers' hands
Usage
Became a hot-button social issue in Japan with the rise of online resale platforms. Concert tickets, game consoles, limited sneakers, and seasonal goods (e.g., Christmas toys) are common targets. The word is almost always used with negative connotation — it implies unfair profiteering. Online slang sometimes uses テンバイヤー (a playful blend with the English suffix -er).