Tokyo: The market for "social gifts," which enable individuals to send presents via social media or email, is witnessing significant growth in Japan, with its size estimated at 600 billion yen this year-nearly four times larger than six years ago, a private research firm reported.
According to Philippines News Agency, the social-gifting market stood at approximately JPY158 billion in 2019 and has experienced consistent growth since. Even in 2020, when the overall gift market contracted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the social-gifting sector expanded by over 25 percent from the prior year and has continued its strong upward trajectory.
Social gifts are sent by sharing a dedicated URL generated at the time of purchase. Recipients have the option to download a digital voucher to collect the gift at a store or to enter their address online for home delivery.
Giftmall Inc., an online gift retailer, offers around 1.1 million products that can be sent through the social-gifting system. The company reported that sales from social gifts increased 3.5 times in the April-September period of 2025 compared to the previous year. The use of social gifts is broadening beyond family and close friends to include colleagues and bosses, as noted by a Giftmall official.
A user in her 30s shared her experience of using the service to send a digital cafe voucher to a colleague as a gesture of appreciation, emphasizing the convenience of not having to visit a store.
Giftee Inc., listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime section, has also seen steady growth in individual membership, which reached 2.46 million by the end of September. The company has diversified its offerings from standard items like restaurant vouchers to higher-priced options such as hotel accommodation vouchers.
User demographics are expanding as well. LY Corp.'s "Line Gift" service, which integrates with the Line communication app, notes that while the majority of users are in their 20s and 30s, usage is increasing among those aged 40 and older, as well as among men.
Source: Philippines News agency
