I was given a used item bought from a site like Mercari.

I’m in Seattle. Things themselves aren’t to blame, so I guess it depends on what it is. Next time, I’ll ask him to give me cash.

I’m Maezawa from the CEO’s Office, and I’ll answer this too. Thank you for your question. I’m not sure I fully understand the situation, but if it was something difficult to obtain—something that takes time to arrive, for example, or whose next restock date is unknown—or something discontinued and no longer available new, then I think buying it secondhand could be understandable. If the person themselves also sometimes buys used items, they probably wouldn’t consider secondhand goods disrespectful. There are also items that are technically used but have never actually been used. When people come from different cultural backgrounds, these things can be surprisingly difficult to navigate. For example, I once heard someone say that giving a gift without department-store wrapping from somewhere like Mitsukoshi would be rude. But if the contents are the same, doesn’t it really matter where it’s wrapped? It makes me wonder whether people who place importance on the wrapping are more focused on appearances. That said, I think these differences are largely shaped by the culture people grew up with, so it may be worth asking about their way of thinking to some extent. Rejecting it outright is easy, but I think it’s also okay to try to understand their perspective. Of course, receiving something new would make anyone happier, and you might naturally wonder, “Why is this secondhand when it was supposed to be a special gift?” But first, I think it would be good to understand why it was secondhand and what the circumstances were.

My sister asked me to buy something she’d wanted but couldn’t find because it had been discontinued. I found it on Mercari, bought it, and gave it to her just as she requested. I only did it because she asked me to. I normally wouldn’t give someone a used item as a gift. What an unusual person. If everyone here other than that person is also “secondhand,” are those the kinds of people who come here…? Marika

I’m Kazu, a male member. Some people are willing to give others secondhand things. It’s simply a cultural difference. I don’t do that, so it’s not true that all men are like that.