Social Gifting Booms in Japan; Market Nearly Quadruples

Tokyo, Jan. 7 (Jiji Press)--The market for so-called “social gifts,” which allow people to send presents through social media or email, is expanding rapidly in Japan, with its size estimated at 600 billion yen this year, 3.8 times larger than six years ago, a private research firm said.

Social gifts are sent by sharing a dedicated URL generated at the time of purchase. Recipients can download a digital voucher to pick up the gift at a store or enter their address online to get the item delivered.

Most of the roughly 1.1 million products offered by online gift retailer Giftmall, operated by Giftmall Inc., can be sent also through the social-gifting system.

The operator said sales generated through social gifts surged 3.5 times in the April-September period of 2025 from a year earlier.

Use of social gifts is also spreading beyond family members and close friends, who are the main customer base. “They are increasingly being used for colleagues and bosses at work,” a Giftmall official said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]