It was the early 1990s, and Japan’s economic bubble had burst. When the predecessor of HARD OFF CORPORATION Co., Ltd. (the “Company”) shifted from selling new audio equipment to the reuse business, it was met with a great deal of resistance, both inside and outside the Company. “Why would you want to deal with the filth of second-hand goods?” “There is no way you can make a business out of ecology!” Many comments in this vein were directed at the decision.

And yet, some 30 years later, responding to environmental issues has become an essential mission for businesses, and Ecology and Mottainai (reluctant to waste) are now the norm. The reuse business connects people who want to get rid of things they no longer need with people who need those things. It is an environmentally-friendly service that is able to directly reduce waste. We have pressed forward with our endeavors in the belief that expanding reuse will help realize our company philosophy, work for society.

The result of those efforts has been the expansion of the Group to more than 900 stores across Japan and in other countries. This network of stores is one of our greatest strengths, and the existence of bricks-and-mortar stores remains the central focus of our management strategy. “Re”NK CHANNEL, HARD OFF’s omni-channel strategy, links the stores and the various elements of our digital division in a circle with the stores at its center, with the aim of creating major growth for the Group as a whole.

The fun, excitement and serendipity of coming across an item that only reused items can bring. The joy and excitement of knowing that an item that you had once treasured is now being cherished by somebody, somewhere. The Company’s future aim is to create values centered on excitement, taking a step beyond ecology.
In fact, this is also something that we learnt from our customers. Many of the HARD OFF Group’s fans are actually enjoying reuse itself in their own ways, such as touring several stores, or mending their purchases.
“Reusing items is so exciting somehow!” “I find myself returning to the stores for more.”
I believe that these kinds of comments from our customers will lead to the further realization of our company philosophy in the future.

Figures show that our strength lies in our financial soundness. We maintain an equity-to-asset ratio of 70% or more, which enables us to continue stable management. We will work on opening new stores and revamping existing ones, as well as enhancing our digital division, with the aim of continued steady growth. In recent years, society as a whole has been faced by unforeseen adversity, such as frequent disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe building the strength that will enable us to respond to such unprecedented circumstances, protecting jobs, and continuing to survive as a company, is in itself, another important value of the Company.

We will pour our heart into meeting the expectations of shareholders, investors, and other stakeholders by increasing the corporate value of the HARD OFF Group. We appreciate your ongoing support.

Taro Yamamoto
Representative Director and President