Pushing the envelope of public decency.

It seems like not a week goes by that another unusual thing is found being sold through Japanese online flea market service Mercari. In the past, we’ve seen things like ultrasound photos and curses go up for sale, but those things at least have some subjective value. This time, our featured commodity not only violates common business sense, but also the law.

Those little envelopes given away next to ATMs for you can slip your cash into are currently being sold, often in sets of about 150 for around 300 yen (US$2). However, you’d be lucky to get your hands on some this way because they always seem to be sold out too.

This is strange for a couple of reasons. First, these envelopes can be gotten for free from most ATMs as a service to people who want to organize their bills or keep them in good condition for use as gifts.

▼ Payments are also often made with the money in envelopes because it’s more discreet, as this demure gentleman is demonstrating.

Second, on Mercari, the shipping is paid by the seller. Assuming one envelope weighs about one gram, 150 would weigh about 150 grams, which by Japan Post rates, would cost 270 yen to send. As a result, the seller netted a whopping 30 yen ($0.20) in profit. That’s a generous estimate too, because in the likely event a single envelope weighs more than one gram, they’ll be selling at a loss.

Next, we have the matter of how these envelopes are acquired in the first place, which presumably involves just walking into a bank and yanking a pile of them off the rack. Japan Post, which also operates as a bank with ATMs, confirmed that there have been cases of “large-scale thefts” involving their envelopes for the past few years. Meanwhile, many people online have complained that their local banks often run out of envelopes and are now beginning to see why.

“I wondered if something like this was the reason there never seem to be envelopes when I go to the ATM.”
“This works because there are people buying something they can get for free. This is the sellers’ fault, but buyers should think more carefully about their purchases.”
“It’s sad to see services disappear because of people with no common sense like this.”
“I just switched to Japan Post because my old bank stopped offering envelopes.”
“It seems like you can get a better deal at a 100-yen store. I don’t know who’s selling and buying these, but it’s a sad world we live in.”
“I work at a convenience store, and it happens there too. Almost as soon as I refill them, they all disappear.”
“I’m a bank teller, and I’ve actually had people come up to me and ask for a bundle of envelopes. That’s not how it works!”
“If they’re provided for free, is it still theft?”

In past cases involving people taking too many free chopsticks or 12 kilograms of free ice from supermarkets, theft charges were filed. Even though they’re offered for free, there is an intended use, such as for eating meals bought from the supermarket or keeping frozen foods frozen. In both cases of accused theft, the use would seem to be stockpiling and lord knows what with the ice. Similarly, taking envelopes for the purpose of reselling them is absolutely outside of their intended use and a clear-cut case of theft.

It’s also conceivable that the buyer of these envelopes is criminally liable. A case could be made that a reasonable person should assume that 150 unused bank envelopes being sold were acquired illegally and thus they were knowingly accepting stolen goods.

It’s unlikely legal action will be taken beyond Mercari prohibiting the sale of bank envelopes, though, simply because the value is so low. Then again, we have seen police in Japan track a guy who stole some ground beef halfway across the country, so it’s not completely out of the question.

Source: J-Cast News, Yahoo! Japan News, Japan Post, Joshi SPA, Otona Answer 
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