TV Shopping Troubles Keep Rising for Japan Seniors

A familiar screen, a growing problem

Television shopping remains a staple in many Japanese homes, yet complaints tied to these programs have persisted even as online shopping takes off. Data from the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan shows that disputes linked to TV shopping have stayed around ten thousand cases a year since 2019. The share involving older adults keeps climbing. In fiscal 2024, people aged 70 and older accounted for more than three quarters of all consultations. That trend has made TV shopping a flashpoint in a graying country where many seniors, especially women, still tune in for food, clothing, and health or beauty products.

What draws loyal viewers can also fuel disputes. Presenters give extended demonstrations, countdown timers heighten urgency, and phone orders feel simple and familiar. For many older viewers, these shows are part of a daily routine. The problem is that expectations formed through a screen can clash with what arrives at the door. Returns and cancellations are often hard, and buyers sometimes discover they agreed to a regular delivery program rather than a single purchase. Consumer advisers say the financial fallout can be harsh for people on fixed incomes, and the stress often spreads to families trying to intervene.

What the numbers say

Consumer service centers received 8,705 complaints about TV shopping in fiscal 2024. The share from customers 70 and older reached 77.4 percent, up from roughly 62 percent in 2019. Across the past several years, total cases have hovered near ten thousand annually, showing that teleshopping trouble has not faded with the rise of e commerce.

Most complaints involve modest sums but still add up for households. The average contract value was about 30,000 yen. About 90 percent of reported purchases were under 50,000 yen. Many buyers told advisers they overlooked key details about returns or did not realize they had enrolled in repeat shipments.

• Product categories drawing the most complaints included health foods at 22.6 percent and cosmetics at 19.4 percent.
• Pharmaceutical products, including herbal medicines, made up 4.4 percent.
• Fitness and sports goods accounted for 3.8 percent.
• Audio and imaging products were cited in 3.7 percent of cases.
• Spending bands clustered between 1,000 and 50,000 yen. About 44.4 percent spent 1,000 to 10,000 yen, and 46.8 percent spent 10,000 to 50,000 yen.

These figures fit a wider pattern. Surveys by industry groups show TV shopping remains popular with older women who value clear demonstrations and phone ordering. While many seniors are now active online shoppers, a sizable share still prefers a presenter explaining how a pressure cooker works, how a face cream should be applied, or why a bulk food pack is a deal. That customer profile affects both the kinds of products that sell and the kinds of disputes that follow.

Why TV shopping resonates with seniors

Japan is one of the oldest societies in the world, and television remains a trusted medium for many older residents. Teleshopping programs offer long demonstrations, simple purchase steps by phone, and a tone that feels personal. That format rewards companies that can tell a story about convenience, comfort, and value. It also meets practical needs, such as buying heavy staples without a trip outside or discovering tools that promise to ease daily chores.

There is a social dimension as well. Presenter banter, testimonials, and the act of calling to order can feel like interaction. Hosts often highlight limited quantities or say phone lines are busy, which plays on scarcity cues. Celebrity guests can supercharge the appeal. Some viewers take these signals at face value and order quickly to avoid missing out. Consumer advisers say this mix of trust in television and emotional triggers demands clear disclosures and strong order checks, especially when customers are older.

Case files collected by consumer centers include scenes that play out again and again. In one complaint, a call center operator reminded an older buyer that return limits had been explained at the time of purchase.

We explained this to you over the phone when you placed your order.

In another case, a seller refused to accept a return after shipment and treated the order as a regular purchase agreement rather than a single delivery.

Articles already shipped out cannot be returned. We will cancel the next delivery.

These disputes often stem from misunderstandings that start on the screen, deepen during the call, and end at the doorstep. The buyer expects a gentle massager but gets a device that feels too strong. The buyer thinks the price is for one box of supplements but ends up in a monthly plan. Many of these outcomes can be prevented if companies slow the process, highlight return rules in plain speech, and confirm subscription terms with an explicit yes.

When judgment declines, harm rises

Most seniors can and do shop wisely. Problems spike when loneliness, isolation, or cognitive decline meets slick marketing and easy ordering. Advisers describe cases in which older viewers placed repeated orders, filling cupboards and freezers with unneeded items. Savings fell, arguments flared at home, and the pattern repeated. In some households the TV channel and the operator on the phone became a substitute for social contact. That bond is powerful and hard to break with a simple lecture about waste.

Families carry much of the burden. Adult children may find their parents are not breaking any law, and dementia may not be present. Yet the spending is pushing the household into a corner. Advisers encourage families to keep receipts, check statements, and, if needed, call the Consumer Hotline at 188 for guidance. In some cases, relatives can speak directly with vendors to explain the situation and ask for flags on future orders. When a doctor has diagnosed cognitive impairment, families can consider the adult guardianship system, which allows a court appointed guardian to help manage finances and reduce risky transactions. Consumer centers often suggest guardianship as a last resort when voluntary steps fail.

Even without formal guardianship, there are practical ways to lower risk. Card limits can be set lower, phone order blocks can be added through some carriers, and cable or satellite providers can help restrict access to certain channels upon request. The goal is not to cut off autonomy but to reduce harm while preserving safe choices.

What the law says about returns and cancellations

Japan regulates TV shopping under the framework for mail order sales in the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions. Unlike door to door sales or unsolicited phone solicitation, mail order sales are generally outside the cooling off system. That means consumers do not have a universal right to cancel simply because they changed their minds after receiving an item. Return policies are set by each seller, so it is vital to confirm whether returns are allowed, within what period, and who pays shipping. Many vendors will not accept a return if a device has been powered on or if packaging has been opened, a rule that causes frequent frustration.

There are still protections. A contract can be voidable under the Consumer Contract Act if there was misrepresentation or an aggressive solicitation that caused a misunderstanding. That is a high bar, and it depends on the facts of each case. Consumers who placed an order by phone should keep a record of the call when possible. Sellers who use recurring deliveries must obtain clear consent, and best practice is to ask for explicit acknowledgement that the customer understands the cadence, price per shipment, and steps to stop future deliveries.

Are sales tactics crossing a line

Popular programs lean heavily on urgency. Phrases about limited stock, graphics showing countdowns, and comments about busy phones are standard features. Celebrity guests sometimes react with enthusiasm that viewers read as validation. These tactics are legal in many cases, yet they can push older viewers to act before they absorb the fine print. Consumer advisers and families hope the sector can shift toward a gentler style for senior heavy time slots, with fewer countdowns and clearer talk about returns and the difference between single and regular purchase contracts.

Some major vendors say they monitor broadcasts, cap the number of units per person for high priced goods, and train staff to explain rules. Those steps help at the margin. A deeper change would build friction into the process where it matters most, at the point of commitment. The goal is sales that stick because the buyer understood exactly what would arrive and when, not sales that end in a dispute.

What companies and platforms can do now

Industry veterans and consumer specialists point to a set of changes that are both practical and fair to customers who rely on television. These steps would not eliminate disputes entirely, but they would reduce confusion and protect vulnerable buyers.

• Use a pause and confirm script for returns and subscriptions. Before taking payment, read back the return window, who pays shipping, and whether the order is single or regular. Ask the buyer to say yes to each point.
• Add duplicate and unusual order alerts. If the same household orders the same supplement twice in a week, flag it and ask whether this is intentional.
• Offer easy off ramps. Provide a short code or simple phone menu to cancel recurring deliveries. Send a postcard and an email confirming the plan and how to stop future shipments.
• Extend trial periods for senior focused goods. For items like footwear or massagers that depend on fit or comfort, a longer trial can prevent disappointment.
• Record calls and share summaries. Provide a short written summary by mail or email after the order that lists price, number of deliveries, return steps, and the company contact.
• Train presenters to temper scarcity and hype. Replace countdowns with clarity about stock and delivery times during senior heavy hours.

Retailers that build trust will retain customers even as shopping habits change. The older audience is large and loyal, and many welcome companies that make the process safer without turning it into a lecture.

Where TV shopping sits in a digital shift

Japan’s seniors are increasingly comfortable online. Many in their sixties and a large share in their seventies now buy on the internet. That shift brings new risks. Consultations about online shopping problems by older adults have grown far faster than those for younger age groups. Health food orders are a frequent source of trouble, especially online subscriptions that are easy to start and hard to stop. The lesson cuts across channels. Whether an order starts on TV or on a screen, clear consent, easy cancellation, and smarter order monitoring can reduce harm.

Other countries face the same questions. In Korea, home shopping companies are programming mornings for older viewers, expanding lines of sportswear, nutrition, and health gear aimed at customers in their fifties and sixties. In China, many older shoppers have embraced online buying but complain about quality and misleading images, and they prefer to stick with brands they trust. The regional picture suggests a common challenge, serving older consumers who seek value and convenience while minimizing the traps that turn purchases into disputes.

Japan also has a network of convenience stores and local services that help older residents manage daily needs. These alternatives can ease the reliance on TV shopping for essentials. That said, teleshopping is likely to remain part of the media diet for many seniors, which is why safeguards matter.

What to Know

• Teleshopping related complaints in Japan have held near ten thousand a year since 2019, with 77.4 percent of cases in fiscal 2024 involving buyers 70 and older.
• Common pain points include returns that are not accepted after use, confusion over single versus regular deliveries, and products that do not match on air impressions.
• Mail order sales are generally outside the cooling off system, so each seller sets its own return policy. Customers must verify return windows and who pays shipping.
• Health foods and cosmetics are the most disputed categories. Most purchases cost under 50,000 yen, but repeated orders can still strain fixed incomes.
• Consumer advisers encourage families to monitor statements, keep receipts, and call the Consumer Hotline at 188 for help. Adult guardianship can be considered when judgment is impaired.
• Stronger practices can reduce disputes, including pause and confirm scripts, duplicate order alerts, easy cancellation, and presenter training that tones down urgency cues.
• Japan’s seniors are shopping more online as well, where subscription traps and confusing interfaces create a separate set of risks.
• Aging societies across Asia are grappling with similar patterns. Companies that build clarity and fair return policies are better positioned to serve loyal senior customers.