Must-See for Beginners! Complete Guide to Writing the Specified Commercial Transactions Act Notation and Legal Compliance
When operating an EC site or online service, the "notation based on the Specified Commercial Transactions Act (Tokushouhou)" is something that cannot be avoided. This is not merely a formal administrative task, but one of the most important items for building a relationship of trust with consumers and protecting your own company from legal risks. In this article, we provide a detailed, MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) guide from mandatory items to points of caution, so that even beginners can master the "Specified Commercial Transactions Act Notation Writing Method" without hesitation.
Table of Contents (Click to Expand)
1. What Is the Specified Commercial Transactions Act Notation?
The Specified Commercial Transactions Act (Tokushouhou) is a law to protect consumers from aggressive solicitation and improper labeling by businesses. In mail-order sales (EC sites), since it is not face-to-face sales, an obligation to display specific information is imposed so that consumers can accurately grasp the true identity of the business and the contract details.
In particular, if you make a mistake in the "Specified Commercial Transactions Act Notation Writing Method", you may be subject to a business improvement recommendation from the Consumer Affairs Agency, or in the worst case, a business suspension order, so a precise response is required. This is also an extremely important foundation for maintaining D2C brand governance and avoiding reputation risk.
2. Required Items Checklist: Key Points for Proper Notation
The legally required disclosures under the Specified Commercial Transactions Act must include the following items. By covering all of these, you can improve Legal UX (user experience through legal transparency) and lower customers' psychological barriers.
- Seller Name: Accurately state the corporate name (e.g., ○○ Co., Ltd.). Sole proprietors must use their full name.
- Representative or Responsible Person: The name of the operations manager.
- Address: Head office address. Include building name and room number without abbreviation.
- Contact Information: Phone number and email address.
- Sales Price: Tax-inclusive pricing is mandatory.
- Payment Timing and Methods: Credit card, bank transfer, convenience store payment, etc.
- Delivery Timing: Specify the estimated number of days from order to delivery (e.g., "Shipped within ○ days after order").
- Returns and Exchanges: Clearly state the possibility and conditions for returns, and whether the shipping fee is covered.
3. Legal Compliance Importance in 2026
In recent years, with the spread of subscription models and the increase in digital content sales, the Specified Commercial Transactions Act has been trending towards strictness. In particular, regarding the clear statement of "cancellation conditions", a design (UX) that consumers can understand at a glance is required. This can be said to be part of due diligence showing sincerity as a brand, beyond mere legal compliance.
Figure: Correlation of Consumer Trust with/without Specified Commercial Transactions Act Notation (Image)
As the data shows, sites that practice the appropriate "Specified Commercial Transactions Act Notation Writing Method" also have a positive impact on conversion rates (CVR). This is because opaque notation becomes a major factor for cart abandonment right before checkout.
4. Risks and Penalties for Missing Notation Items
The reason "because other companies aren't doing it" does not work legally for compliance. False statements or misrepresentation of important matters are subject to administrative penalties. In addition, there is a possibility of causing fatal damage to business continuity, such as failing the screening of payment gateway companies, risk of going up in flames on social media, and even investigation by law enforcement agencies. Building a governance framework is an urgent task.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q.Are sole proprietors also required to disclose their address and phone number?
- A. As a general rule, there is an obligation to disclose. However, there are cases where it can be omitted by using a virtual office, etc., or by stating that it will be 'provided without delay' under certain conditions, but from the perspective of business Trustability, clear statement is recommended.
- Q.Is it legally possible to set items to be non-returnable?
- A. It is possible. However, the possibility of returns and conditions must be clearly stated in the "notation based on the Specified Commercial Transactions Act". If there is no statement, returns with return shipping paid by the consumer may be allowed for 8 days after receiving the product.
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The "Specified Commercial Transactions Act Notation Writing Method" is the cornerstone of defense in EC operations. Describing all mandatory items without omission, of course, as well as highly transparent disclosure of information that does not make users feel uneasy, will result in an improvement in LTV (Life Time Value). Let's conduct periodic legal checks so as not to be left behind by the wave of legal revisions.
Published: 2026-03-04 / Author: Osamu Yasuda
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References
- [1] Consumer Affairs Agency: Specified Commercial Transactions Act Overview
- [2] EC Legal Compliance: Notation Requirements Checklist