There is a market for all types of used underwear, not simply regular cotton panties. Most major websites and sellers will offer a wide variety of used undergarments in various colors and styles, from regular cotton panties, to thongs, g-strings, and “boyshort” styles of underwear. Prices are set based on several factors, including the original price of the garment. Prices may also factor in the size of the piece, how much contact it has had with particular areas of the body, and how long it was worn. There are, at this time, no solid rules for pricing these kinds of items, and prices are often decided by the seller based on demand. For first time seller who wishes to break in to the industry, it is advisable to visit some other websites specializing in used underwear to get an idea of prices. Prices may need to be set low to begin with, however, sellers often find that repeat business from particular customers is fairly usual in this industry, so prices may be adjusted as the demand rises. Some veteran sellers charge as much as $50 to $60 for each pair of panties, but it usually takes quite a bit of time and experience in the market to draw buyers with these kinds of prices. As with the sale of any product, however, variety is a very important factor.

This relatively new market may trace its origins to Japan, where “burusera” shops are a social phenomenon, shops that sell the used clothing of legal aged women to its customers, and where worn patnies are some of the most popular items. While it was once considered an urban legend that Japanese cities boasted vending machines selling worn patnies, according to Snopes.com, the urban legends reference website, this rumor is absolutely true. The practice was supposedly banned in 1993, but numerous visitors to the website living in Japan claim that these machines are still in existence in the jungle of vending machines that continues to grow in major Japanese cities, selling everything from common items, to extremely unusual offerings. The claimed prices on these used panties run anywhere from $50 to $80. This is now a strictly enforced industry in Japan, where in 2004, Japanese prefectures put regulations in place that restricted the sales of these items to clothing only from women eighteen years of age or older.