5 Questions ARCANA Asks Before Selecting a Product
“If we aren’t confident in it ourselves, we won’t sell it.”
This is the first rule of the ARCANA team—and the reason we call ourselves a “Select Shop,” rather than an ordinary store.
Many people have wondered:
How does ARCANA choose which products to offer?
Why are some popular products on the market not available in our store?
Why does ARCANA select products in this particular way?
This article will take you behind the scenes of our selection process and introduce the five questions the ARCANA team asks every time before deciding whether a product deserves a place on our website.
🔍 Why Does ARCANA Need Product Selection Criteria?
In an age when consumers face an overwhelming number of choices every day, we believe that what customers need is not “more options,” but “the right options.”
This is why ARCANA is not a marketplace that accepts every brand and every product.
We are a Select Shop that carefully chooses only the products that meet our own standards.
And those standards are not based on just one requirement.
There are five questions in total—and every one of them must be answered with confidence.
1️⃣ Question 1: “Would We Want to Use This Product Ourselves?”
This is the first and most straightforward question.
Yet it is also a question that many online stores tend to overlook.
At ARCANA, before accepting a product into our store, we must try it ourselves.
We do not make decisions based only on product documents or the manufacturer’s advertising claims.
Because a product that we “want to sell” and a product that we “want to use ourselves” are not necessarily the same thing.
If we do not want to use it ourselves, why would we ask our customers to use it?
💭 An example of a question our team has asked:
“If we had to choose between this soap and the soap we use every morning, which one would we choose?”
If the answer is “the one we already use,” the new product has not yet passed this question.
This question helps us filter out products that look impressive but fail to satisfy when actually used.
It also helps us discover products that may look ordinary at first, but become favorites once we try them.
It is a simple filter—but a powerful one.
2️⃣ Question 2: “Would We Confidently Recommend It to Our Family?”
The first question evaluates the product from the perspective of “ourselves.”
The second question raises the standard to “the people we love.”
Why do we ask this?
Because our family members are the people we never want to expose to poor-quality products.
Because we would never feel comfortable recommending something potentially problematic to those closest to us.
Because when it comes to our parents, children, or other loved ones, we naturally consider every detail more carefully.
This question helps us evaluate two important areas:
🛡️ Safety
Are there any questionable ingredients?
Is the product suitable for people of different ages?
✨ Quality
If the people we love use the product and are satisfied with it, then we can feel more confident recommending it to others.
💭 An example of a question our team has asked:
“If we were going home to visit our mother during a long holiday, would we put this product in our bag and bring it to her as a gift?”
If we hesitate before answering, the product has not yet passed this question.
If even one member of our team says,
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable letting my mother use this,”
that product will not be accepted into our store.
3️⃣ Question 3: “Is the Product Honest and Trustworthy?”
This question focuses on two closely connected, but distinct, qualities.
✅ Honest
Does the product actually do what it claims?
Does it contain the ingredients it says it contains?
Are those ingredients present in the stated amounts?
Does the manufacturer communicate honestly, or do they rely on exaggerated marketing claims?
✅ Trustworthy
Does the manufacturer have genuine experience in this field?
Does the production process meet appropriate quality standards?
If a problem occurs, does the manufacturer take responsibility?
In today's world of polished marketing and attractive advertising, ARCANA chooses not to rely on words alone.
We review documents.
We verify certifications.
We speak directly with manufacturers.
And in some cases, we even visit their production facilities ourselves.
💭 An example of a question our team has asked:
"When we ask the manufacturer about a specific ingredient, can they explain it clearly, confidently, and in detail?"
A manufacturer who truly understands their own product and is willing to explain it honestly is one of the strongest signs that the product itself is trustworthy.
Because when choosing between something that "sounds good" and something that is "actually good,"
we will always choose the latter.
4️⃣ Question 4: “Does It Truly Improve Everyday Life?”
This is where ARCANA differs from a typical marketplace.
Many products in the world are "interesting to buy,"
but that doesn't necessarily mean they are "worth using for the long term."
Some products become popular for only a short period.
Some look impressive on the shelf but add very little value to everyday life.
Some are purchased simply because people don't want to miss the trend—not because they genuinely need them.
At ARCANA, we always ask ourselves:
How will this product genuinely improve our customers' daily lives?
For office workers who spend long hours sitting...
→ Will it help them feel more comfortable or relaxed?
For parents who take care of their families...
→ Will it save them time or make daily life easier?
For people who care about their health...
→ Will they truly notice a meaningful difference after using it?
If we cannot clearly explain how a product makes everyday life better in a practical and meaningful way,
we consider that product to have failed this question.
💭 An example of a question our team has asked:
"After using this product for one month, how will our customer feel that their daily life has changed?"
If the answer isn't clear—or if it requires a complicated explanation—the product may not be delivering genuine value after all.
5️⃣ Question 5: “Is This a Product That Will Stay with You for the Long Term?”
This final question is perhaps the most important one in today's fast-changing world.
Many products become popular one month and disappear the next.
They're simply trends—not products that stand the test of time.
ARCANA chooses not to chase every trend.
Instead, we look for products that:
✅ Are built with quality and designed to last
They shouldn't wear out or break quickly.
✅ Remain useful over time
Not something that's only exciting for a short while and then forgotten.
✅ Are Still Worth Using Six Months or Even a Year Later
Not products that end up sitting unused on a shelf after the initial excitement fades.
This is one of the reasons why ARCANA doesn't introduce new products every week.
We're not a store that follows every trend.
We're a Select Shop that carefully chooses products designed to stay with you for a long time.
💭 An example of a question our team has asked:
"Imagine six months from now. Would we still recommend this product to our customers with the same confidence we had on the day we introduced it?"
If the answer isn't an immediate and confident "Yes," the product may simply be following a temporary trend.
✅ All Five Questions Must Be Answered with Complete Confidence
This is the most important rule of all.
If we cannot answer even one of these five questions with complete confidence,
the product will not be listed on our website.
Not four out of five.
Not "good enough."
Not "probably."
It must be:
✔ All five questions
✔ Answered with complete confidence
Does that sound strict?
We know it does.
But that's exactly why ARCANA customers continue coming back.
Because the trust our customers place in us is something we never want to lose.
🌱 Additional Criteria for New Products
Beyond our five core questions, we also pay special attention to three additional criteria when selecting new products.
✨ Products That Aren't Commonly Available on the General Market
Visiting ARCANA should feel like discovering something special—
not finding products that can be purchased everywhere.
🌍 Products That Support the SDGs
We believe good business should also care about society and the environment.
That's why we value products that contribute to sustainability and responsible living.
💎 Premium or Signature Products
Products that clearly reflect the identity, craftsmanship, and story of their creators.
These are the kinds of products we love to introduce to our customers.
💡 Why Does This Matter to You?
As a customer, whenever you see a product on ARCANA, you can be confident that it has already passed all five of our selection questions.
It isn't simply another product submitted for sale.
It has already gone through a careful evaluation process.
That means you don't have to:
-
Spend hours comparing dozens of similar products.
-
Risk buying something that doesn't perform as expected.
-
Worry about wasting money on products that aren't truly worth it.
We've already invested the time, attention, and careful consideration for you—
so you can shop with greater confidence.
🌟 "Are There Products That Have Passed All Five Questions?"
あるかな? — "Are there products that have passed all five questions?"
Yes.
Every product available on the ARCANA website has.
"Carefully selected, so you can choose with confidence."
🛒 Explore All Products Carefully Selected by ARCANA
📦 Are You a Manufacturer Who Truly Believes in Your Product?
If you're confident in the quality of your product,
we'd love to hear your story.
Sell with ARCANA
→ [Consignment / Sell With Us]
ARCANA — Carefully selected, so you can choose with confidence.