For most consumers, an online store fulfills a simple function: find a desired product, buy it and receive it at home days later. However, Crunchyroll’s upcoming store redesign appears to have a different goal.
As revealed on its FAQ page, updated on Tuesday, Crunchyroll will implement a new online shopping experience in August. This platform will only be accessible to subscribers of the Mega and Ultimate plans, which cost 14 and 18 dollars per month, respectively. The proposal is to focus on collectible items, exclusive releases, limited edition products and items inspired by anime that are loved by fans. Before this change, the company also increased its Summer Sale discounts to 50%, seeking to empty current stocks quickly.
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This transition raises questions, not because of the nature of anime merchandise itself, but because of the changing dynamics between retailers and consumers. Crunchyroll now requires a subscription as a condition for accessing something that, in principle, should not have this barrier. It’s a subtle but significant difference that points to a larger phenomenon that has been quietly transforming industries from streaming services to retail: Companies are no longer just looking for customers; they crave and need members.
The language used by Crunchyroll on its FAQ page is quite revealing. Instead of focusing on simplifying purchases or expanding the product catalog, the company reiterates the concept of exclusivity. The new store promises “curated releases,” “limited edition products” and items designed to replicate the excitement of convention-exclusive products. It even mentions “the thrill of discovering something special before it disappears” as a key part of the vision behind the redesign.
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At first glance, this approach may seem attractive and fun, but it actually sells the idea of scarcity, a tactic well known to Crunchyroll owner Sony. There’s nothing inherently wrong with limited edition merchandise; Collecting has always been a pillar of anime culture, and truly rare items have been part of this universe for a long time. The main concern, however, is broader: many fear that the modern anime industry is artificially creating scarcity, rather than just reacting to it. Timely launches, countdown timers, exclusive access for members, lottery systems and convention products reinforce the feeling that the item becomes less important than the fear of losing the unique chance to acquire it.
Crunchyroll is not alone in adopting this strategy. Products like exclusive sneakers, trading cards, Magic: The Gathering, vinyl records and even fast-food collaborations now revolve around carefully planned moments of exclusivity. Anime merchandise is just the latest segment to be incorporated into this market logic.
However, there is also a practical business reason for this change. Maintaining a traditional online store is costly: warehouses full of stock, products that sit idle for months, sales, returns and thousands of different items eat up profit margins. Limited releases, in turn, reverse this logic. The company produces a smaller quantity, advertises with great repercussion, sells everything in a few hours and moves on to the next launch. This results in less inventory, less risk, less storage space, and a product sold before it even has a chance to gather dust.