【Reading】あいたいうり

【English Name】negotiated sale

Aitai-uri is a method of buying and selling in which the seller and buyer negotiate directly one-on-one to decide the price and quantity. In the fisheries industry it is widely used as a representative form of transaction alongside the auction (seri).

Transactions at fish markets can be broadly divided into two: the "auction" (seri), in which many buyers compete in bidding, and "aitai-uri," in which the parties negotiate terms individually. In aitai-uri, wholesalers and intermediate wholesalers discuss the quality, quantity, and price of the goods in advance, and the transaction is concluded based on mutual agreement.

From a legal standpoint, a private negotiated sale (aitai baibai) is a form of bilateral contract in which one party transfers a property right and the other pays the price. It is also a consensual contract that is concluded when the intentions of the parties coincide.

In recent years, the proportion of aitai-uri at central wholesale markets is said to be on the rise. For sushi shops, it has the advantage of leading to stable ingredient procurement, since they can arrange the items and quantities of their purchases in advance. On the other hand, some see the transparency of price determination as a challenge compared with auctions.