How-to guide
What is Share of Thing?
Post how you feel right now, and yobikomi (welcome proposals) from nearby shops arrive. If searching feels hard, just pick one from what arrives and your plan for here and now is set.
First-time users
When you wonder "anything good around here right now?"
- ⚡ Post (just pick a category and write how you feel — voice input works too)
- Yobikomi proposals from nearby shops arrive (usually within about 30 seconds)
- Pick one and head to the shop. Visits, reservations, and coupon use are recorded as conversions
Posting is optional. "Yobikomi for you" on the home screen brings proposals matching your interest categories, and the Plaza lets you chat with people in the area
Visitors to Japan (Visit Japan)
For anyone looking for meals, shopping, or anime pilgrimage spots nearby
- Switch between 日本語 and English at the top right (every screen switches)
- Post (pick the area and a category such as ⛩️Anime pilgrimage, and write how you feel)
- Pick from the yobikomi that arrive and visit the shop. You can open the route in a map app from the shop page
You can also browse nearby shops and open a shop page directly without posting
Shops & businesses
Small businesses that want more customers (yobikomi is handled for you — no dedicated staff needed)
- Apply for business registration (reviewed by the operator)
- Register things (shops/products) — both the AI guide and gig workers (people working online part-time) use them for yobikomi to customer posts (published after operator approval)
- Open Staff mode in the business console to see nearby posts and interest signals, then send yobikomi yourself with "Send yobikomi" (wording is chosen from operator-approved templates; a proposal card and a YouTube link can also be attached)
- If your shop is already listed, claim it as "your shop" with the verification code delivered to the shop (you can then manage the shop information yourself)
In free slots, put out vacancy coupons to bring people in — the doorbell is also available (set conditions for the customers you want to come, and when a matching potential customer is nearby, your shop gets a notification)
Local guides (gig workers)
Local individuals (homemakers, students, seniors) who act as yobikomi guides
- Apply for registration from the "Open the gig worker page" button at the bottom of this page (the operator reviews it). When registering, you pick your areas (you can choose several). Using it requires signing in (Google)
- Browse posts (requests) in your area and send yobikomi responses. On the response page, you can narrow down the posts in your areas by area and category. The wording is chosen from fixed templates the operator has reviewed in advance (free text is not allowed) — this prevents exaggerated claims and spam. The operator also makes the final check before delivery
- Rewards are earned for conversions through your friend-referral link (confirmed and paid after the operator process)
Referral sign-ups and conversions are shown in the "Your results" section of the gig worker page (https://shareofthings.com/app/gig)
FAQ
- What arrives after I post?
- Yobikomi (welcome proposals) from nearby shops. You can reject ones you do not need with ✕ — ignoring them carries no penalty.
- Does it cost anything?
- There is no usage fee at the moment (core features are free to use). Points earned through conversions and posting impressions can be exchanged from the exchange menu on the points screen — for example, an expanded coupon discount (the required points are shown on the screen).
- Do I need to sign in?
- You can browse and post without signing in. Signing in lets you use your settings and favorites on any device.
- Is location required?
- Without location, you can still pick an area manually and use every feature including search (only nearby-things notices stop arriving).
- From shops in what range do yobikomi arrive?
- By area (for example, Shinjuku). They arrive from shops registered in the same area as your current location when posting, or the area you picked manually. There is no per-distance setting at the moment (choosing another area widens the range).
- How are conversions recorded?
- A conversion is recorded the moment you "choose" a yobikomi (not by automatic location detection). You can review them on the conversion history screen (open it from "More pages" in Settings).
- Can I join the Plaza only when I am nearby?
- No — you can join from anywhere. The plaza list shows plazas from every area with their area names, and you can open the plaza of any town to read and write (reading is open to everyone; posting requires signing in).
- What is the video/SNS link on posts for?
- Attaching a video/SNS URL (X/Instagram/TikTok/YouTube) to a post shows a link preview with a thumbnail to whoever receives it (to share things like "I want to watch this now" in video; videos are never stored inside the app). Businesses can also attach a video/SNS link to their yobikomi.
- Does anything arrive even if I just look around without posting?
- The "Yobikomi for you" section on the home screen brings proposals matching your interest categories (delivered automatically by the AI guide — the wording is operator-approved and there is a cap on how many arrive). Reject the ones you do not need with ✕.
- How do payments and refunds work?
- Payments go through an external payment link (Stripe) set up by the business; we are not a party to the payment. If you have a problem with a product or service, please contact the business directly first. Refunds (chargebacks) are handled through your card issuer or Stripe, depending on the payment method (we cannot process refunds on your behalf).