Mercari - statistics & facts
Japan’s first unicorn, Mercari, Inc. operates businesses in three segments that range from different marketplace activities to fintech services. Throughout the four markets it serves – Japan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States – these businesses have granted the company both notability and financial success. However, it is undeniably the Mercari marketplace platform, only available in Japan and the U.S., that excels as the company’s most successful endeavor.
In comparison to platforms like eBay and Etsy that offer a wide reach of global users, Mercari capitalizes on simplicity. The platform itself, which lists everything from fashion to homeware, is streamlined for mobile devices. Listing items requires only a few basic details, and Mercari’s fee structure is also notably simple: all listings are free, but every sale takes a flat 10 percent commission fee, a $0.30 fee, and a 2.9 percent payment processing fee. Shipping with Mercari is also straightforward. Sellers can either pay themselves or pass the cost to their buyers.
However, fandom culture is by no means limited to Japan. In 2024, online shoppers in the Netherlands spent an average of 313,600 Japanese yen per person while buying Pokémon-themed goods using Mercari. Without the ability to use the Mercari platform directly, users outside of Japan completed these cross-border purchases with proxy shipping services such as Buyee, From Japan, and ZenMarket.
In light of the growth of both fandom culture and interest in Japanese fashion, toys, and collectibles outside of Japan, in 2024, Mercari U.S. opened its first and only physical store in Los Angeles. Simultaneously, Mercari x Japan was revealed, a new feature that focuses on cross-border shopping, allowing users in the United States to purchase a variety of items from Japanese sellers – including items like action figures, collectibles, and electronics.
Marketplace mania
Despite being headquartered in Tokyo and only beginning operations abroad one year after the company’s founding in 2013, most of Mercari’s C2C transactions take place on their U.S. platform. In 2023, the bulk of Mercari’s near one trillion Japanese yen of gross merchandise value (GMV) was generated in the United States – a total of 69.5 percent in comparison to the 30.5 generated in Japan. But in light of several successful resale platforms like eBay, Etsy, Depop, and Poshmark, what exactly makes Mercari shine?In comparison to platforms like eBay and Etsy that offer a wide reach of global users, Mercari capitalizes on simplicity. The platform itself, which lists everything from fashion to homeware, is streamlined for mobile devices. Listing items requires only a few basic details, and Mercari’s fee structure is also notably simple: all listings are free, but every sale takes a flat 10 percent commission fee, a $0.30 fee, and a 2.9 percent payment processing fee. Shipping with Mercari is also straightforward. Sellers can either pay themselves or pass the cost to their buyers.
Mercari’s latest developments
Aside from fashion making up a significant portion of Mercari’s GMV, the platform is well-used for the buying and selling of entertainment and hobby paraphernalia. In Japan, this is due to widespread fandom culture in relation to media and pop culture, and plays a strong role in influencing consumer behavior in the country.However, fandom culture is by no means limited to Japan. In 2024, online shoppers in the Netherlands spent an average of 313,600 Japanese yen per person while buying Pokémon-themed goods using Mercari. Without the ability to use the Mercari platform directly, users outside of Japan completed these cross-border purchases with proxy shipping services such as Buyee, From Japan, and ZenMarket.
In light of the growth of both fandom culture and interest in Japanese fashion, toys, and collectibles outside of Japan, in 2024, Mercari U.S. opened its first and only physical store in Los Angeles. Simultaneously, Mercari x Japan was revealed, a new feature that focuses on cross-border shopping, allowing users in the United States to purchase a variety of items from Japanese sellers – including items like action figures, collectibles, and electronics.
