Mercari is now one of the most influential second-hand sales platforms in Japan, with continued growth that places it at the heart of Japanese e-commerce. Faced with the rise of responsible purchasing and the second-hand market, Mercari has been able to adapt to new consumer trends by offering a service accessible to both individuals and professionals.
With nearly 40 million monthly users and a business model based on simple and secure transactions, Mercari continues to evolve by offering new services like Mercari Shops for merchants and exploring new international opportunities.
Key statistics on Mercari and the second-hand market in Japan
Number of monthly active users on Mercari (February 2024): 39.3 million (vs. 22.1 million for Yahoo! Auctions and 16.6 million for Yahoo! Frima)
Mercari's second-hand market share: over 50% of the C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer) market in Japan
Annual transactions on Mercari (2023): around 900 billion yen (5.7 billion euros)
Percentage of online purchases made via smartphone: 52.2% of sales on Mercari are made via smartphone
User profile: Mercari is mostly used by 20-30 year olds.
Yahoo! Auctions and Yahoo! Frima attract more 40-60 year olds
Growth rate of the second-hand market in Japan: between 2021 and 2025, the growth of this market is 30%, reaching approximately 2,500 billion yen (16 billion euros)
Why Mercari dominates the Japanese second-hand market?
1) An ultra-accessible platform
One of Mercari’s strengths is its ease of use. Anyone can sell a product in less than a minute via the mobile app. The process is based on:
A seller rating system to ensure the reliability of transactions.
A fixed commission of 10% on each sale.
An integrated delivery service with Mercari Shipping, which makes it easy to send packages securely.
2) Mercari Shops: an immediate success
Launched to meet the needs of merchants, Mercari Shops allows you to open an online store with no upfront costs.
Mercari Shops Statistics:
Some shops reach 10 million yen (€64,000) in sales in the first month
Mercari Shops provides immediate access to Mercari's 39.3 million active users.
More than 70% of new shops are opened by small entrepreneurs and artisans.
3) An impact on responsible consumption
The boom in the second-hand market can also be explained by a change in consumer habits.
Top reasons to buy used on Mercari:
65% of users look for cheaper items
45% buy for ecological reasons
30% are looking for rare or collectible items
4) Mercari vs. the competition (Yahoo! Auctions & Yahoo! Frima)
Mercari = fast and intuitive, favored by younger generations.
Yahoo! Auctions = great for auctions, with an older audience.
Yahoo! Frima = complementary to Yahoo! Auctions, but with a more restricted audience.
In February 2024:
Mercari leads the market with 39.3 million users.
Yahoo! Auctions has a smaller audience but more loyal users: they spend on average 10 times more time on the site than Mercari users
What future for Mercari?
The second-hand market is booming and Mercari is positioning itself as a leader thanks to its efficient ecosystem. The projections for 2025 are optimistic:
Japan's overall C2C market to grow from 2 trillion to 2.5 trillion yen (16 billion euros)
Mercari could reach 50 million active users by the end of 2025.
Expansion of Mercari Shops, which would become a viable alternative to large e-commerce platforms like Rakuten and Amazon in Japan.
Upcoming innovations
Blockchain and crypto payments: Mercari is working on secure payment solutions via blockchain to facilitate international transactions.
Partnerships with fashion and electronics brands to integrate direct resale services.
Mercari is much more than a second-hand platform. It is becoming a key player in Japanese e-commerce and is part of a global trend towards more ethical and sustainable consumption.
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