Japan’s #1 marketplace app Mercari launches in the UK

Technology Uncategorized

Mercari, the mobile-first shopping app with over 60 million downloads globally, has launched in the UK as its first step towards the European market. With a 5th investment round of $75 million last year, Mercari is set for fast growth and ready to challenge industry giants like eBay in becoming market leader for community-led shopping, connecting buyers and sellers.

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Mercari hit #1 ​in the UK app store shopping chart soon after launching thanks to the great features that make buying and selling unwanted items from your smartphone so easy.

Sellers benefit from:

* a fast listing process taking less than 40 seconds;
* absolutely no selling fees, ensuring users take 100% of the profit from sales.

Buyers benefit from:

* a Buyer Guarantee that promises we won’t release payment to the seller until you’ve told us the item has arrived safely and you’re happy with it;
* a dedicated customer service team on hand to help with any problems.

All users benefit from:

* avoiding awkward meetings and cash-in-hand sales as often experienced when buying on Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace;
* making payments made securely through the Mercari app directly and items being sent via post for a more secure sale.

Mercari Europe’s CEO Ren Ito said;​ “I’m incredibly excited to bring Mercari, the app that has been loved by Japanese and American customers, to the UK. Mercari brings true innovation to the mobile marketplace by enabling the sellers to list items quickly and easily. As a consequence, buyers will benefit from a exponentially growing variety of items at a competitive price. We also raise the bar in customer service by taking more responsibility in order for our users to have an easy, hassle-free, safe and secure shopping experience.”

Shintaro Yamada, Mercari’s Founder/CEO added: ​“I am extremely happy to announce the official UK release of the marketplace app Mercari today, on March 15, 2017. I would like to thank all those who have continued to support us in Japan and the US, as well as in the UK. We live in a world with limited resources, and our mission at Mercari is to eliminate waste and inspire reuse by creating value in a global marketplace where anyone can buy and sell. Truly passionate about this mission, we hope to reach as many people as possible by continuing to expand throughout Europe and the rest of the world, starting with the UK.”

Mercari is available now to download on both App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android).

Mercari is the world’s biggest and fastest growing community-powered mobile marketplace. After launching in 2013, Mercari became Japan’s number 1 mobile marketplace, garnering over 60 million downloads in Japan and the US. Mercari is now moving into Europe, starting with the UK.

The Mercari app gives you a simple, secure and quick way to buy and sell unwanted items, including clothing, beauty products, baby and kids’ gear, homewares, electronics and more. Not only is Mercari free to download, it’s also completely fee-free meaning sellers take 100% of the money they make from selling their items. It also takes just 40 seconds to list, so users can save both time and money when they sell with Mercari.

Users also benefit from being able to buy the items they love for less by browsing their feed, searching by item type or category and liking items to save them for later. All purchases are made through secure, in-app payment removing the risk of meeting sellers or buying with cash.

Mercari guarantees buyer safety, and unlike eBay, the funds are not released to the seller until the item has been confirmed as received by the buyer.

Mercari was created in 2013 by Founder/CEO Shintaro Yamada. After his round-the-world backpacking tour, Shintaro noticed how many regions rely on sharing resources. Mercari’s mission became to create value in a global marketplace with its community-powered app, and with offices in Tokyo, San Francisco and now London, Mercari’s vision to become worldwide is in motion.

Join us on our journey as Mercari’s sharing community grows larger and makes the world more sustainable every day.