New Features AI Listing and Image Search Make It Easier To Buy, Sell, and Find Hidden Gems
Mercari, Inc. (“Mercari”) will celebrate the 12th anniversary of the launch of the Mercari marketplace app on July 2, 2025. In commemoration, Mercari has published a new set of infographics that look back upon the latest trends within Mercari over the past year.
Category Shares: Top 5 Most Bought/Sold Item Categories
Around 43% of all transactions on Mercari are in the Entertainment & Hobbies category. In this category, the most popular items are character and celebrity merchandise, reflecting the fandom culture boom of recent years. This indicates that Mercari has become more than just a marketplace to sell unneeded items—it has evolved into a platform that encourages diverse interests, offering ways for users to find hidden gems based on their hobbies and passions.
Trends Per Age Group
Transactions Centered Around Fandom Culture For Young Demographics, Diversifying with Age
Looking at usage trends per age group, we see that Character Merchandise and K-Pop Trading Cards were the top categories for both most listed and purchased item categories for users between the ages of 10 and 39, indicating that these demographics primarily use Mercari to participate in fandom culture. Based on our 2023 survey on consumption habits and asset recognition by generation1, younger age groups stated that they consider Mercari more than a simple marketplace app and rather a means and a community to deepen their interests.
On the other hand, those aged 50 and over were more likely to use their sales balance for purchasing items related to their hobbies and reading. This suggests that circulating goods via Mercari to contribute to a reasonable consumption style continues to be popular among this demographic. Particularly for users in their 70s and above, everyday items such as fruits and vegetables were among the top purchased item categories, in addition to literature and novels. This highlights a distinctive trend of using Mercari for daily necessities amidst ongoing price increases.
1. Survey on consumption habits and asset recognition by generation (August 2023)
https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20230807_generationsurvey/ (only available in Japanese)
AI Listing Support
Around 1 in 3 First-Time Sellers Use AI Listing Support, Lowering the Barrier to Entry
Our new feature AI Listing Support2 changes users’ perception of selling on Mercari by eliminating the need to spend time thinking of item descriptions and setting prices. Currently, around 1 in 3 first-time sellers use AI Listing Support, indicating lower barriers to listing in terms of perceived and actual effort. The AI technology behind the feature suggests product descriptions for even niche items such as “tug-of-war shoes” and “Asian films on videotape,” allowing anyone to easily start selling.
2. Mercari Releases AI Listing Support, Making Listing Experience Even Easier (September 2024) https://about.mercari.com/en/press/news/articles/20240910_aisupport/
Swifter Sales With the Safe Appraisal Feature
Purchases Built on Trust, With Items Selling in As Little As 8 Seconds
Our Safe Appraisal feature, which allows users to have an item appraised by an expert before purchase3, encourages purchases and accelerates sales in transactions involving high-value brand-name items.
In fact, one Chrome Hearts item listed with the Safe Appraisal feature sold in as little as 8 seconds, suggesting that trust in the appraisal helps buyers make the final decision to purchase. Brands such as Nike and Louis Vuitton were also top sellers, which shows that the feature is being used for a wide range of high-value brand-name items.
3. Mercari Releases Safe Appraisal Service For Item Appraisals in Some Categories (March 2024)
https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/anshin0304/ (only available in Japanese)
Bundle Purchase Feature
Empowering Users to Complete Their Collections
The Bundle Purchase feature4 allows users to buy multiple items from a single seller. The categories that recorded the highest numbers for this feature were Character Merchandise, Celebrity Merchandise, and Trading Cards, all categories in the Entertainment & Hobbies category. This indicates that the Bundle Purchase feature is being widely used as an efficient way to purchase fandom-related items, fulfilling the innate desire of fans to complete their collections.
4.Mercari Marketplace App Launches “Bundle Purchase” Feature (August 2023)
https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20230830_bundle/ (only available in Japanese)
Image Search Feature
Helping People Around the World Find What They Want, Regardless of Language
With the Image Search feature5, users can search for any item with just one reference photo, sending them on a treasure hunt even if they don’t know what the item is called. The feature can be used to easily find any item with visual information, such as items spotted around town or character merchandise that is trending on social media.
It is especially popular with users in Taiwan who cannot read Japanese as a way to find character merchandise, with frequent searches for beloved brands like Chiikawa and Sanrio. The Image Search feature supports people’s passions across language barriers, helping users worldwide find their next gem.
5. Don’t Know the Name of an Item? Don’t Worry! Search for Anything With the Image Search Feature (February 2024)
https://jp-news.mercari.com/articles/2025/02/03/image_search/ (only available in Japanese)
Seller Badges
Active Communication As The Foundation of Trust
Mercari has introduced Seller Badges6 as a way to visualize safe and secure transaction behavior between users. Approximately half of all sellers have obtained the “Ships Within 24 Hours Badge,” and 1 in 3 users have earned the “Positive Feedback Badge,” demonstrating that swift and polite communication is standard practice on Mercari.
Users engaging in transactions in this way makes it clear that Mercari is a trustworthy marketplace, and helps users buy and sell with greater peace of mind.
6. Mercari Help Center, Seller Badges
https://help.jp.mercari.com/guide/articles/1903/ (available only in Japanese)
Bonus Numbers: Local Mercari Usage Trends by Prefecture
In Osaka, known for its culture of communication through sharing small gifts such as candy, transactions involving paper carry bags rank the highest among all prefectures. Listing paper carry bags on Mercari as part of the Japanese culture of sharing (“osusowake”) demonstrates a practical mindset in which even the carry bags from these exchanges are circulated and reused rather than being wasted.
Local Mercari Trends: Nationwide Rollout of Out-of-Home Advertising Begins July 6
Starting Sunday, July 6, Mercari will begin sequentially rolling out an out-of-home (OOH) advertising campaign7 showcasing unique usage trends by prefecture. This campaign offers a glimpse into the unique discoveries and cultures of each region. Keep an eye out for it!
Osaka Metro: Midosuji Premium Liner train carriages (14 days from July 6–19, 2025)
KEIKYU TRAD TRAIN 1000 Keikyu Line train carriages (15 days from July 16–30, 2025)
TOQ-BOX Toyoko Line train carriages (14 days from July 16–29, 2025)
7. Please refrain from making inquiries about these advertisements to train and station staff.
In line with our Group mission to “circulate all forms of value to unleash the potential in all people,” Mercari will continue to work toward creating a society in which more people can do what they enjoy and achieve their dreams.