Mercari celebrates 13th anniversary with release of infographics

Mercari, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as Mercari) announced that its flea market app "Mercari" celebrated its 13th anniversary on July 2, 2026 (Thursday). To commemorate this milestone, Mercari has released infographics summarizing the service's usage trends.

Since its launch, Mercari has been used by many people, allowing it to reach its 13th anniversary. The cumulative number of items listed on Mercari surpassed 5 billion in January 2026 (*1), with approximately 270 million transactions generated in the past year alone (*2). This translates to an average of about 745,000 transactions per day, or approximately 8.6 transactions per second.

The categories of items traded span 23 major classifications and over 8,500 detailed classifications. From "Entertainment & Hobbies," focusing on games and fan merchandise, to "Fashion," "Baby & Kids," and "Books," the "likes" of all generations are carefully passed on to the next new owner every day.

*1: Cumulative number of items listed in Japan since the service launch (July 2, 2013). *2: April 1, 2025 - March 31, 2026.

1. Grand Survey of All "Number Ones": Mercari's "Number Ones"

Since its service launch in 2013, Mercari has grown into a marketplace where items from approximately 50,000 brands and over 8,500 categories are traded. To celebrate the 13th anniversary, we are releasing Mercari's "Number Ones," a survey of all "number ones" based on transaction data from the past year (*2).

The fastest-selling item on Mercari was a "wristwatch (Omega Speedmaster)," which was purchased just one second after being listed. On the other hand, the item that took the longest to sell was a "power stone bracelet" listed in 2013, the year the service began, which was finally passed on to its next new owner after 4,523 days (approximately 12 years and 5 months). This highlights the dramatic encounters between items and people that occur daily on Mercari.

Furthermore, there was the item that traveled the furthest and sold for the highest price: "denim patches (Chrome Hearts Levi's)," which were traded for 1,400,000 yen, covering a distance of approximately 2,600 km from Okinawa to Hokkaido. Mercari serves as a marketplace that connects people who share the same "likes," transcending physical distances.

2. Category Share | Top 5 Traded Item Categories

The most traded category on Mercari was "Entertainment & Hobbies," accounting for approximately 46% of the total. Recent trends in fan culture have driven transactions, with "character goods," "idol merchandise," and "Pokemon cards" dominating the top traded items. The popularity of K-POP and domestic idols, along with the trading card boom, were strongly reflected in Mercari's transactions.

This demonstrates that Mercari has evolved beyond simply a platform for disposing of unwanted items, becoming a marketplace that supports the passion for fan culture, including idol merchandise and trading cards. It is further solidifying its presence as a place for "treasure hunting" that caters to the enthusiasm and values of each customer.

3. Generational Usage Trends ~ "Games, Toys & Goods," "Fashion," and "Books, Magazines & Comics" rank in the TOP 3 for all generations ~

Analyzing Mercari's usage trends by generation reveals that for all age groups, from teenagers to those over 70, the top three categories are consistently "Games, Toys & Goods," "Fashion," or "Books, Magazines & Comics."

While these three major categories serve as a common axis across all generations, a closer look at the detailed item breakdown shows that hobbies and preferences become distinctly apparent with age. The active circulation of each generation's "likes" regardless of age is one of Mercari's significant features over the past 13 years.

Detailed usage trends show that among 10-20 year olds, "idol merchandise" and "talent cards" within "Games, Toys & Goods" are particularly dominant in both listings and purchases, reflecting the enduring popularity of K-POP and domestic idols. The 30s exhibit a unique structure where "character goods" and "Pokemon cards" compete with "tops." For those aged 40 and above, "tops" rank first in both listings and purchases, while in the 60s and 70s, "bags" and "literature/novels" rank higher, indicating a gradual shift in hobbies and preferences with age.

4. Cross-border Transaction Status ~ 1 in 14 Mercari transactions is a "cross-border transaction" ~

One out of every 14 transactions on Mercari is a "cross-border transaction" (*3) with overseas customers. Demand for Japanese products from abroad remains very strong. A survey of countries and regions with the highest transaction values revealed the following ranking: 1st China, 2nd Taiwan, 3rd United States, 4th Hong Kong, and 5th South Korea.

In particular, there is a high interest in character goods and fashion, primarily Japanese IPs (intellectual properties). Items listed in Japan are crossing borders and being delivered daily to "people who like them" all over the world.

*3: "Cross-border transaction" refers to a transaction between a seller in Japan and a buyer (or proxy buyer) overseas, including transactions via proxy purchasing services.

5. The Choice Not to Discard Becomes Someone Else's Desire — Surprising Transaction Examples

In its 13th year, Mercari sees active trading of items that might make one wonder, "Why are these valuable?" Behind this are two interesting trends that illustrate Mercari's unique cycle of value.

"What was to be discarded becomes someone else's value" — A cycle of value different from the original purpose

Items that would have been discarded are finding new value with recipients on Mercari. For example, there have been approximately 11.79 million cases of demand for "only the appendix, not the main magazine" over the past 13 years. Additionally, about 62,000 items listed as "instruction manual only" have been traded, demonstrating that the value of an item is not limited to the "main body." Furthermore, "plant ash" from wood stoves and pottery kilns has been traded in about 7,500 cases as raw material for pottery glazes. "Old shoji screens and sliding doors" are traded at high prices averaging over 8,000 yen, with their value rediscovered as materials for renovating homes in a traditional Japanese style.

"Things from parents' homes are treasures for the youth" — Intergenerational transmission of value

Items that seniors no longer need are actively bought and sold as retro items that young people specifically want. In just five categories—retro game consoles (2.75 million items), Y2K Heisei retro (1.59 million items), records (1.58 million items), cassettes/MD/VHS (440,000 items), and feature phones (330,000 items)—a total of approximately 6.69 million "intergenerational baton" transactions have been generated. Items once considered "old-fashioned," such as "Adelia Retro glass" (70,000 items) and "Showa retro floral pots/thermoses" (30,000 items), are now popular among young people.

6. Thorough Investigation of "XX Baton" Connections on Mercari

Over the past 13 years, Mercari has fostered a warm culture of "batons," where the owner's thoughts and memories are passed on to the next person along with the item.

This time, to visualize Mercari's unique value circulation behind the numbers, we focused on "XX Batons"—symbolic transactions where items are passed on to the next person with cherished memories and encouragement—and investigated their reality.

Wedding dresses passed to the next person: "Happiness Baton"

On Mercari, a culture known as the "Happiness Baton" has taken root, where wedding dresses that graced special days are passed from brides who have finished their ceremonies to brides-to-be who are yet to have theirs.

An analysis of transaction trends by year in this category shows continuous year-on-year growth. To date, approximately 167,000 "happiness batons" related to wedding dresses have been passed on, spreading a sustainable and warm cycle of entrusting a once-in-a-lifetime special garment to someone else. Furthermore, the most expensive wedding dress sold in the past year was 800,000 yen (brand: Galia Lahav), indicating that high-end imported dresses and those from popular brands are also reliably passed on to the next generation of brides through Mercari.

On social media and blogs, there are many expressions of joy such as, "I was able to purchase a dream brand dress at an affordable price by using Mercari," as well as real-life usage tips shared among brides-to-be, like "Many people buy for wedding photos from second owners on Mercari," and "If you find the perfect dress, you can make a great purchase with a nearly new dress." This demonstrates the warm cycle of happiness generated through Mercari, a characteristic of the "Happiness Baton."

We interviewed someone who actually received a baton on Mercari and created wonderful memories. They shared an episode where they acquired two dresses, originally priced at 300,000-400,000 yen each, for a total of about 100,000 yen on Mercari, and realized their ideal wedding photos filled with their personal touches.

▼Videos here

- Mercari, Inc. Official YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NPVRBnSGgP0

- Mercari, Inc. Official TikTok: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSCmsUWM7/

Study guides passed to the next examinee: "Textbook Baton"

The movement of the "Textbook Baton," where the journey of studying is passed from seniors who have finished their exams or qualification tests to juniors aiming for success, is also active.

Transaction trends by year show high demand every year, with a cumulative total of approximately 7.68 million "textbook" (including workbooks and textbooks) batons passed on. Transactions surge particularly between March and April, leading up to graduation and the new academic year, as graduating students who have finished their exams let go of many textbooks, while the next generation begins preparing to "wisely acquire past exam papers, which can be expensive at full price." This has established a culture that supports the learning of the next generation.

On social media, many comments are seen, such as, "The textbook I bought on Mercari had clear markers from the previous owner, which helped my studies," and "I received a heartwarming encouragement letter from a senior who passed, which motivated me to work harder." Used textbooks are passed on not just as used items, but as "encouragement for success" or "proof of effort," becoming like talismans that push the next examinee forward—an episode unique to this "Textbook Baton."

Memorable items passed to the next family member: "Child-rearing Baton"

A deep-rooted culture of the "Child-rearing Baton" exists, where clothes and toys that children quickly outgrow are passed on to the next family through Mercari.

Yearly transaction trends show an increase in transactions each year, with a cumulative total of approximately 141.19 million "child-rearing" related batons passed on. "Baby & Kids" items rank high in both listings and purchases, particularly among those in their 30s and 40s, symbolizing a modern child-rearing lifestyle where items with limited usage periods are efficiently circulated. The category with the most transactions within this baton was "Kids' Clothes (100cm-110cm)" with approximately 55.98 million items.

This baton, filled with the consideration from one parent to another, is exchanged daily with the sentiment, "Because these items are used for a short time, I want the next generation to use them comfortably."

On social media, warm episodes are gaining attention, such as, "My child was crying because they broke their favorite plate, so I bought the same one on Mercari. When I explained the situation, the seller, who also has a child of the same age, said, 'I understand your situation as I have a child of the same age,' and shipped it immediately." This shows how empathy and mutual support among parents are exchanged through Mercari, a wonderful charm of this "Child-rearing Baton."

People who would not normally interact in daily life share their "thoughts" and "values" through Mercari, creating a dramatic cycle where cherished items are passed on to their next new owners.

7. Initiatives for Safety and Security

Mercari is continuously working to build a foundation for safe and secure transactions to create an environment where diverse "likes" can circulate with peace of mind. Especially over the past year (*4), various measures have been implemented from multiple perspectives to ensure customers can enjoy Mercari without anxiety.

*4: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026.

Specific initiatives include the "Full Compensation Support Program" (*5) for trouble resolution, regular publication of "Transparency Reports" (*6, *7), and the launch of Mercari's in-house "Mercari Appraisal Center" in September 2025. From 2026 onwards, we are promoting the creation of a more convenient and secure environment by introducing the "Anonymous Returns Function" (*8), which allows items to be returned without the seller and buyer disclosing personal information such as names and addresses, and by offering the "Early Payout of Sales Proceeds" (*9) function, which allows users to receive their sales proceeds early without waiting for transaction ratings.

*5: Mercari Launches "Full Compensation Support Program" on July 1st to Build a Safe and Secure Transaction Environment https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20250701_mercarisafety/ *6: Mercari Publishes First "Transparency Report on Safety and Security Initiatives Policy" https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20250901_transparencyreport/ *7: Mercari Publishes "Transparency Report on Safety and Security Initiatives - Second Half of 2025" https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20260227_transparencyreport/ *8: Mercari Introduces "Anonymous Returns Function" as Part of Enhanced Safety and Security Initiatives https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20260302_tokumeihenpin/ *9: Mercari Introduces Function to Receive Sales Proceeds Early Without Waiting for Ratings as Part of Enhanced Safety and Security Initiatives https://about.mercari.com/press/news/articles/20260408_rapidsales/

Furthermore, brand items listed for Mercari's "Anshin Kantei" (Peace of Mind Appraisal) service tend to be purchased more frequently compared to items not subject to appraisal. A comparison of "ease of sale" by price range showed approximately 1.3 times higher for the 50,000-100,000 yen range and approximately 1.4 times higher for price ranges exceeding 300,000 yen, which also leads to a reduction in "unsold items" and "delisted items" for high-priced goods.

Currently, "Anshin Kantei" is automatically set for items in eligible categories and brands. However, we encourage you to consider setting up "Anshin Kantei" for items listed in the past that do not have it enabled.

Thank You! Big Thanks! Mercari 13th Anniversary Special Site

To commemorate the 13th anniversary of our service launch, we have opened a special site, "Thank You! Big Thanks! Mercari 13th Anniversary Special Site."

This special site features various plans, including the "13th Anniversary Thank You Campaign" where customers who have used Mercari can win luxurious prizes totaling 3 million yen, such as a pair trip to Hawaii and Mercari points, the summer-limited mini-game "MIKE'S SURF" featuring Mercari's official character "Mike," and the distribution of LINE stickers to celebrate the 13th anniversary. We hope you enjoy Mercari's past and future along with the infographics.

▼Special Site "Thank You! Big Thanks! Mercari 13th Anniversary Special Site" is here https://events.mercari.com/13th-anniversary/

Mercari will continue to strive towards its mission of "Circulating all value and expanding the possibilities of all people," aiming to realize a marketplace where customers can exchange value more freely, safely, and securely.