How to Buy from Mercari Japan: A Guide for Overseas Buyers
Mercari Japan is a domestic marketplace: sellers ship within Japan and are paid in yen. To buy from abroad you need a middle step, either one of Mercari's own cross-border options where your country is covered, or a proxy service. With jpdrop you browse Mercari listings in your language, pay the item price plus a 5–15% service fee ($5 minimum, $50 cap), and we buy, inspect and ship the item to you.
- 01
Find the item
Search Mercari listings on jpdrop in your language. Prices are shown in your currency, and listings include the seller's condition grade and shipping window.
- 02
Place your order
We confirm the listing is still available, then you pay the item price plus the tiered 5–15% service fee ($5 minimum, $50 cap).
- 03
We buy it from the seller
We purchase the item on Mercari on your behalf, and the seller ships it to our warehouse in Japan.
- 04
Inspection and shipping quote
We inspect the item against the listing, weigh and measure the package, and email you the exact international shipping options.
- 05
Pay shipping and receive it
Choose EMS, DHL, FedEx or economy and pay that exact rate. Your item ships with tracking to your door.
What Mercari Japan is
Mercari is one of Japan's largest secondhand marketplaces, with millions of listings from individual sellers and from businesses selling through Mercari Shops. It is especially deep in categories collectors look for abroad: anime figures and trading cards, retro and current video games, vintage and designer fashion, film cameras and lenses, and watches. Listings are written in Japanese and priced in yen, and most include domestic shipping in the price (shown as 送料込み). Mercari Japan is a separate marketplace from Mercari US, with different sellers and listings.
Can you buy from Mercari Japan directly from abroad?
Not through the standard Japanese app: sellers ship to addresses in Japan. Mercari has added official cross-border routes, a long-running partnership with Buyee and, in 2026, its own app for buyers in the United States. Check whether your country is covered before choosing. If it is not, or you want listings translated into your language with an inspection before anything leaves Japan, a proxy service buys the item for you, receives it at a warehouse in Japan, and forwards it internationally.
How buying from Mercari through jpdrop works
Search Mercari listings on jpdrop in your own language, with prices converted into your currency at exchange rates updated hourly. When you order, we first confirm the listing is still available, then you pay the item price plus our service fee. We buy the item from the seller, who ships it to our warehouse in Japan. There we inspect it against the listing, then weigh and measure the package and email you the exact international shipping options (EMS, DHL, FedEx or economy). You pay the shipping you choose, and the item leaves Japan with tracking.
What it costs
jpdrop's service fee is tiered: 15% on the first $35 of the item price, 10% on the portion from $35 to $135, and 5% above that, with a $5 minimum and a $50 cap. For a $100 item the fee is $11.75. International shipping is charged separately, at the carrier rate for your package's actual weight, once the item is at our warehouse, so there are no padded estimates. Import duties and taxes are set by your country and are not included; see our customs guide for the thresholds.
Tips for buying on Mercari Japan
Good listings sell quickly, so wishlist items you are considering and order once you decide. Read the condition label: Mercari uses six grades, from 新品、未使用 (new, unused) and 未使用に近い (nearly unused) through 目立った傷や汚れなし (no noticeable marks), やや傷や汚れあり (some marks) and 傷や汚れあり (marked), down to 全体的に状態が悪い (poor overall), and our condition guide explains how Japanese sellers describe wear. Check the seller's shipping window (発送までの日数: 1–2, 2–3 or 4–7 days), because it adds to the total time before your item reaches our warehouse. Some items cannot travel by air, such as aerosols and certain batteries, so check the listing before ordering anything in those categories.
- Does Mercari Japan ship internationally?
- Sellers on Mercari Japan ship within Japan. Buyers abroad use one of Mercari's official cross-border options where their country is covered, or a proxy service such as jpdrop that buys the item, receives it in Japan and ships it to them.
- Can I use Mercari Japan in English?
- The Mercari Japan app itself is in Japanese. jpdrop shows Mercari listings in English and eight other languages besides Japanese, with prices in your currency, so you can search and order without reading Japanese.
- How much does it cost to buy from Mercari Japan through jpdrop?
- You pay the item price plus a tiered service fee of 5–15% ($5 minimum, $50 maximum), then international shipping at the exact carrier rate once your item is weighed. For a $100 item the service fee is $11.75. Import duties depend on your country.
- How long does it take to receive a Mercari Japan item?
- The seller ships to our warehouse within the window shown on the listing (1–7 days), then we inspect the item and send you shipping options. After you pay for shipping, EMS and DHL typically deliver in about 7–14 days, depending on your destination.
- Is it safe to buy from Mercari Japan through a proxy?
- Every item is received and inspected at our warehouse in Japan before it ships, so we can confirm it matches the listing. International shipping is tracked from our door to yours.