We are excited to announce the launch of Mercari in Taiwan, which allows Taiwanese customers to purchase items directly from our extensive Japanese marketplace. In this article, I will delve into the value proposition behind the new user experience for Mercari Taiwan, which aims to create a seamless shopping journey for international customers.
A Marketplace of Global Opportunities
As the largest C2C marketplace in Japan, Mercari offers a diverse selection of items that attract both domestic and international customers. Japanese pre-loved items are highly valued, and unique offerings are available — particularly in anime, comics, and gaming categories.
However, international customers faced a significant barrier: they couldn’t directly purchase items or create an account on Mercari Japan. Instead, international customers used proxy services, which served as intermediaries to facilitate purchases on their behalf. These proxy services maintained accounts on Mercari Japan and provided functionalities, including:
- Placing orders on Mercari Japan
- Receiving items at their warehouses
- Conducting item checks
- Finalizing orders with sellers
- Shipping items internationally
Proxy services are essential in creating a seamless experience for Japanese sellers by managing communication and shipping logistics with international buyers. Consequently, these proxy services have become the sole avenue for international buyers to tap into Mercari’s extensive inventory, yet the buying process proved to be complicated and cumbersome.
Navigating the Proxy Experience: A Complicated Journey
Using the proxy service involved a multi-step process that often overwhelmed customers:
- Search for an item on Mercari
- Navigate to the proxy website to locate the same item
- Check out on the proxy site and make the first payment
- Wait for the item to arrive at the proxy service’s warehouse in Japan
- Receive an email prompting a revisit to the proxy site
- Choose a shipping method and make the second payment
- Finally, receive the item
This complex process presented several UX challenges:
- Customers struggled to understand how to use the proxy service.
- The purchasing journey was lengthy and required significant time and effort.
- Customers had to constantly switch between Mercari and proxy websites.
Consequently, this intricate experience primarily attracted heavy customers while deterring light customers. Ultimately, it hindered our ability to scale the business effectively.
New User Experiences: Streamlining the Cross-border Purchase Journey
To tackle these challenges, we focused on designing a new experience that empowers international customers to purchase items directly from Mercari. Key enhancements in our approach include:
- Enabling customers to complete all transactions on the Mercari website
- Shortening the purchase process by implementing a one-time payment system
- Improving the overall shopping experience through refreshed checkout screens and clear post-transaction communication
In this new user experience, customers now enjoy a more streamlined process:
1. Search and find an item on Mercari:
Benefit from a personalized and consistent browsing experience that enhances discoverability.
2. Checkout with a single payment:
Navigate through clear instructions and intuitive navigation, making the checkout process straightforward.
3. Receive the item:
No additional actions are required after checkout; simply wait for the item to arrive at home.
This streamlined experience enables customers to bypass the complexities of the proxy service, enjoying a straightforward and efficient purchasing process. The purchased item is sent to the warehouse in Japan first and is then shipped overseas, just as before.
The new UX solutions encourage light customers to engage in international shopping while keeping dedicated ones interested with an improved experience, thus facilitating scalable business growth.
A Step into the Future
With the launch of this new user experience in Taiwan, Mercari is poised to redefine the international C2C marketplace experience for both current and future customers. We are committed to continuous exploration, updates, and expansions of our user experience, ensuring each customer enjoys a seamless and rewarding shopping journey.
We look forward to sharing our progress as we move ahead in this exciting new chapter for Mercari Taiwan. Thank you for your support as we set out to enhance your shopping experience!
