Meet Mercari Local

Today Mercari, the online marketplace that connects millions of people across the U.S. to shop and sell items no longer being used, announced its nationwide partnership with Uber to help expand Mercari Local: a better way for users to connect with their neighbors and take their garage sales even further.

Building on the success of rollouts in major cities including San Francisco, New York, and Houston, the local delivery offering previously known as Mercari Now will launch nationwide as Mercari Local. With delivery logistics powered by Uber, Mercari Local provides casual sellers and avid collectors with an even easier way to exchange must-have items, everyday goods and unique treasures with their neighbors – all from the comfort of their own homes.

This partnership brings the reliability of Uber’s technology to local selling and shopping. Uber’s technology platform matches nearby delivery people, helping to enable the on-demand delivery of almost anything within hours of purchase. For added convenience, no packaging is required, which is ideal for bulkier listings that are expensive and hard to ship, such as small household furniture, kitchenware, fitness equipment and baby gear.

Shifts in shopping trends over the last year indicate that consumers across the U.S. have embraced recommerce as a lifestyle. According to a recent survey conducted by Mercari, 75% of respondents purchased at least one second-hand item and over half of shoppers spent $100 or more on second-hand purchases in the last 12 months. Some reasons reported for shopping resale were finding a good deal, discovering unique finds and love for the community.

Online marketplaces have also grown as a destination for people to sell their unused items and pass them on to someone else. 1 in 10 respondents earned at least $1000 selling second-hand items and 78% of respondents said they were likely to sell at least one second-hand item in the next 12 months. For Mercari’s millions of users, Mercari Local provides an even better way to shop and sell locally within your city, making the discovery of newfound treasures as easy as requesting a ride with Uber.  

“When you think about the traditional American garage sale, it’s as much about connecting with your neighbors as it is about decluttering and cleaning out your space,” said John Lagerling, Mercari U.S. CEO. “With Mercari Local, we’ve reimagined the way people can buy, sell, and connect with their local communities, allowing them to do so all without leaving their house. Our exciting new partnership with Uber now offers an even easier way to buy and sell almost anything, making resale even more accessible for people across the U.S.”

“At Uber, we’re always looking to leverage our technology to help consumers go almost anywhere and get almost anything quickly and easily, all at the touch of a button,” said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. “By combining Uber’s network with Mercari’s local marketplace, we’re bringing on-the-go-shopping directly to people’s doorsteps. With options for easy pick-up and delivery of items, we’re creating the modern, convenient shopping experience that consumers increasingly crave.”

This partnership expands upon the success of Uber Direct into consumer-to-consumer shopping. Launched in 2020, Uber Direct allows businesses to seamlessly own the customer experience end-to-end and provide on-demand delivery. When retailers use Uber Direct, their customers can place orders directly from their websites and get items delivered right to their doorstep by a courier. Retailers and manufacturers around the world utilize Uber Direct as an operationally efficient way to reach their customers or manage internal delivery needs. This platform, combined with Mercari’s breadth of products, gives customers the ease and convenience of buying and selling when and how they want.

For more, see our blog on 4 Ways Mercari is Changing Local Shopping.