What is Mercari Auctions?
Mercari Auctions is one of Mercari’s most recent additions to their site features. As one of Japan’s top online flea markets, Mercari had primarily offered an avenue for individuals to sell items online with relative ease. But in January 2025, Mercari launched its “Mercari Auctions” feature, appealing to its customers’ desire for a simpler way to set item prices.
This new auction feature introduces more dynamic pricing for items, with shorter auction times and early-end options making Mercari a viable alternative to Yahoo! Auctions.
It’s still relatively new, so shopping on Mercari Auctions is still rather limited for non-Japanese customers. However, DEJAPAN is one of the few proxy services that can bid on Mercari Auctions!
Learn more about Mercari Auctions and how to bid on it in our blog post: 3 Easy Steps to Bid on Mercari Auctions.
Why is it suddenly so popular?
Mercari Auctions has really taken off, steadily becoming more and more popular in the Japanese online shopping community. There are a few different reasons for this.
One key reason is that Mercari’s algorithm actively pushes auction items into search feeds. Items that are “ending soon” are highlighted to consumers, and new bid activity notifications have been implemented. This creates more overall visibility to buyers and sellers.
With higher visibility, buyers are more likely to engage in auction bidding, driving up the final price of items. And with more sellers seeing auction items, they are more likely to try out the auction feature themselves for their own listings. Once sellers see a few successful auctions, they’re quick to copy and follow the trend.
But perhaps the biggest reason is that this new auction feature offers a number of benefits to sellers. Frankly, auctions remove a lot of the burden of selling off of sellers, instead placing the risks and heavy-lifting onto buyers.
Why Sellers Love It
Mercari sellers have been steadily adopting the auction feature for their listings over the fixed-price option. And there’s several reasons for that.
Here are a few key benefits sellers enjoy when using the auction format:
・Sellers don’t have to decide the “right” price; the market and buyer demand will
・Creates urgency for buyers, leading to faster transactions (and therefore more sales)
・Removes the back-and-forth of price negotiations (and potential low-balling)
・Sellers can avoid mispricing an item (over or under-pricing), leading to more stable pricing for volatile items
The Benefits (and Potential Drawbacks) for Buyers
Mercari Auctions offers several benefits for buyers, too! Sellers tend to set the item price below the market value for auctions, meaning buyers can potentially score items at a lower price than if they were a fixed item listing. This is especially true for low-demand items and niche categories.
There’s also the case where a seller may only list their unique or one-of-a-kind items as an auction listing. Mercari Auctions gives buyers the chance to purchase those rare items.
Plus, as mentioned previously, there’s no need for price negotiations. This lightens the load not just for sellers, but for buyers, too. The auction process and timelines make it easier for buyers to decide whether they want to move forward with a bid or not.
Of course, while this is true for any auction site, Mercari’s new auction feature may present some challenges for buyers.
Some of the drawbacks for buyers include (but are not limited to):
・Inflated pricing (due to bidding wars, emotional bidding, etc.)
・Timing the bid just right can be stressful (including snipe bids)
・Final prices can often exceed market price
That being said, bidding on Mercari Auctions doesn’t have to be a stressful or regretful event for buyers. You just have to be smart about it.
We’ve compiled several tips for how to shop smart (and safe!) on Mercari Auctions.
Table of Contents
How to Shop Smart on Mercari Auctions
BEFORE Bidding
1. Check recent SOLD prices
Before you place a bid on an item, you have to figure out how much the item is generally worth. Bidding too much (or too little) can lead to a very stressful and potentially expensive auction experience. And trust us—you don’t want to spend more than you need to. Save that money for another item you want (or maybe for rent 👀).
This will require a little research on your part, but it’s wise to find out the typical price that the item has sold for recently. Just search the item you’re looking for on Mercari, and filter the search to show only 売り切れ (sold) listings.
Then, compare the fixed-price sales and the final auction prices for that item. If you find that the auction prices tend to be higher, then you need to decide if you’re willing to potentially pay a higher price for the item.
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If yes, then proceed to the next step.
2. Read the listing carefully
Now, if you’ve found a few auction listings that you’re interested in, be sure to read the listing details very carefully. Scams do exist, but often, even if a listing isn’t a scam, there may be some details regarding the item that may not align with what you’re looking for.
Watch out for things like:
1. The wording of the item condition, for example:
・傷あり→ Has scratches
・ジャンク→ Junk item
・現状渡し→ Sold as-is
2. Missing parts, accessories, or boxes/packaging
3. Stock photos instead of real photos taken by the seller
4. 返品不可→ “No Returns Accepted”
The more detail on the listing, the better. Sellers will sometimes be intentionally unclear or misleading to get an item off their hands. Or sometimes, a seller is actively trying to scam buyers. If anything seems kind of vague or confusing, assume the worst. That listing is probably not worth your time.
This leads us to our next tip…
3. Check out the Seller
There are plenty of reliable sellers on Mercari, but there are also plenty of scammers. Checking out the seller before bidding is vital when getting into the auction game.
But what makes a seller untrustworthy? Here are a few red flags to look out for:
🚩 Seller’s account is new and the item is expensive
🚩 The seller has no ratings, or several negative reviews
🚩 Most of the positive ratings are from other proxy services
🚩 Reuses the same photos across multiple listings
If you notice the seller has these red flags, we strongly advise that you avoid their listings.
On the flip side, there are also several green flags to keep an eye out for:
✅ The seller has a long history on Mercari (account was made a while ago)
✅ The photos on their listings are clear and unique
✅ The item descriptions are detailed and informative
✅ Their replies in the comments are calm and polite
If the seller has these green flags, then you can feel confident that their auction listings are trustworthy and safe to bid on.
4. Set your max bid price
It’s imperative that you decide how much you’re willing to pay before you start bidding. Once you gather all the information above (typical sale prices, item condition and listing details, seller reputation), you can get a better idea of how much that item or auction is worth to you.
Setting your maximum bid amount beforehand also gives you a cut-off when the bidding gets a little too heated. It’s a solid strategy to prevent any spending you may regret later.
During the Auction
5. Do NOT bid early
This one is a bit tricky with Mercari Auctions, since many auctions end by 8 PM the day after the first bid. Sellers may also end the auction early. But generally, with any auction listing, it’s often better to wait until a few of the earlier bidders have already thrown their lot in. This allows you to see how the price increases, and you can better calculate how much you’re willing to bid above that.
Bidding too early can:
- Show demand for the item
- Attract watchers and other bidders
- Inflate the final price of the item
Watching and waiting before your bid is a great strategy for any auction site (like, JDirectItems Auctions, aka Yahoo! Auctions)—not just Mercari Auctions.
However, Mercari Auction listings have a rather short lifespan. Once a bid is placed, the auction listing ends at 8 PM on the dot (unless the seller ends it early, or a bid is placed 5 minutes before 8 PM). This means the timing of your order submission through DEJAPAN can be tricky.
If someone else has already bid on the item, we recommend submitting your bid through DEJAPAN’s Request Form by 12 PM (JST) on the day the auction ends. This gives you some time to watch the auction’s bid activity before submitting your own bid. It also gives our Purchase Team plenty of time to place your bid before the auction closes.
6. Avoid emotional bidding
Bidding on any auction site can be an emotional event. But bidding with high emotions and stress will only end up costing you more. Thoughts like these…
“I’m already winning, so might as well finish it off…”
“I can’t lose now!”
“Why do these people keep outbidding me?!?”
…can lead you to bid too early, too often, or too high.
So here’s a hint: if you’re feeling annoyed or competitive, walk away. We know it’s counterintuitive. You really want to win! But taking a little breathing space to calm down gives you the chance to clearly and rationally consider the cost-benefit of the auction.
Don’t let your emotions cost you more money than necessary… You’ll just be playing right into the seller’s hands.
General Safety on Flea Market and Auction Sites
While the previous 6 points are good advice for getting the most out of your auction experience, we have a few other tips to keep in mind when shopping through online flea markets sites in general.
7. Understand Mercari’s buyer protection
Japanese companies are notorious for protecting the seller over the buyer. Sadly, Mercari is no different.
That being said, Mercari does have several buyer protection measures integrated into their system, including:
・holding payments until the buyer confirms receipt of the item
・shipping insurance
・compensation for counterfeit items and items that arrived damaged/significantly different than described
・enhanced identity verification for sellers to prevent counterfeit listings
However, there are a few important points you should know as the buyer…
・You must report issues within the allotted time window
・You need clear evidence of the issue (photos, messages, etc.)
・An item being “not as expected” is weaker than “not as described”
DEJAPAN will always examine items when they arrive at our Warehouse. If we notice anything different or strange, we’ll contact the seller and Mercari right away. So you won’t have to worry about the time window or evidence. We’ll take care of all that for you.
However, if the item matches the condition shown in the listing, but it’s not what you expected, it is unlikely that Mercari will support any attempts to return the item or receive a refund.
**Important Note**
When shopping from online flea markets, you have to manage your expectations appropriately and reasonably.
If you can do that, you’ll have a smoother, happier time shopping.
8. Be especially careful with high-risk categories
While many sellers are honest and genuine, there are also those who have made a habit out of scamming people. They’ll often trick shoppers with misleading information and photos, then ship a faulty or fake item. It can feel scary—if you don’t know what to look out for.
Scammers tend to work within popular categories, including but not limited to:
・Trading cards
・Designer bags
・Figures and collectibles
・Electronics
・Watches
Stay extra vigilant with items from these categories, checking the seller’s information and activity carefully before bidding.
Check out more tips on how to spot trading card scams in our blog post here!
**DEJAPAN Tip**
If you are concerned about authenticity, then we recommend avoiding listings without serial numbers or proof photos.
DEJAPAN is not able to determine or guarantee an item’s authenticity (unless it’s a huge difference), nor is DEJAPAN responsible for these kinds of minute details.
Please see our Terms and Conditions for more information.
Conclusion
Bidding on Mercari Auctions doesn’t have to be stressful. With these 8 tips, you can bid with more confidence and security. A little research and patience is the key to shopping smarter and safer so you can get your dream items from Japan.
If you find a Mercari Auction item that’s calling your name, then DEJAPAN can help you out! DEJAPAN is one of the few proxy services that support Mercari Auctions. Just submit your bid for any Mercari Auction item using our Request Form!
If you have any questions about specific Mercari Auction listings, feel free to contact us! We’d love to hear from you.
Learn how to bid on Mercari Auctions in our blog post: 3 Easy Steps to Bid on Mercari Auctions.
