Mercari Partners With BEENOS To Bring Japan Inventory To US Shoppers

Mercari is opening up direct from Japan shopping to the US market with new BEENOS international fulfillment partnership.

Buyers on the Mercari US site will now see items from Japan sold by BEENOS included in search, with the option to filter results just to Japan to see all BEENOS inventory or to US only if they want to exclude these items.

Here's how the partnership with BEENOS works:

Items you buy from BEENOS were originally listed outside of the US by people just like you. There's a good chance you'll find unique or discounted treasures that are hard to find stateside. BEENOS acts as the seller and takes care of all the international shipping logistics for you.

Shipping
The seller in Japan ships the item to a BEENOS warehouse where it's inspected for damage and prepared for overseas delivery. Then they ship it to you.

Messaging
BEENOS can answer most questions about items. Try writing to them like you would to any other seller.

Mercari says all internationally-shipped items on the US site will appear as sold by BEENOS. When an item is purchased, a seller in Japan ships the item to the BEENOS warehouse, where it will be inspected before being forwarded to the buyer.

The item cost includes inspection, warehouse handling, and importing the item from Japan to the US. As the item is shipped internationally, shipping costs are higher than domestic orders.

To protect buyers from damaged or not as described items, BEENOS checks that the item is as described in the listing and photos. Items that are found to be not as described or prohibited to ship to the United States will be flagged, and the buyer will be refunded in accordance with Mercari’s standard return policy.

Mercari’s standard return policy applies to all internationally purchased items, but buyers should be prepared for the higher shipping costs and longing times in transit that come along with international shipments.

View the full FAQ:

FAQ for Internationally Shipped Items - Mercari: Your Marketplace

Who is the seller of items from Japan on Mercari US? All internationally-shipped items will appear as sold by BEENOS. When an item is purchased, a seller in Japan ships the item to the BEENOS warehouse, where it will be inspected before being forwarded to the buyer. What is included in the item and shipping costs? The item cost includes inspection, warehouse handling, and importing the item from Japan to the US. As the item is shipped internationally, shipping costs are higher than domestic orders. What does BEENOS inspect when the item is received in their Warehouse? What happens if an item is missing or broken? BEENOS checks that the item is as described in the original listing, and that it matches the item and condition shown in the listing photos. Items that are found to be not as described or prohibited to ship to the United States will be flagged, and the buyer will be refunded in accordance with Mercari’s standard return policy. Which shipping carriers are used for internationally shipped items? BEENOS uses DHL/FedEx International, and may select USPS as a last mile shipping carrier at their discretion. The shipping method is determined by BEENOS and not the Buyer. Due to customs requirements in the US, the buyer’s email address and phone number will be shared with the carrier. Is tracking available for items purchased from Japan? Yes. You will receive an email from DHL or FedEx International with delivery estimates and tracking information. Is pre-shipment cancelation allowed? If BEENOS does not receive the item in its warehouse to prepare for international shipment within 12 days, the buyer may request a cancellation. When a buyer requests a pre-shipment cancelation, BEENOS is given a 96 hour window to respond. Can I return items if I bought them from BEENOS? Mercari’s standard return policy applies to all internationally purchased items. What is the estimated time required for international shipping and customs clearance? 6 to 14 days. Are there any differences between buying from BEENOS vs other sellers in the Mercari marketplace? The order process for internationally shipped items is the same as buying an item from a US seller, with the exception of increased shipping times of 6 to 14 days, and the need to share the buyer’s email address and phone number with the carrier for customs clearance purposes. How will I be able to tell if the item I am buying is coming from Japan? When viewing the item detail page, item origin is listed below the ‘Buy now’ button. How are item titles and descriptions translated? Item titles and descriptions are created using an AI translation of the original Japanese description. As such these will generally be accurate however there may be some cases where there are errors due to an “AI Hallucination”. An AI hallucination is when an AI model produces incorrect or misleading information that it presents as fact.

Mercari: Your Marketplace

Items that ship from Japan will have an International Shipping tag near the item price, as well as disclosure in the From section under Delivery details.

As always, buyers and sellers are both encouraged to read the full terms and conditions for internationally shipped items, which Mercari updated today.

The move comes as Mercari US CEO John Lagerling is under intense pressure to deliver GMV and user growth while showing that the significant shakeup to Mercari's fee structure announced in March was the right strategic move.

Lagerling quietly laid off ~45% of US staff last month, telling employees in an internal Slack message that he took responsibility for strategic mistakes which overestimated post-pandemic growth and to remain viable in the U.S. market, they must cut costs and consolidate quickly.

Mercari US Undertakes Mass Layoff Months After Major Fee Structure Shakeup

Mercari US has undertaken a significant mass layoff, eliminating 45% of staff months after major fee structure & business operations shake up.

Value Added ResourceLiz Morton

He praised employes for "show[ing] up with talent, professionalism and grit during some tough times" but said"the business has not performed well amid macro headwinds and, admittedly, some strategic mistakes."

He went on to list some of those strategic mistakes, explaining that the company grew too quickly in the belief they would have continued growth from pandemic era highs that ultimately did not materialize and taking responsibility for not successfully navigating the post-pandemic landscape.

Lagerling also admitted what many have feared since March - the fee structure changes may have convinced sellers to list more items on the site, but have not had the hoped for impact on active buyers and GMV.

"More recently, changes to our fee structure have helped us increase listings, but have not yet delivered the short-term results that we had hoped for on the buyer / GMV side. To remain viable in the U.S. market and ultimately get back on track, we must cut costs and consolidate quickly."

Introducing new inventory from Japan could certainly help boost GMV and buying activity - but only if it's cost effective and so far, users commenting on Reddit don't appear to see the value.

For every item i look at its coming to 64 dollars for shipping lol. They also apparently do not combine shipping at all even though it seems to be a proxy. Not sure how this is going to make sales considering either sellers upping the item price above its original mercari jp listing or the shipping.

All these Japan listings popping up is so annoying. Shipping is $64 and on top of all those Mercari fees? Pass

Too bad about the absurdly high shipping fees, likely mostly eaten in fees to this Beenos fulfillment company.

Unfortunately, since BEENOS is a third party fulfillment company, there will be unavoidable middleman costs involved for the inspection, warehousing, and logistics services they provide - and buyers will bear those costs one way or another.

What do you think of Mercari US adding products shipped from Japan through BEENOS? Let us know in the comments below!