Mercari users aged 60 and above increased by 1.4 times, Japan's second-hand market has great potential

As a country with a serious aging problem, Japan's middle-aged and elderly groups have extremely strong purchasing power and are one of the main forces of online shopping.

The Mercari Research Institute , operated by Mercari, analyzed Mercari's transaction data during the new coronavirus outbreak from April 2020 to March 2021, and the results showed that the number of users over 60 years old and the total number of products purchased each year increased by about 1.4 times compared with last year.

To understand the changes in awareness and behavior behind the increase in flea market app use among people over 60, Mercari Research Institute conducted an Internet survey of 1,236 men and women aged 60 and over in Japan . By analyzing Mercari transaction data for people over 60, the following points were summarized :

When asked about changes in consumer behavior due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic , 44.4 % responded that “ shopping on the internet ” increased by 44.4% and “shopping outside” decreased by 73.5% .

Regarding the purpose of using flea market apps , the most common answer was "because I can buy what I want at a reasonable price" (62.0%), followed by "because I can get rid of unnecessary items" (47.8%), and "because I can recycle them " (36.5%).

Regarding the changes in awareness after using the flea market app, 62.1% of people answered "there have been changes." The most common change in awareness was "consider reuse before throwing away" (67.6%), followed by " treat things carefully to prepare for future sales " (32.8%), and "can easily enjoy hobbies and fashion" (16.2%).

Regarding the changes in consumer awareness brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic , 43.8% of people answered that "the awareness of saving has increased ." From this, it can be seen that the use of flea market applications may bring about changes in awareness of how items are handled in daily life.

34.8% of flea market app users "feel close to the people they buy and sell on flea market apps . " Unlike ordinary online shopping markets , flea market apps allow users to communicate with their buyers and sellers, which may lead to a sense of closeness.

Japan

Flea Market

Elderly