Making Mercari a Global Marketplace Where Anyone in the World Can Buy and Sell──Why I Work Here (Skyler Yu)

Hello everyone! My name is Skyler, and I joined Mercari’s Crossborder Team in October 2023 as Senior Lead of Growth and Marketing.

I was born and raised in China, and completed my master’s degree in Melbourne, Australia. I moved to Tokyo 10 years ago. In my spare time, I like to play with my three cats and explore new cafes and restaurants on my city bike.

My career started with my love for traveling

After I completed my master’s degree in Australia, a friend of mine who shared my love for traveling suggested we venture into the global travel industry. I was inspired by the idea, and together we established a small travel agency catering to foreigners visiting Melbourne. Through operating the travel business, I had the opportunity to connect with people of diverse backgrounds from around the world. This experience not only broadened my cultural horizons but provided valuable insight into fostering business growth and implementing effective ROI strategies.

Following this enriching experience working alongside remarkable individuals, we eventually made the decision to close the travel agency and look for new challenges. I chose to relocate to a new city, Tokyo, drawn by its abundant business opportunities.

Before joining Mercari, I gained experience in various roles, spearheading the launch of a new global service for a travel company, serving as the global business lead for a dating app called Pairs, and working as the marketing lead for the Japan and Korea regions for TikTok and for a video editing app named CapCut.

I joined Mercari because I felt the immense potential of the global market

I was initially introduced to Mercari through an agency that suggested to me a marketing position focused on the Japan market. However, I wanted to engage in more globally-oriented work, and I wasn’t actively seeking a new job at the time. The agency assured me that Mercari representatives were known for being kind and accommodating and that I could simply have a chat with them, so I agreed to set up a call.

My first contact at Mercari was Hisayoshi Chiba, the head of marketing for the Japan region. We had a meaningful conversation through which I gained a positive impression of Mercari, but I didn’t see myself as the best fit for the domestic position and communicated this to Hisayoshi. In response, he expressed his willingness to explore other available positions internally. While I appreciated his courtesy, I assumed it was a polite gesture.

Two weeks later, just when I had almost forgotten about the possibility, the agency contacted me again. Hisayoshi had identified a position that might be a better fit for me. Intrigued by the opportunity, I accepted another call. This time, I spoke with Shunsuke Sako, VP of the Cross-border Team, who shared the team’s vision and mission with me. We had a passionate conversation about expanding to the global market. When he emphasized the tremendous potential of the crossborder business, especially in the Asian market, I wholeheartedly resonated with the team’s strategies and felt that working with him on these endeavors would be an exciting opportunity. Following our conversation, I was excited to complete the subsequent application and interview processes. Now, as a Mercari employee, I am thrilled with the decision I made and grateful to be part of the team.

Collaborating with diverse members allows for dynamic growth

Members of varying nationalities contribute on the Crossborder Team

The Crossborder Team’s primary responsibility is to facilitate the sale of Mercari items to customers all over the world, enabling more people to appreciate the value of items from Japan.

The team is highly diverse, often conducting meetings in multiple languages. Despite the team consisting of members from various countries who speak different languages, we all share a common goal: to work collaboratively to enhance Mercari’s standing as a global marketplace where anyone can buy and sell. The Crossborder Team fosters an open environment and a friendly atmosphere, encouraging the free exchange of opinions. I find it noteworthy that given the varied nationalities of our team members, everyone makes an effort to establish clear communication, both verbal and written, resulting in very smooth communication. Members are always ready to offer support to those in need, contributing to a cohesive and supportive working environment.

We succeeded in greatly increasing traffic one month into our marketing campaign

It’s been three months since I joined Mercari, and my initial goal has been to swiftly acquaint myself with the team’s business, establish connections with cross-functional teams, and assimilate into the company culture. To achieve this, I scheduled numerous 1-on-1 meetings with various team members during the first two weeks. I am grateful for the warm reception I received from everyone I interacted with; their friendliness and willingness to share helpful information significantly aided my transition into the company.

My primary job responsibilities, as outlined in the current OKRs for the Growth and Marketing Team, consist of three key areas:

1) Increase new traffic and GMV for the Mercari site from overseas users
2) Enhance marketing initiatives to boost GMV through collaboration with proxy service partners
3) Explore and identify new global business opportunities, particularly in Asia

Upon delving into the first project, I encountered unforeseen challenges, with the primary hurdle being the data tracking method. Since users from overseas cannot make direct payments on the Mercari global site, the payment step occurs through our proxy partner, complicating data tracking. Recognizing the critical importance of accurate data, I proactively engaged in internal and external communication to set up a roadmap for this project, making an effort to help related members understand the priority and importance of the data tracking. With our collaborative efforts, we successfully resolved this data tracking issue and launched marketing campaigns in the US first, utilizing more accurate data to actively communicate and monitor the project status and schedule and optimize performance.

Though this is just the beginning, the results have been promising so far. In the first month of the campaign’s launch, we achieved greatly increasing traffic. This success instills confidence in our approach and reinforces that we are on the right track. Moving forward, we are committed to taking bold steps with the conviction that the success of Mercari’s global business is within reach in the near future.

Bold challenges in a fast-paced environment

The Crossborder Team possesses notable strengths that contribute to our success. Not only is our team exceptionally diverse and open-minded, consisting of individuals from various countries who speak multiple languages, we are highly proficient and professional in our respective roles. We function like a small startup, taking on bold challenges and change daily, accompanied by a sense of excitement.

As the leader of the Growth and Marketing Team, I find my current work environment both challenging and fast-paced. I am truly enjoying this dynamic atmosphere and am pleased with what I am doing. Our goal is to make Mercari a global platform, ensuring that more overseas users become aware of and can effectively use our services. We are continually exploring new strategies and planning various initiatives.

The potential of crossborder business is greater than I initially imagined

After being a part of the team for three months, I have gained a deeper understanding of the business vision and realized that the potential of crossborder business is even greater than I initially imagined. As a member of the team, I am committed to putting forth all my effort to drive business growth and contribute to making Mercari an even better platform for people worldwide to buy and sell items secondhand.

Despite the busyness of the work, with numerous objectives to achieve, I find satisfaction in getting closer to our targets every day and collaborating with exceptional colleagues. I find meaning in our endeavors and am confident we can achieve our goals, and I take pride in being a part of the team and contributing to the success of Mercari.