Japanese online marketplace Mercari has laid off nearly half of its U.S. workforce, a significant reduction driven by sustained losses and intense competition from low-cost Chinese rivals like Temu. The U.S. subsidiary of the retail platform has been unprofitable since late 2021, with inflation-weary American consumers cutting back on discretionary hobby spending that Mercari's marketplace often serves. This restructuring, reported in July 2024, highlights the pressures on niche e-commerce players in a fiercely competitive global industry dominated by larger-scale discount platforms.
