A mysterious man with glowing eyes wearing a hooded black trench coat lined with weapons and a purple bandanna that hides most of his face, he is seemingly allowed to pass unhindered by the game's enemies, the Ganados.

Critics have called the Merchant an iconic character in the series, as well as one of the most recognizable video game NPCs ever, due to his unique appearance and often-repeated lines, including "What're ya buyin'?"

The Merchant was one of several characters created by artist Masaki Yamanaka for the game Resident Evil 4, in a design process he called "unique" due to the lack of restrictions on scenario or setting, and only basic guidelines to follow.

[5] His hooded black trench coat, which holds a majority of his items in its interior, was inspired by the cloak worn by Kinnikuman series character Neptuneman.

[8] His eyes glow similarly to antagonists infected by the mind-controlling Las Plagas parasites (the Ganados); however, he is completely non-hostile, and, according to Resident Evil 4 Digital Archives will "do business with anyone as long as the price is right".

[11] In the artbook for Resident Evil 6, the Merchant was considered as part of an unused alternate costume for series character Leon Kennedy, with him in a sitting position and strapped to his back.

This version of the character was shown to be notably shorter, wearing yellow gloves and boots with his coat held open, while Leon's outfit resembled his default Resident Evil 4 attire.

[13][14] Once approached, the Merchant opens one side of his coat to reveal a vast assortment of ammunition and firearms, encouraging Leon to purchase from him with phrases such as "What're ya buyin'?"

[26] Zack Zwiezen of Kotaku referred to him as "the real star" of the original 2005 game, calling him "chill and focused on business" despite possibly being infected with the Plaga parasite.

[29] Wireframe described him as "genuinely bizarre" due to how out of place he felt in the world, but praised that aspect at the same time, calling him "utterly fantastic, and a constant reminder that the game he's in isn't entirely serious and should be played with a big old smile on your face.

Scoville described the Merchant's design as combining "fantasy RPG" aesthetics with "slick futuristic stuff", the player's view of the character changing when he opens his coat to reveal the weapons he has for sale.

Saying that despite the Merchant's glowing eyes, he was seemingly unaffected by the mind-controlling Plaga parasite, Bunce described him as a "well-stocked ally" who "brought a unique warmth" to the hostile environment around him, claiming that his voice created "a neural connection" that meant both safety and a material advantage.