If you are looking to make money selling extra items that you no longer need, then you might have heard about Mercari.
At the same time, you might also be wondering whether Mercari is safe to use. The reality is that the online world always comes with risks, especially when using your personal information to buy and sell items.
Given that this is what Mercari does, you need to make sure that you know the website is reputable to prevent yourself from being scammed.
There are several vital points to keep in mind.
Mercari Reviews
Before deciding to use any website, particularly for selling items, you need to take a look at how other people have experienced the website. When it comes to Mercari, there are several positive reviews. People have said:
- The search engine is helpful and allows people to sort items quickly to find what they are looking for
- Mercari functions in a reliable manner that is similar to both Poshmark and eBay, providing an excellent alternative to these traditional sites
- Some individuals have been able to sell a lot of their unneeded items quickly, allowing them to not only make money but also make more room in their house
- Selling on Mercari is a great way to clean out closets and storage spaces to make the moving process easier just before selling a house
On the other hand, some people have experienced negative experiences in Mercari. These include:
- The customer service team leaves a lot to be desired, including both from the buyer and seller perspective
- It can sometimes be hard to tell exactly how much someone is going to pay for shipping on Mercari
- Some people are concerned that certain advertising practices might be unfair or deceptive
Therefore, everyone needs to be careful and make sure they understand precisely what is being sold and how much it will cost.
Furthermore, sellers need to communicate transparently with their buyers to make sure their items sell quickly and efficiently.
The Mercari App
One of the significant advantages of Mercari is the app itself. It is easy to track items that are being bought and sold with a few clicks.
Several benefits come with the Mercari app. These include:
- The Mercari app provides access to lower seller fees
- There is a wide selection of ways to promote an item for sale on Mercari
- The listings are straightforward to navigate, allowing people to list their items quickly and easily
- There are numerous shipping options available, allowing everyone to tailor their shipping choices to meet their needs
At the same time, there are also a few drawbacks that come with using the Mercari app. These include:
- The dashboard on the Mercari app is not the most user-friendly design, so people might have trouble figuring exactly where to go
- Because Mercari is not as well-known as some of the other sites, it might take longer for some items to sell
- Without a reliable internet connection, the screens might not a while to load, slowing down the process
Overall, the Mercari app makes it relatively easy for everyone to keep up with what is going on with their items.
Mercari Fees
So, Mercari is an excellent place for people to buy and sell items. At the same time, how does Mercari stay operational, and how do they take their money?
Mercari makes money by taking a percentage of each sale. As a seller, it is essential to know how Mercari calculates its commission on each sale.
How Much Does Mercari Take?
First, it is essential to note that it is free to list items on Mercari. Mercari does not take any fees until an item is sold or one of its services is used.
If you sell an item on Mercari, the app will take a flat fee of 10 percent. It is important to note that the seller entirely incurs this fee.
An additional payment processing fee of 2.9 percent plus a flat fee of 30 cents is charged to the seller when a transaction is completed.
Therefore, this has to be added in addition to the sale commission discussed above.
This means that if a seller completes a sale of one of his or her items for $100, the seller will be a $10 commission fee, a $2.90 processing fee, and a $0.30 payment processing flat rate. Overall, the seller is going to net $86.80 from the sale.
How Do You Get Paid on Mercari?
Once you have completed your sale, you will see the money in your account.
Now, it is time to move the money to your bank account. You might incur additional fees during this process as well.
If you are moving more than $10 into your bank account, there is no transfer fee for direct deposits.
Usually, these transactions are completed within five business days, but this may vary depending on your bank’s transaction and deposit times.
If you are trying to move less than $10 into your bank account, then you will incur a $2 processing fee.
In addition, if the bank rejects the deposit, then you will also pay a $2 processing fee.
Finally, if you want to avoid the 5-day waiting period, you can also request an instant pay transfer, which will cost $2. Most instant pay requests are handled in less than 30 minutes.
Therefore, it should not cost anything to get paid on Mercari, as long as you are fine waiting a few business days for the direct deposit to be processed.
Selling on Mercari
If you would like to sell items on Mercari, then you need to follow several steps. You can follow all of these steps, either online or via the Mercari app.
To sell items on Mercari, you need to:
- Create a Mercari account first. You can do this by visiting the Mercari website and following a simple series of steps to open a profile.
- Next, you have to create a listing. There is an orange button that will let you create a listing for a wide variety of items. You should always include items in the photo so that people will know exactly what they are buying. Include the condition of the item as well.
- Once you have created the listing, you need to wait for buyers. You will be notified when a buyer makes an offer on the item.
- If you sell the item, Mercari is going to mark it as “sold automatically.” All sales are final unless the buyer has a “Buyer Protection Guarantee.”
- You need to ship the item and wait for the buyer to confirm that they have received it. If they do, you will receive your money, minutes the fees that Mercari charges.
Through this process, you can even have several listings up at once.
Mercari vs. eBay
When looking at Mercari, it is a good idea to compare it to some of the alternatives. One of the most popular alternatives is eBay.
When looking at Mercari and eBay, there are several key differences to note. These include:
- Fees: eBay provides users with 50 free listings. It costs 35 cents for each listing plus a commission of between 10 and 12 percent of the final value of the product once it sells. It is free to list items on Mercari, and there is a 10 percent fee once the item sells.
- Customer Base: Mercari has more than 100 million downloads worldwide. eBay has more than 180 million users, which is one of the largest in the world.
- Shipping: eBay has the widest variety of shipping options; however, this can also make it confusing for users to decide which option to choose. Mercari allows you to choose between a weight-based label or handle shipping on your own.
- Listing: eBay has a tedious listing process that is nearly impossible on the phone; however, Mercari has one of the easiest listing processes available, with very few fields.
Mercari vs. Poshmark
Another popular alternative to consider is called Poshmark. This is another marketplace where people can buy and sell items. Looking at the same categories as above:
- Fees: It is free to list items on Poshmark. The commission on Poshmark is 20 percent of $2.95 if the item is listed for under $15. Remember that it is free to list items on Mercari, and there is a 10 percent fee once the item sells.
- Customer Base: Mercari has more than 100 million downloads worldwide. Poshmark has 40 million users, which is a relatively large customer base.
- Shipping: On Poshmark, the buyer pays $7.11 for items up to 5 pounds. If the item you are selling is more than 5 pounds, you will have to buy a label. Mercari allows you to choose between a weight-based label or handle shipping on your own.
- Listing: Both Poshmark and Mercari are very easy to list items on; however, the process is shorter on Mercari
How Does Mercari Work?
Mercari is a site that is designed to help buyers and sellers connect with each other.
Buyers have the opportunity to purchase both new and used items at a reduced price while sellers can get rid of clutter that they have in their homes while also making some extra money.
Mercari makes money by charging the seller a commission on each sale in addition to payment processing fees.
To sell items on Mercari, there are several tips that everyone should follow. These include:
- Make sure to respond to questions from buyers quickly. If buyers ask questions, they are interested, so try to close the deal by communicating effectively.
- Some of the most popular items on Mercari include women’s clothing, toddler’s clothing, and things that are still new with tags on them.
- If an item is not selling quickly, try to drop the price to refresh the listing.
- When selling clothing, always include measurements as well as the materials used to make the product.
- Clean up products before taking pictures of them to make them look as attractive as possible
- Always provide thorough descriptions that anticipate buyer questions in advance.
- Be honest about any flaws the product might have
- Consider the lighting of the room before taking photos.
- Consider offering free shipping to entice buyers.
These tips can help you make sales quickly on Mercari.
Sites Like Mercari
If you are looking for some alternatives to Mercari, there are several options from which to choose. These include:
- eBay: eBay is arguably the most popular online marketplace that allows people to buy and sell items from across the globe. There are multiple ways to sell items on eBay; however, this website usually operates as an auction where people bid on items until they sell to the highest bidder.
- Etsy: Etsy is another online community where people can buy and sell goods. Usually, these are arts and crafts products or vintage items. Some of the most common items sold on Etsy include housewares, jewelry, and furniture.
- Depop: Depop is another marketplace where people can buy and sell items from the fashion industry. This is a great way for people to learn more about new brands while also purchasing customized, handmade clothing from some of the world’s most talented professional creatives.
- Listia: Listia is a free online marketplace that allows individuals to trade goods. Of note, people on Listia trade goods with each other without making items. Users can also earn credits if they give away items for free that they no longer need. These credits can be applied toward other bids on items that people have listed.
Consider these alternatives and consider cross-listing items to increase the chances of them selling quickly. Some types of items might sell better on some websites than others.
