How To Sell On Mercari: How Mercari Works For Sellers

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Last Updated on October 4, 2021 by Buayifa Ojeogwu

How To Sell on Mercari

You need to create an account to sell on Mercari

Just download the Mercari selling app from the Google play store or App store.

Then create an account with your email or sign in with Facebook, and you are ready to start listing and selling.

Make sure to sign up with my link for a $10 bonus.

You don’t need a computer to sell on Mercari but you can use it if you like.

Now create your first listing.

How to list on Mercari

• Take a picture of your product from different angles
• Choose a category
• add the title, color, measurements if applicable, the price and shipping rate.
• Also, add the condition of the products.

Here are some abbreviations for selling on Mercari.

• NEW – The item is new
• NWT or BNWT- New with tags or brand new with tags
• NWOT – New without tags
• LIKE-NEW – in like-new condition
• SZ – Size.

You may also enjoy How To Start A Reselling Business With No Money.

Selling on Mercari is free

Yup! You don’t pay anything to list and sell on Mercari.

But when your item sells, Mercari takes 10% of the sale, and the rest is yours.

Check out other Mercari selling fees you should know before you start selling.

What you can sell on Mercari

There are so many things you can sell on Mercari. From fashion to toys to electronic gadgets, kitchenware, and lots more.

But make sure to check the list of items you can’t sell on Mercari when in doubt.

Shipping on Mercari

As a Mercari seller, you can choose to ship on your own or use Mercari shipping.

And if you choose to go with Mercari shipping, there are several rates (and companies) to fit the weight of the package.

And if you prefer to cover shipping for your buyers, you can use the free shipping option.

You may also like 13 Reseller Supplies You Need To Sell Online For Beginners.

How to ship on Mercari

After you make a sale, you’d receive a Mercari prepaid shipping label (in your email) to ship the item. And you have 3 business days to do that.

If you don’t ship within three days without any communication with the buyer, then the buyer can request to cancel the other.

And Mercari would contact you with that request, and if they don’t hear from you, the order would be canceled, and the buyer refunded.

So just pack the product in a shipping box or mailing envelope, attach the label and drop it off at the nearest post office.

Better still, schedule a free pick-up on USPS online. The following day, the mailperson would pick up your item for shipping.

When Mercari sellers get their funds

Mercari sellers don’t get paid until the buyer rates you.

But if the buyer has not rated you after three days, Mercari would give you a rating and release your funds.

And after rating, the buyer cannot request a return or refund.

How you get paid on Mercari

I see a lot of people ask “so how does Mercari pay you?”

Well, Mercari sellers usually get paid through direct bank deposits. And it takes up to 5 business days for the payment to reflect in your account.

Though Mercari buyers can pay with PayPal, Mercari does not pay sellers through PayPal.

So make sure to add your bank details correctly to receive your funds.

If you make a mistake on your bank information and the transfer was reversed, Mercari would charge you.

Also, remember that for any deposit below $10, Mercari would charge the seller a $2 transfer fee.

Okay moving on…

How To Protect Yourself When Selling on Mercari

Thorough listing descriptions

Describe your listings thoroughly. If there are any flaws, mention and show pictures of them.

Add the color, and the condition. Don’t say it is like-new when it is just good.

Also, if you list a clothing item, make sure the size is accurate. If it is a regular women’s size or for juniors, mention it.

What kind of home you’re selling from

If you own pets or you smoke, make sure buyers see that in your description that the item is from a pet-friendly and smoking home.

And if you don’t, let customers know your products are from a non-smoking pet-free home.

This is to make sure buyers are not returning your products after purchasing.

You don’t need that drama. You want to make money as a Mercari seller.

Say no to returns

Yes, Mercari buyers are allowed to return orders but you can mention that all sales are final and that you don’t accept returns.

The thing is, some buyers would read descriptions, ask you questions, you give them satisfactory answers, and still, they’d try to return the item after being fully aware of the condition or specifications of the product.

I hope you understand what I mean.

Though I have not experienced it, some sellers claim that some buyers don’t return your items but still get a refund.

From what I know, if you have not received your returned product, Mercari would not release the refund to the buyer.

Tips To Make Sales On Mercari

1. Take clear pictures

Make sure to take pictures of your items with natural light, and show the flaws, if any.

With natural light, buyers see the actual color of your products. And showing and mentioning the flaws can help prevent misunderstandings, bad ratings, and returns.

2. Describe your items clearly

Take time to describe your items to avoid confusion.

For clothing items, if you are not sure of the fabric, take pictures of the labels so that buyers can see these things for themselves.

When describing your items, mention the flaws so that your customer knows exactly what they are buying.

And they would not attempt to return the item because they were well aware of the condition before purchasing the item.

3. Let buyers know the kind of home your items are from

In your description, make sure to mention if your items are from a pet-free or pet-friendly home, a smoke-free, or a cigarette smoking home because some people are allergic to cigarette smoke and animal fur.

Asides from allergies, it is not okay to sell clothing reeking of cigarettes, pet odor, or covered in pet fur to anyone.

And believe me, buyers that are unsatisfied with their purchase would say so in your ratings.

4. Offer free shipping

Most buyers (including me) are attracted to free shipping. So your item is more likely to sell faster if you paid for shipping instead of the buyer.

But make sure to add the shipping rate to the cost of the item because shipping rates can quickly skyrocket from $4.99 to $9.99.

Another tip to make free shipping work for you is if you ship on your own with USPS on PayPal. I heard it is more affordable compared to shipping on Mercari.

5. Price your listings higher to leave room for promotions and offers to likers

Price your items more than the least amount you’d sell so that you can promote your listings, send and accept offers to and from buyers.

For example, if you would sell for $15, list it for $20. So that if a buyer makes an offer or asks for free shipping, you’d not be doing it at a loss.

How sellers send offers to likers on Mercari

If you notice a lot of likes on your listing, it means buyers may be interested but can’t send an offer, or they are window-shopping and saving stuff.

So you can send an offer with a lower price to likers. Now, this does not guarantee any sales, but there is a 50/50 chance that it works.

This is how to send offers to buyers on Mercari:

• Go to the listing and hit the promote button,
• Then choose offer to likers,
• Next, enter the price you are offering for the item (a lower price of course),
• Then hit next (this shows you how much you’d earn if the buyer accepts the offer),
• and lastly, hit send offer.

How to promote your listings on Mercari

• In your store, click on the listing you want to promote,
• then select promote, and enter the price, and hit send.

Your item would be promoted, would appear in recent search results.

You may also love Mercari VS Poshmark – Which Is Better For Selling Online??

6. Sell bundles on Mercari

Another way to sell more on Mercari is by selling bundles or combining shipping.

Some sellers don’t do bundles, and that’s fine.

But you should know that you can sell several items at a go from selling bundles.

So in your seller profile and listing description, make buyers know that you are willing to make bundles for them.

And if you give discounts on bundles, mention it too. That would attract more bundle buyers.

See How To Bundle Items On Mercari (with pictures) – To make more sales.

7. Be responsive to buyers

When the Mercari selling app is installed on your phone, you’d receive notifications of messages, offers, etc.

Make sure you are checking your Mercari notifications as often as possible so that you don’t miss them.

But if you miss offers or messages from buyers, you can message them to resend.

8. Ship on time

If you ship on time, buyers won’t change their minds and cancel the order.

If you are shipping with USPS, schedule a free pick-up online. The next day, the mailman would pick the order from your home.

Also, when you ship on time, most buyers would mention in your ratings that you’re a quick shipper, and that attracts more buyers.

Final Thoughts On How To Sell On Mercari

Boom! That’s how to sell on Mercari, tips to make sales, and how to protect yourself from funny buyers.

Some other apps like Mercari you can explore are Poshmark, eBay, Depop, etc.

Check out selling on Poshmark, and also Mercari or Poshmark, which is better for selling.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. I would be happy to answer them.

Sign up on Mercari with my link and get a $10 coupon.

Are you going to start selling on Mercari?

Let me know in the comments.

Please share this post on Facebook. Pinterest, Twitter, etc.

Thanks for reading.

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