Poshmark vs. Mercari For Buyers

Last Updated on March 30, 2023 by Bree

Are you looking for the best apps for buying stuff online?

This post compares Poshmark vs. Mercari for buyers.

To help you understand how these platforms work for shoppers.

We’ll also discuss the pros and cons of each.

So you can make an informed decision about shopping on these platforms.

Let’s dive in.

Cost of shipping

Before buying on Mercari or Poshmark, knowing the cost of shipping your purchases is vital.

Shipping for mercari buyers

Mercari has various shipping rates depending on the weight of the item.

And Mercari sellers can ship with different shipping companies.

So expect that when you buy something from Mercari, it will be shipped with USPS, FedEx, or UPS.

And how quickly you receive your item depends on the shipping company the seller used.

Poshmark shipping

But Poshmark sellers, on the other hand, can only ship with USPS priority mail.

Which costs $7.97 as long as the weight doesn’t exceed 5 lbs.

So you can buy a bundle and still pay $7.97.

But your shipping rate will be adjusted if the items weigh over 5 lbs.

Free shipping

Mercari free shipping

You can get free shipping when you shop on Mercari.

Before, Mercari used to have free shipping written under listings.

But they changed it.

So these days, you’ll have to filter with shipping to see free shipping items.

Free shipping on Poshmark

Free shipping isn’t common on Poshmark like Mercari.

But you can still find items with free shipping on Poshmark.

Go to the top of the search results page, and choose “free shipping”.

And you’d only see items with the shipping truck icon with FREE on them.

Bundling on Poshmark vs. Mercari

How to buy bundles on Poshmark

At the top right of the listing, click the three dots.

And select add to bundle, and the item will be added.

Then do the same for other items you want to add to your bundle.

And once you’re done, you’ll see the total.

And if the seller offers a discount on bundles, it will be applied.

Then you’d pay the total amount.

Most of the time, the shipping cost is the same.

But if it weighs more, the seller will inform you about upgrading the shipping.

Buying bundles on Mercari

There are two ways to buy bundles on Mercari.

1. Send the seller a message about each item you want.

Then they will create a new listing for your bundle.

And also, calculate the shipping cost, then you can pay for the bundle.

2. use the mercari shopping cart to Buy bundles

Add the items from the seller’s store to your cart.
Mercari will add the cost of everything and show you the total price and shipping cost.
Next, select “bundle items and make offer.
Enter the amount you’re offering or choose one of the suggested prices.
Click “review offer”.
Check your payment details, and choose “send offer”.
Or you can pay for the bundle without making an offer.

Still, telling the seller you want to buy a bundle is best.

So they are aware of what you’re buying.

And confirm if it’s available.

Also, some sellers don’t sell bundles.

That’s why you must ask first.

Making offers on Poshmark vs. Mercari

Poshmark buyer making offers

Buyers making offers on Mercari and Poshmark are about the same.

Click the make offer button, enter the price, and then hit send.

And the seller can either accept, reject, or even ignore your offer.

But let’s look at how sellers send offers on Mercari vs. Poshmark.

Mercari buyers making offers.

To make an offer on Mercari, click the make offer button.

Enter your price or choose one of the Mercari suggested prices.

Then click review offer.

And hit send offer.

You’ll get a message from Mercari if the seller accepts, declines, or counter your offer.

Making inquiries about listings on Poshmark vs. Mercari for buyers

Inquiring about a listing on Poshmark

On Poshmark, every inquiry a buyer makes about a listing appears as a comment, and everyone can see them.

But to send a private message to a Poshmark seller, add the item you’re inquiring about to a bundle.

Then message the seller from the bundle.

That way, you can negotiate prices without anyone knowing your business.

Inquiring about a listing on Mercari

To message a Mercari seller, scroll under the listing description.

By the seller profile, you’ll see message.

Click that button to chat with the seller about a listing.

You can even haggle prices with the seller before you buy stuff from them.

Returns for buyers on Poshmark vs. Mercari

Poshmark returns

You can return a purchase if there is a flaw the seller did not mention.

But you may not get a refund if it concerns clothes or shoe size.

Mercari returns

The same applies to Mercari.

So you can only return an item on Mercari if the seller didn’t mention an imperfection, etc.

Recommended posts

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Pros and cons of Poshmark for buyers

Pros of shopping on Poshmark

Faster shipping:

On average, Poshmark shipping is pretty fast.

Because Poshmark sellers ship with only USPS priority mail.

So once your item is shipped, you’d get it in at least two to three days.

This is not to say Poshmark sellers always ship fast. No.

It means once your item starts tracking, know you’ll get it soon.

Cheaper shipping for bundles

When you buy bundles on Poshmark, most of the time, the shipping cost stays the same.

Unless is bundle is over 5lb.

Easy returns

Another advantage of shopping on Poshmark is that you can return items that are not as the seller described.

And Poshmark only requires you to send pictures of the flaws or reasons you’re returning the item.

Then send you a return label to ship the item back to the seller.

But you won’t get a refund if you don’t return it within five days.

And Poshmark will pay the seller their earnings.

Buyer protection

Poshmark buyers can return items if they’re not as described.

Also, you can get a refund within days of returning the item.

Buyers have up to three days to inspect a purchase and accept or return it.

But the earnings will be released to the seller if you haven’t accepted the item after three days.

Just a quick tip: if you have a problem with your order on Poshmark, please get in touch with customer support.

Not the seller.

Poshmark customer service is slow.

But they can help you better than the seller can.

Freedom to make an offer

When shopping on Poshmark, you can make an offer on a listing.

Because Poshmark doesn’t suggest the lowest offer you can make on an item.

Free shipping

Some Poshmark sellers offer free shipping.

And not paying $7.97 for shipping is a great deal.

Though it’s been added to the cost of the item.

But still, we love free shipping.

Getting offers with discounted shipping

Another perk of shopping on Poshmark is that sellers can send you offers with lower shipping rates.

So when you like an item, the seller can send you an offer.

But with a discounted shipping cost to sweeten the deal for you.

However, you cannot get lower shipping if you send an offer to the seller.

Customized search results

When searching for clothing and shoes on Poshmark, the search results are usually in your size.

Because when you sign up on Poshmark, you can add your sizes.

So you’re not overwhelmed with things that aren’t your size or available in your size.

Still, read the description and confirm the size before buying.

Cons of shopping on Poshmark

Longer shipping window

One of the drawbacks of shopping on Poshmark is that sellers have up to 7 days to ship an item.

And because of this long shipping time, some sellers don’t ship on time.

Sometimes, you’d wait three, four, or five days before a seller ships your purchase.

And you can only cancel the order after seven days.

High shipping cost even for small items

Another con of buying stuff on Poshmark is that there are no lower shipping costs for lightweight items like jewelry or small accessories.

So whether you buy a pair of earrings or a bundle of clothes, you’d pay $7.97 for shipping.

Slow customer service

You can only contact Poshmark customer service by email.

And it can take up to 24 hours to hear back from Poshmark customer support.

Pros and cons of shopping on Mercari

Perks of shopping on Mercari

Private messaging

One of the perks of shopping on Mercari is that you can haggle prices with sellers in private chats.

Since Mercari doesn’t do comments under listings like Poshmark.

You can return items on Mercari.

Also, on Mercari, you can return items that aren’t as described.

But if you don’t like how an item fits, Mercari won’t refund you.

Lower shipping rates for lightweight items

Another advantage of shopping on Mercari is lightweight items cost less to ship.

So you’d pay less for a pair of earrings or lightweight clothes.

Cons of shopping on Mercari

Sold items showing in search results

When searching for stuff on Mercar, the search results show sold and available items.

Then you have to filter your search to see only available items.

High shipping rates

Sometimes Mercari shipping costs can be unnecessarily high.

Some sellers list shoes with a $13 shipping.

It’s too high.

Suggesting offer prices

When making an offer on Mercari, they always suggest several offers.

So you can’t offer a price lower than what Mercari suggests.

But you can contact the seller and see if they’d accept a lower offer.

If yes, they’d adjust the price, and you can buy it.

Conclusion on Poshmark vs. Mercari for buyers

So those are the differences and similarities between Poshmark and Mercari for buyers.

I hope this helps you choose the best place to shop.

If you find this post helpful, please share it.

Thanks for reading.

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