As for how it works for sellers, there are three main steps involved. They are the following:
Sell – Step 1
Take a photo or two of the item or items you want to sell. You will then write a short description of it before setting your selling price.
Creating a bold, descriptive title is essential, as well as an accurate and complete description of your article. The more information you can write about the item you are selling, the better.
More information makes you appear more authoritative and legitimate as a seller to demand the best price for your items.
The next step is to place your article in a specific category to make it easier for people to find your article while browsing.
A brand and condition must also be entered. Remember, you won’t get paid until after the buyer has rated you and the item.
So if your item isn’t new, make sure you describe it accurately, or the buyer won’t accept the product and will be stuck trying to sell it again.
To correctly calculate shipping, you must enter your zip code. This will ensure accurate shipping calculations during the transaction.
Finally, you can set the requested price. Mercari includes the 10% sales fee in the purchase price, so you know how much you’ll have left. I really like this aspect of Mercari because if your item doesn’t sell, you owe nothing.
You only pay Mercari when your item is sold.
Sell – Step 2
When you purchase your item, an electronic packing and shipping label will be sent to you. Mercari pays for this, and all you have to do is print the label, pack, and ship the item.
Sell – Step 3
The buyer will rate the transaction after they have received their item. This is to protect the buyer so that he can verify that the item he sent is the one he purchased.
After that, Mercari sends you your payment.
Buying on Mercari: what is it like for buyers?
I know I explained the buying process earlier, but I want to simplify it into three main steps.
Buy – Step 1
Shoppers are looking for items ranging from clothing to beauty products to novelty items and just about anything else you can think of.
The navigation and search options are extremely easy to use and help you find exactly what you are looking for. Once you find that perfect item, it’s time to see if you can get it for the best price.
Buy – Step 2
Buyers can select the “Buy Button” to buy the item for the asking price or use the mobile app to send a lower offer to the seller. If the purchase is approved, the seller will ship the order within three days.
Buy – Step 3
The final step is to rate the seller and the item. If the item arrives and is not as described, you can return it under Mercari’s Buyer Protection Guarantee.
However, if the product is as described, then the buyer’s payment is released.
As of now, there is no guaranteed best price on Mercari. Some markets have this policy, but Mercari currently does not.
In the worst case, you can request a refund or return within three days of delivery.
Is Mercari legit?
In the eCommerce space, there are scams everywhere. However, speaking from personal experience, Mercari is 100% legit.
The company has been around since 2013, and since then, it has grown to become one of the best buying and selling apps in the United States. As of this writing, the Mercari app has been downloaded just over 45 million times in the United States.
Not only that, but an average of 150K listings are posted every day.
Another point we would like to make is the rating that the app has on Google Play. They maintain an average of 4.5 stars on the Google Play store. Its average App Store rating is 4.8 stars.
This means that some satisfied buyers and sellers use the app, which is a testament to Mercari’s legitimacy.
The bottom line is that Mercari is not a scam. It’s far from a scam company, and it’s a great app for buying and selling just about anything.
Mercari BBB Business Profile
According to the Better Business Bureau, Mercari has a physical location at:
1530 Page Mill Rd #100
Palo Alto, CA 94304-114
(888) 325-2168
Mercari is accredited since 3/10/2014 and has an A+ rating with 220 employees.
The current CEO is John Lagerling.
Selling on Mercari – Is it worth it?
Yes, it’s worth selling your stuff on the app. Let me give you five reasons why:
Reason #1 – Popularity
As mentioned above, the Mercari app has been downloaded over 40 million times, and there are hundreds of thousands of users who regularly buy and sell using the app.
With so many potential buyers, you have a good chance of selling your items.
Reason #2 – Ease of use
Using Mercari as a seller is easy. You sign up for an account, and once everything is set up, you can list your items right away.
Reason #3 – No Meetups
Have you ever tried to sell something on Offer Up or Craigslist ? I don’t know about you, but I feel like a drug dealer meeting people on a corner, hoping they don’t jump me and take all my money.
Is Mercari safe? Absolutely, not having to meet with the buyer is amazing.
Not having to meet buyers in person is one of the best reasons selling on Mercari is worth it. Unlike trading in some apps, this eliminates the chances of running into a risky situation or dealing with scammers who never intended to buy anything in the first place.
Reason #4 – You can earn good money
Mercari offers you a way to earn money fast. Whether you are looking for extra money or want to earn a fair amount, the app gives you both opportunities.
Best of all, Mercari allows you to earn money from home or on the go, for that matter.
Reason #5 – You can start an online business
Many people use buying and selling apps like side hustles . However, you can use Mercari as a foundation for an online business.
You can do a bit of second-hand shopping online and then resell the items on Mercari. Remember, you don’t meet anyone and pre-printed shipping labels are used, which means you don’t spend your own money on shipping and labeling.