Looking to make money selling on Mercari?
Whether you’re decluttering your home or flipping thrift store items, here’s what you need to know to sell successfully.
A bit about me…
Before we get started in what you need to know about selling on Mercari, I want to take a quick moment to introduce myself!
My name is Lee and I’m a stay-at-home mom to three kiddos. Not too long ago we were struggling to get by on one income.
Then a friend told me about her reselling business (flipping thrift store items online) and it changed my life!
Fast forward a bit. We are no longer barely getting by. In fact, I’ve made over $55,000 flipping thrift store items just by working a few hours a week mostly during naptimes!
I now teach people just like you how to make some serious moolah doing the same!
If you’re ready to get started, sign up now for my free course, Reseller Bootcamp. It’s sent straight to your inbox and covers everything you need to know to get started!
Selling On Mercari – 13 Things You Need To Know
Okay, so you’re ready to start making some money and you’re looking at Mercari to help you do it!
Here are 13 things you need to know to successfully sell on Mercari:
1. What Is Mercari?
If you don’t know what Mercari is, is an app and website to help you buy and sell items. It is a Japanese-based company that is quickly growing it’s US Market.
There have been over 50 million app downloads by United States customers alone!
That tells you just how popular it is as an app to buy and sell things on!
2. Is Mercari Legit?
Yes! Mercari is a legitimate ecommerce app and website.
As a seller, I can tell you first hand that it is a safe marketplace to buy and sell on.
3. What Are The Fees For Selling On Mercari?
It is always free to list items on Mercari. And there is no limit as to how many items you can list.
You are only charged fees when your items sell.
The fees for selling on Mercari (once your items sell) are pretty low. There are two types of fees you need to be aware of:
- Seller fees
- Transaction fees
Seller Fees
Seller fees are a flat 10%.
It doesn’t matter the category or the amount of your sale; it’s always 10%
Transaction fees
For payment processing, Mercari charges a pretty standard 2.9% + $0.30.
To compare the fees to sell on Mercari, eBay fees are approximately the same, while Poshmark charges 20%.
You will also want to note that Mercari does charge a $2 fee:
- If you want an instant payout
- Want a payout less than $10
- Or if a direct deposit transfer is returned by your bank.
More on getting paid when we get to item #10 on this list!
Learn how you can make money flipping items!
4. How To Get Started Selling On Mercari
To get started selling on Mercari, you will either need to head to the Mercari website or download the Mercari app from your app store.
Once you do that, you will need to create an account. Don’t worry about overthinking your account name. Just choose something and go with it.
Once you’ve set up your account, you’re just about ready to list your first item!
But first, you will want to make sure you have these supplies on hand…
5. Supplies You Need To Get Started
At a minimum, to start selling, I’d recommend getting a postage scale.
Last update on 2023-09-24 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
I’d also recommend having something to print labels on once you make a sale. You can either use a printer with this sticky paper:
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Or you can use a label printer, such as this one:
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The great things about a thermo label printer like this one, is you never need to buy ink.
You’ll also want to have some shipping supplies on hand such as poly mailers and bubble wrap.
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Last update on 2023-09-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
You’ll also want to take advantage of free shipping supplies USPS. You can even get them delivered to you for free! Keep in mind that these are only for use with USPS shipping methods and any other use is in violation of using their supplies.
Go here to get your free shipping supplies from the USPS store.
6. What Can You Sell On Mercari?
Before you start selling, you’ll probably also want to know what you can sell on Mercari?
Like eBay, you can sell just about anything on Mercari. This is perfect whether you are looking to declutter your house and make some money in the process. Or if you’re looking at flipping items for profit.
The sky is pretty much the limit. Clothes, electronics, household items, tools, decor…the list goes on and on.
If you’re wondering what you CAN’T sell on Mercari, check out this list of prohibited items.
Most are pretty self explanatory, such as drugs and stolen or counterfeit goods.
Looking for more ideas of what you can sell? You’ll learn all the secrets in my FREE 5-Day e-Course, Reseller Bootcamp.
7. Listing Items
Once you’ve got your supplies in order, it’s time to start listing.
When you open up the app, at the bottom center you’ll see a button for “sell.” Just click that to go to the selling page.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll see an orange button that says “list an item.” Just click that to start a new listing.
You are now creating a new listing. It should look something like this:
How To Create A Listing On Mercari Step by Step
Photos
The first thing you will come to is photos. Just click the camera icon within the listing to take photos. Alternatively, you can upload photos already taken from your phone’s photo library.
Description
Next is the description. It’s made up of three parts:
- Title – you get 40 characters. You’ll want to include anything buyers would use to search for your item.
- Description – this is a longer description of your item, up to 1,000 characters
- Hashtags – you can add up to 3 optional hashtags. This gives another way for buyers to find your item.
Details
The next section in the listing you’ll come to is “Details.” What you need to enter will depend on what you’re selling. For example, if you’re selling a skin care item, you won’t see “size” available. Here’s what you may see in the section:
- Category – simply keep clicking to narrow down to the correct category
- Brand – use the search function to find the brand
- Condition – select the appropriate condition. Mercari gives a description for each condition type.
- Size – choose the correct size
- Color – choose the appropriate color
Delivery
Now you’ll enter everything pertaining to delivery.
The ships from zip code should all ready be set as your default zip code when you set up your account.
Next you’ll want to choose who pays for shipping – you or the buyer. If you choose to pay shipping, your listing will say “free shipping,” meaning you pay for it. Make sure you add extra into your price to cover shipping if you are going to pay for shipping.
Lastly, you’ll select your shipping method. Mercari will recommend a shipping method. Most of the time the recommendation is correct.
To be sure, just click on the shipping to make sure the correct weight and size are entered. (Some shipping methods can vary based on size).
You’ll also see the option to ship on your own. Only choose this option if you are experienced with shipping. If you are, this is a good way to save money on shipping, especially for items over 1 pound.
Pricing
The final step to get your item listed is the pricing.
Just click in the “set your price” field and you will be taken to this screen:
You’ll notice that Mercari shows similar items that have sold to help you in pricing your own item.
Enter your price, and the “You earn” amount will update accordingly.
(In the example above, it shows -$4.99 as the shipping is set to “I’ll pay” and the price of the item isn’t entered yet.)
Once you’ve got your price entered, simply press the orange “List” button to finalize your item to sell on Mercari.
I've made over $50,000 flipping items on platforms like eBay, Mercari, and Poshmark!
Get started making money today by signing up for my FREE 5-Day Course here:
Tip: Check your junk folder and mark as “Safe” so you don’t miss out on any days of Bootcamp!
8. How To Ship On Mercari
Shipping on Mercari is pretty easy if you’ve chosen to use a shipping label through Mercari (not shipping on your own).
When you’ve sold an item, you’ll get a notification your item has sold.
Just package your item up. Print your label from within the Mercari app, attach it to your package, and get it to the carrier.
This is especially easy if you already have your shipping supplies ready to go.
You can also schedule a free pick up from USPS if that’s the carrier you’re using. Just go here to schedule a pick up.
9. Getting Paid On Mercari
When you sell on Mercari, you won’t get paid until after your buyer receives their item.
They have three days to accept it. Once the item item is accepted by the buyer (or once the three days lapses), Mercari will release your funds.
Your earnings will then be in your account with Mercari. You can use your earnings to make purchases on Mercari, or you can connect your bank account to get a payout.
To see your available balance, just go to your account by clicking on your picture and account name at the top, left of the app home screen.
You’ll then see your available balance, like this:
(I like to get my payouts, so my balance is almost always at $0!)
You’ll have a few options to choose from to get your money from selling on Mercari:
- Instant transfer
- Direct deposit
The direct deposit is free when your balance is over $10.
10. Returns When Selling On Mercari
Like with any platform, this is a small chance you’ll end up with a return when selling on Mercari.
Luckily there is only a 3 day return window. Buyers have 3 days to open a return and it must be opened prior to rating the seller.
Mercari only approves returns for a few reasons such as undisclosed damage and for items not being as described.
Mercari does not give returns for fit or change of mind.
11. Sending Offers
To successfully sell on Mercari, you may need to occasionally send offers to likers.
From your listings, you will see a button that says “Promote”:
Click that, and it will take you to either promoting your item (next in this article) or sending an offer. It will look like this:
Choose the “Offers to likers” option. (Note that you will only be able to send offers for items that have likers.)
You’ll then enter your offer amount like this:
Offers are good for 24 hours.
You’ll also want to note that your offer must be at least 10% lower than your lowest price.
Once you’re happy with the price you entered, you’ll get one more screen to review the fees and submit the offer.
If a buyer accepts the offer, you won’t need to wait around for payment like on some other platforms. The offer is binding and their credit card on file will be charged as soon as they accept.
12. Promoting Items
You can also promote items in addition to (or instead of) sending offers to likers.
You will start at the same place but instead choose “Promote:”
If you choose to promote an item, the price will be lowered 5%. A notification will be send to likers AND your item gets boosted in the search results.
You can promote 10 items a day. Once you’ve reached your limit, you’ll get a message telling you you’ve reached your limit (like above).
Promoted items can be a great way to increase your visibility and bring in those sales!
13. Accepting Offers
In addition to being able to send offers and promote your items, you may on occasion receive offers from buyers.
From the buyer’s end, sending an offer looks like this:
The default option is 15% off, but it also gives options for 10% off as well as 20% off.
You will want to keep this in mind when pricing your items.
Also in very small text, is the option to “Name your price.” Most buyers will use one of the more obvious, easier-to-click percentages Mercari gives.
In any case, being open to offers can help you turn over items more quickly and keep that money coming in.
Thanks for joining me!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article to help you get started selling on Mercari.
If you’d like to learn more about reselling on Mercari and other platforms, I’d encourage you to sign up for Reseller Bootcamp.
Reselling has brought so much freedom to me that I hope to help others like you find the same freedom I’ve found.
I never in a million years thought I’d be able to say I’d made over $55,000 reselling thrift store items.
Again, if you missed the link to Reseller Bootcamp, you can find it here. (Oh and did I mention it’s FREE!).
Hope to see you there soon!
