Everything About Mercari + Why You Should Start ASAP

Are you looking for ways to make some money? Do you have things around the house you want to get rid of but you don’t want to give them away? Mercari is a great way to sell your items. You can sell anything from a coffee mug to a sweatshirt. If you have been selling your items on eBay, you’ll love this selling app too. If you have items for sale on eBay, you can list them on Mercari too for double the chance of a sale! Continue reading to find out how to sell on Mercari.

What is Mercari?

Mercari is so simple to sell on. Other than eBay, it is my favorite platform to sell on. I just discovered Mercari in the past couple of years and I wish I had been listing on this platform sooner. There are millions of buyers on this app and the low final value fees keep me listing. I love how you know exactly how much you are going to make when you list it. There are no weird or hidden fees like eBay can give you, it’s just a straight fee on every item.

Selling on Mercari is simpler than eBay

It is so easy to list on Mercari. You just take a few pictures, fill out a few details, set your price, and you’re done.

Mercari has no auctions. Every listing is a buy it now. However, buyers can send you an offer for your item.

Mercari fees explained

Listing is free, unlike eBay. There is a 10% final value fee + 2.9% & $0.30 transaction fee.

It’s so easy and FREE to list your items, so why not try? First step is to download the app.

How to list

It’s simple to list on Mercari. Follow the steps below to make your first sale fast.

Pictures make the sale

Pictures are the most important part of your listing. Mercari allows you to upload 12 images to your listing. Use all 12. Include every detail and every tag. The more pictures you include, the more your buyer will buy your item with confidence.

When buyers are scrolling through Mercari, they don’t even see the titles. So this means your picture will make the sale.

Do you need a backdrop? A white background looks very professional and clearly shows the item. You can buy a cute wood one if you want cute but some of your items might blend in so take that into consideration when buying one. Shop backdrops on Amazon here.

Do you need a mannequin? No. I love my mannequin but if you are trying to keep your initial costs low, just lay it flat on the white background on the ground or hanging on the wall. When you start making enough to justify buying a mannequin, then look into it. Shop mannequins on Amazon here.

Description

Details and 3 hashtags

There are a few details you can fill out on Mercari. These include the category, brand, condition, size, and color. Fill all these out so you don’t miss a sale.

These 3 little hashtags help buyers find your item. You may add the brand or type.

Shipping

It is important that you choose your shipping preferences when listing your item because when it sells Mercari sends you a shipping label and you can not change the label.

You have the option to choose let the buyer pay for shipping or you will pay for shipping.

Offers and promoting items

Offers | You will get a ton of offers on Mercari. But I almost always accept the offers I receive.

Promote | This is how you send likers offers and how you put a sale on an item. You can choose public sale (lowers the price) or a private sale (offers sent to people who have liked it).

What to do once your item sells

Once your item sells, you are sent a shipping label that you can print out. Once you have dropped off your package, you confirmed that you shipped the item in the Mercari app.

Mercari requires you to ship your item within 3 days, but I always ship mine next day. (It makes the buyer happy and they can’t cancel their purchase once you’ve shipped it!)

How you get paid

1. Once the buyer has received the item, they have three days to confirm they received it.
2. After the buyer confirms, you rate the buyer and the funds are added to your Mercari balance.
3. Then you either shop on Mercari with your balance or transfer it to your bank account.

Instant Pay | You can get paid immediately any time of the day for a $2 fee.

Direct Deposit | Once your balance gets to $10, it is free to transfer to your bank in 3-5 days.

Must-haves for selling on Mercari

Scale | It is important that you know how much your item weighs when listing it so your shipping label is correct. I absolutely recommend this one. I’ve used it every day for years and it’s so perfect. (and it’s less than $20!) Shop shipping scales on Amazon here.

Free USPS boxes | I am constantly ordering boxes from USPS. My favorites that I keep on hand at all times is the Shoe Box, Large Mailing Box (not the flat rate one), and the Padded Flat Rate Envelope.

Printer | I don’t tell resellers they need a fancy $300 label printer. Any printer does the job. I’ve been printing on regular copy paper with a regular printer for over 6 years and it works great! (Shout out to my ADORABLE tiny white printer- I love it!) I buy all my ink on eBay and it is a lot cheaper. Shop printers on Amazon here.

Polymailers | Yes, you do need polymailers. This is a definite must-have when selling anything under one pound especially clothes. You can find hundreds of cute styles on Amazon. Use these for shipping First Class. About 70% of my items go out in a polymailer. You can not use a Priority Mail package or box if you are shipping it out First Class. (The mail service will bill you!) Shop polymailers on Amazon.

Cross-list for more chance of selling

I cross-list all my items using Vendoo. I absolutely love this way of speed listing on eBay, Mercari, Poshmark, Tradesy, Depop, Etsy, and Kidzen. I can list on all platforms within a minute and once it sells I just click what platform it sold on. It has definitely increased my sales. Click here for big savings off your first month.

Encouragement to keep listing

Don’t give up. Sometimes you will get upset because an angry buyer wants to return an item, or you may not make as much as you wanted on an item that sold. The more you sell, the more you figure out what works for you. 

Just a few reselling tips:

• Don’t invest too much on each item, because you make money at the buy.
• List items just a little more than what they have been selling for. Then don’t be afraid to put a sale on them in a month.
• Keep your inventory organized as you list. This is key to selling online. Check it out: How to Organize your eBay Inventory
• Ship items that sell during the day every night. Don’t put it off until the morning. Then set up a pick up on usps.com so you don’t have to leave your house. Check it out: How to Ship Items on eBay
• Keep your shipping cost low, this is how you make more.
• Retake your pictures and change up your title if your items are not selling. Check it out: How to Take Good Pictures

One thing to remember: if you don’t list, you don’t last. The more you list on eBay = the more you sell = the more you make. So don’t give up! Keep listing because eBay works.

What platform do you like selling on the best?

What is your most successful flip?

Comment Below!

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