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Is Mercari Legit? – Best for Sellers or Not?

Is Mercari Legit? – Best for Sellers or not?

Today’s world entirely depends on advanced technology, right? As we have seen, technology is an integral part of our day-to-day activities. Likewise, Mercari was established with the help of one of the components of advanced technology: the “Online Marketing Form.” It is one of the best sites for all sellers to sell their unwanted products.

Now, people are thinking about Mercari’s Platform, an entirely new concept founded in 2013. The majority of people are not aware of the Mercari word. They felt that it might be a type of application. As it is entirely online-based marketing, many often avoid selling or buying any products from the Mercari platform because they are pretty afraid and don’t have accurate information about this platform.

So, in this article, we will discuss all the essential information about the Mercari Platform, its features, pros and cons, the sign-up process, reviews, and much more.

Let’s start the discussion with its meaning first.

What is Mercari?

Mercari was founded by Shintaro Yamada in Japan in 2013. It is an online marketing platform for selling and buying products and services. The primary purpose of establishing this platform is to benefit all their customers, who can sell their old products and earn more money. 

Mercari’s slogan is “Making Secondhand Your First Choice.” In 2014, Mercari entered the U.S. market and became one of the prominent online marketplaces in the country, with 20 million plus users. 

The headquarters of the Mercari was located in Palo Alto, California, and the San Francisco area. Mercari gets 3.5 rating stars out of 5 on their website page. The only negative review about Mercari is concerned with its poor customer service.

Features of Mercari:

Now, let’s see some of the unique features offered by Mercari to their customers, such as,

  1. One of the most significant features of Mercari is that it provides the facility of a “buy now and pay later” policy.
  2. Mercari is for all the local citizens.
  3. It also imparts the seller and the buyer’s protection.

Charges of the Mercari:

Mercari charges different amounts as per their different sections. For instance, the final sale price is different according to the features of the product and its demands. The cancellation price, payment processing cost, etc., vary from location to location. Here, we present you the basic charging section of the Mercari fees, which are as follows. 

  • Listing fees: No charges are applicable (No Fees)
  • Final Selling Fees: 10% (Basic)
  • Payment Processing Cost: 2.9% + $0.50 per sale
  • Mercari Authentication Charges: $5 to $10
  • Cancellation Charges: 5% off the item prices ($25 at Max)

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Mercari Platform:

Advantages of the Mercari Platform:

  1. Its listing cost is completely free.
  2. You can easily bargain for the products and their prices
  3. The selling cost is comparatively lower.
  4. You can quickly ship your products.
  5. The buyer and seller easily communicate via its online chatting feature.
  6. Your overall business is managed by your phone only, so there is no need to go anywhere to manage your business.

Disadvantages of the Mercari:

  1. You can not buy any lower-end items from Mercari.
  2. Sometimes, it’s frustrating to communicate with the products sold because some are not active on the platform.
  3. You can only pay when you rate your seller’s product. 

So, these are the pros and cons of using the Mercari online marketing platform.

Is Mercari Legit?

Yes, Mercari is a 100% Legit site for those people who want to earn some extra cash benefits. It is straightforward to use, and the platform does not charge any listing fees. With the help of this platform, you can quickly sell all the old and unwanted items, and in place of that, you also get a variety of options for many other products.

How Mercari Works?

Mercari is another online marketplace type that includes Amazon, eBay, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Poshmark, Etsy, and many more. You can also be a part of this platform by participating in this platform and being with the buyer or seller. 

As a seller, you can sell your items that others may be interested in purchasing. As a buyer, you can purchase the item from any seller.

Mercari offers all those product ranges, which are also available on other sites, like Amazon. Mercari ranges include video games, clothes, home decor products, sports, electronics, toys, etc.

Types of Mercari:

As discussed above, Mercari is useful for both sellers and buyers. So, there are mainly two types of Mercari: one for sellers and the other for buyers.

  • Mercari for its Seller:

Selling anything with the help of Mercari is a very simple process. You just need to set up an account and list the items in it.

But, the thing is, there are also some restrictions on selling some of the items, including;

  1. Any illegal drugs 
  2. Tobacco and alcohol
  3. FDA-restricted foods
  4. Firearms, Ammunition, and Other related parts
  5. Digital items like any software or Ebooks
  6. Stolen Information
  7. Insurance
  8. Legal documents like Licenses and Passports
  9. Any gambling instruments
  10. Mystery Purchases
  11. Pets and other livestock
  12. Human body parts are highly restricted.
  13. Any Hazardous Materials which may damage many other items
  14. Viruses and Malware, etc.

Note: It is mandatory to sell your products by uploading clear and recent photos of each item and writing all the details about your product.

  • Mercari for its Buyer:

When you want to purchase anything from the Mercari Platform, the process is very short and simple. You just have to sign up on the platform and then freely search for the item you want to buy. 

Once you sign up and select the item you want to buy, you can contact your seller directly using online details or via chat. Once the discussion is completed, you must select the payment method to pay for that product.

Note: Sellers only have three business days to ship the purchased items. So, if you receive a damaged product, you must request a replacement or refund within three business days. 

Payment Methods Accepted by Mercari:

Once the buyer purchases an item with the help of Mercari, the real question arises regarding this payment process. Many platforms have restricted many payment methods. So, the user needs to see which payment method is accepted by the Mercari Platform.

Mercari accepts the following payment  methods;

  • All major credit cards
  • PayPal
  • Apple Pay
  • Mercari Credit
  • Mercari Balance, etc.

Note: Currently, Mercari is not accepting any cards issued outside of the U.S. states.

As discussed above, one has to select the payment and delivery method for your purchasing item, which is quite confusing for the customer, as there are many options available, including local meetups and various shipping centers, like FedEx and U.S. Postal Services (USPS). 

It is important to note that Mercari provides shipping protection of up to $200 for its shipping options, which is the only reason buyers don’t have to buy expensive products from the Mercari Platforms. 

Another negative point of selling on Mercari is its complicated return policy.

How to Sign Up for Mercari:

Every platform has its ways to start. Likewise, Mercari also has its process to sign up, which is as follows:

  1. Open the link www.Mercari.com, and select the Sign-up option.
  2. You can also use your Facebook ID in the sign-in process or create a new one by entering your email ID and phone number and creating a username and password; it completely depends on the customer.
  3. Then, Verify your phone number to continue with this account.
  4. Mercari will notify you via email ID to check your email address.
  5. Once you open the website, you will see an option at the top right-hand side called “List an Item.” Click on that option and list the items you want to buy.
  6. After selecting the item, connect with your seller via the chatting feature.
  7. Then, add the payment method and pay for the product you want to purchase.

So, this is a very simple and effective method for signing up for the Mercari platform.

Ways to Sell the Product Safely with the Help of Mercari:

Here are the different ways in which you can quickly sell your products on Mercari;

  • Always honestly show the product images and product list to the customer.
  • Shipping the item correctly without damaging any of the products.
  • Take all the shipment details as a print bill, so there is no chance of misleading creation.
  • It is the seller’s responsibility not to send any illegal and restricted products to their customer.

Tips to Avoid the Scam in Mercari:

The following are some of the tips that everyone must consider to avoid scamming issues in Mercari,

  • Tip 1: Never share your Personal Information and Banking Information until necessary.
  • Tip 2: Don’t try to deal with the seller personally. If a situation occurs, Mercari is not at all responsible for it.
  • Tip 3: Avoid buying damaging review products.
  • Tip 4: Build a strong Mercari password that no one can access.
  • Tip 5: You only have three days to decide whether to replace or return the purchased item, so you must choose quickly.
  • Tip 6: Make a note of all those items you cannot sell on this site. 
  • Tip 7: This tip is essential for all Mercari members, who should always use their credit cards only.

Reviews:

Mercari’s rating in the Apple App Store is 4.8 out of 5, and the average rating of stars using Google Pay is 4.5. Now, let’s see the actual reviews from some of its regular customers:

  • One of its users stated that Mercari is a great way to earn extra money by selling our oldest products.
  • Mercari also has a Trustpilot customer rating of 3.1 from its 18,000 reviews, which is quite good, with 72% of reviewers giving a 4-5 star rating.
  • Some buyers state that Mercari permits the scammer to run their site, so they are disappointed with this program and will never visit this site again. 
  • Many have also complained that the item is not the same as what is mentioned in the list.

So, these are mostly positive reviews, along with some negative reviews from both the user and the seller.

Conclusion:

Mercari is an online marketing platform that is helpful for sellers who want to sell their products and earn extra money/ rewards from this platform. As it is an online platform, people are worried about its safety, so they avoid using such sites. However, Mercari is completely a Legitimate site that protects sellers and buyers from any kind of scams. 

This article provides detailed information about its services and policy, as well as pros and cons, customer reviews, and much more, which can help you learn more about the Mercari Online Platform.