Key Points:
- 10,000+ brands use Mercari to sell new and used products
- Offering free shipping helps conversions increase and decrease cart abandonment
- Easyship offers up to 91% off discounted shipping rates on 250+ couriers, so Mercari merchants can save big while scaling globally
Selling on Mercari is one of the most popular eCommerce marketplaces to sell on. In fact, the marketplace has over 20 million monthly active users and over 2 billion listings from merchants in the United States alone.
Selling on Mercari is proven to be a profitable business venture for merchants across the nation, which is why 10,000+ brands use the platform to sell new or used products. We’ll cover everything you need to know about selling on Mercari so you can run a successful eCommerce business.
Table of Contents
What is Mercari?
Mercari is a Japanese eCommerce marketplace where you can buy and sell anything. The popular marketplace has a user-friendly and straightforward listing process, so merchants can easily set up their online store.
Thinking about what to sell on Mercari? Some of the top-selling products on what to sell on Mercari include:
- Small electronics
- Video games and gaming systems
- Trendy/designer clothing items
- Purses and bags
- Outdoor/sporting goods
With over 2 billion listings on Mercari, the popular eCommerce marketplace has proven a profitable business venture for online businesses. Plus, it’s entirely free to create and list your products on the Mercari marketplace.
How to Sell on Mercari
Setting up your Mercari store can be done in several simple steps. We’ll go over the step-by-step process in this section so that you can start selling on Mercari in no time.
1. Sign up for an account
First, you’ll want to create your Mercari account to get started with your online store. Creating your account is entirely free, and you can sign up by downloading the app from the app store or visiting the Mercari website.
2. Find an item you want to sell
Next, choose an item you want to sell on the Mercari marketplace. Some of the top product categories include small electronics, designer clothing, sports equipment, and more. Though you’re not limited to the top product categories, choose something that will attract buyers.
3. Create a listing with lots of details
Make sure you include lots of more information for your product listing. You’ll want to have vivid details in your listing, such as:
- Product brand
- The model name of the product
- The color of the product
- The product size and dimensions
- Condition of the product
Mercari requires a minimum of five words for product descriptions and allows up to 1,000 characters. Plus, you can add up to 3 hashtags for your product listing and choose a product category.
4. Take good quality photos
Mercari sellers can upload up to 12 photos per listing. Ensure the area is well-lit so that you can take a good, clear shot of the product listing. Try to include varying product angles and use natural light for photographs so potential buyers know what they’re getting exactly.
5. Provide shipping information
When you list a product, you’ll need to answer two questions related to shipping. The required questions include the following:
- What zipcode will the item ship from
- Who pays for shipping (i.e., the buyer or seller)
Consider offering free shipping to your buyers to help your product listing stand out. Plus, offering free shipping helps conversions increase and decrease cart abandonment.
6. Check your messages for interested buyers
Check your messages periodically if a buyer reaches out to you about questions or price negotiations. You never know, a potential buyer may want to offer a counteroffer to your product listing.
7. Ship your items
Once the item sells, you have three business days to ship it with tracking. After delivery is confirmed, Mercari will release your money after a 48-hour hold. The sooner you send your sold item, the sooner the buyer will rate the seller so you can get paid.
Related post: How to Ship on Mercari
How Much Does It Cost to Sell on Mercari?
Mercari takes a 10% commission fee (or selling fees) on everything you sell. So, for example, say you sold an item for $20, Mercari receives $2 as commission for using Mercari.
Mercari also incurs fees related to payment processing. The popular marketplace charges 2.9% plus $0.30 for each payment.
10 Tricks for Selling on Mercari
Not sure what to sell on Mercari? Mercari is one of the most popular marketplaces for eCommerce merchants. This section will cover all the tips and tricks of selling on Mercari, so merchants like yourself know how selling on Mercari works and what to sell on Mercari.
Sell name-brands
Selling name brands on Mercari is one way to gain customers’ attention. Some popular name brands include the following:
- Adidas
- Coach
- Nike
- Yeezy
Though merchants don’t have to sell name brands on Mercari, name-brand merchandise will sell faster than unfamiliar brands.
List during popular buying times for selling on Mercari
Selling during popular buying times can help Mercari sellers gain extra visibility for their product listings. But, for example, listing a product during the middle of the night will do more harm than good since buyers are less likely to be online.
According to research, the most popular days for online shopping occurs between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday. So instead, eCommerce sellers should consider listing new products during this timeframe.
Use the correct selling terminology
It’s essential to use the proper selling terminology for your listings. This way, buyers can quickly identify if the product is right for them. For Mercari sellers, it’s important to use popular terms, such as the following:
- NIB: New in box
- NWT: New with tags
- NWOT: New without tag
- Sz: Size
While this terminology refers mostly to selling clothes, it can apply to a number of items such as video games or sports equipment. The more information you give your buyers, a better chance you can sell your items quickly. Plus, using the correct terminology means no hidden surprises for your buyers.
Write robust listing descriptions
Similarly to using the correct selling terminology, writing great listings is essential. Mercari sellers have up to 1,000 characters for listing descriptions ad 40 characters for your listing headline.
Your product description is an excellent opportunity to include information, such as the following:
- Why you’re selling the item
- Keywords related to your listing
- A description related to the brand, color, size, condition, etc.
Overall, your goal is to convince potential buyers to purchase your product, which is why you want to make sure you’re honest and write a full description to attract buyers.
Take multiple product photos for selling on Mercari
Mercari allows sellers to add up to 12 photos per listing, which leaves ample room for you to showcase the item you’re selling. It’s essential to use natural lighting and capture every angle, so buyers know what they’re buying.
Accept negotiators or make counteroffers
Be open to Mercari buyers who make a counteroffer to your product listing. Though you’re not required to accept counteroffers, consider taking counteroffers – especially for slower-selling items.
If you’re not open to buyers making negotiations, write that your pricing is the final sales price. This way, buyers won’t contact you about your product listings.
Price yourself competitively when selling on Mercari
Competitively pricing your items is one way to sell fast on Mercari. Before you list your items, do your research on comparable listing prices. For instance, if your prices are 10% higher than other eCommerce sellers, your item might take longer for selling on Mercari.
Verify your profile before selling on Mercari
Mercari allows sellers to verify their Mercari profile by uploading a photo of their ID. Once you verify your account, you’ll see a purple Mercari verification badge on your seller account.
Verifying your Mercari account helps buyers trust you more and takes just a few clicks to do so before selling on Mercari.
Consider offering free shipping for selling on Mercari
Free shipping entices 79% of US consumers to make a purchase online. Luckily, Mercari merchants can offer free shipping for buyers to keep up with the competition.
Plus, offering free shipping improves your product listing’s visibility. So if you have a comprehensive enough profit margin, consider offering free shipping to your buyers when selling on Mercari.
Promote your listings
As a Mercari seller, it’s essential to use the “Promote” and “Offers to Likers” features to promote your Mercari listing.
Here’s how to use these features for your listings:
- Offers to Likers: Reducing your listing price by 10% will prompt Mercari to send a notification about your price decrease to your previous 50 likers
- Promote: By reducing your listing price by 5%, Mercari will boost your listing visibility. Plus, Mercari notifies anyone who liked your item about the lower product price
A single product listing can only be promoted once every 24 hours. However, you can keep a product in a promotional state if you lower your listing price by five or ten percent every few days. It’s important to note that you want to make sure you’re still staying within your profit margins if you choose to reduce your listing price.
Selling on Merari with Easyship
By now, you should be equipped to sell on Mercari like a well-seasoned pro. First, you’ll also want to have a seamless shipping process to help your online store thrive.
Fortunately, Easyship saves users up to 91% off discounted shipping rates on 250+ couriers. This way, you can reach all your customers while gaining new customers. Easyship offers multiple premium shipping tools to help you create a frictionless shipping experience.
As a Mercari merchant, you’ll gain instant access to tools like the following:
- Easyship Shipping Rates Calculator: Access high-volume discounts from major couriers. Plus, get instant access to delivery lead times from premium shipping couriers for selling on Mercari
- Shipping Policy Generator: Our shipping policy generator helps merchants and crowdfunding campaigns generate their shipping policy by providing tracking and insurance options, plus other vital information for your shipping process
- Easyship Branding Suite: Easyship provides a delivery experience consistent with your brand. Add your logo and advertising materials to your packing slips, shipping labels, landing pages, and tracking emails
Easyship offers 24/7 customer service for eCommerce merchants and shipping protection up to $10,000. Now, you can lower the cost of shipping for your Mercari store and focus more on promoting your product listings for selling on Mercari.
Ready to ship? Sign up for a FREE Easyship account and get instant access to premium shipping tools to simplify your shipping process for selling on Mercari
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