Mercari is a popular online marketplace where you can buy and sell new or used items. One of the things that sets Mercari apart from other similar platforms is that there are no listing fees. This means that you can list as many items as you want without having to pay any upfront costs. However, just because there are no Mercari listing fees doesn’t mean Mercari doesn’t take money from you. Quite the opposite.
Let’s break down how Mercari makes money and what you can do to avoid these fees.
Mercari Listing Fees
Again, there are no listing fees on Mercari. Instead, Mercari relies on three main sources of revenue: seller fees, payment processing fees, and shipping label fees.
Seller Fees
Mercari charges a 10% fee on all items that are sold. This means that if you sell an item for $100, you will receive $90 and Mercari will keep $10.
Payment Processing Fees
Mercari also charges a 3% fee on all payments that are processed through the platform. So, if you sell an item for $100 and the buyer pays using a credit card, you will receive $97.
Shipping Label Fees
Lastly, Mercari charges a small fee (usually around $2-$7) for every shipping label that is purchased through the platform. Shipping labels can be purchased directly through Mercari or through a third-party service like USPS or UPS.
So how much does Mercari actually take?
Let’s say you are selling an item for $100. After the 10% seller’s fee, you’ll end up with $90. But then you have to take into consideration the payment processing fee and the shipping fees. After all is said and done, an item you sell for $100 will likely only fetch $80 or less (depending on shipping).
How can you avoid paying listing and/or seller fees?
Unfortunately, there really is no way around these fees on Mercari — unless you get lucky and score a coupon for an item discount. If you really want to avoid these fees that can eat into your profit, then you’ll want to hunt down other secondhand marketplaces.
Facebook Marketplace is still free to use, but there are a variety of scams happening on this platform. Be careful and practice extra caution before making any transactions.
Do U Have is another free secondhand marketplace to use. However, this platform is dedicated to buyers looking for items. This means that you can’t post an item for sale, but you can connect with buyers for free and start negotiations. Currently, there are no fees associated with the platform.
Of course, Craigslist is also free. But similar to Facebook Marketplace, you’ll need to practice extreme caution.