Mercari is a website I have mentioned before, such as in our best apps to sell makeup and 36+ apps like Wish posts.  In short, it’s a marketplace where you sell just about anything.  Picture it like an eBay.

If you want to sell something online, it may be a website to consider.  It’s another platform to market whatever you may have to sell.  You can even sell locally if your city allows it.  As a decent alternative to eBay, it’s one you may want to check out, trust me.

In today’s post, I wanted to quickly talk about Mercari, particularly what it costs to sell as well as how it works.

Mercari Selling Fees

NOTE:  This information is accurate of the post date mentioned above.

The great thing about selling on Mercari is that the listing fees are always free.  This is a great perk as many competitors, such as eBay and Etsy, have smaller listing fees that can add up over time.

With Mercari, fees are only charged when an item sells.  Simply put, this means you can leave something up for sale, and if it never sells, you won’t be charged a penny.

So, what happens when your item sells?

According to Mercari, when your item sells, your earnings equal the listing price minus the selling fee, payment processing fee and shipping if you choose the free shipping.

If you were to sell an item, Mercari, at a minimum, will collect a 10% of the item price plus a transaction and a payment fee of 2.9% plus $0.30.

At a minimum, expect Mercari to take at least 12.9% plus $0.30.  If you choose to instantly transfer your money and not wait the standard five~ business days, then you will be charged an additional $2.  Instant pay is optional, but it comes a premium if you want your money right away.

Breaking It Down

Selling Fee:  10%

No matter what your final item sells for, you will be charged 10%.  If you list for $100, then you should expect $10 to go to Mercari.  Let’s not forget the payment processing fees, either…

Payment Processing Fees:  2.9% + $0.30 per transaction

On top of the 10%, you will have to factor in another 2.9% for the payment processing fees.  Let’s use that $100 as an example again.  That’s $2.90 + $10 + that $0.30.  It’s now $13.20, leaving you with $86.80

Money Transfer Fee: $0 – $2

Again, if you’re willing to wait the five business days or so to have the fees deposited into your bank account, then it’s free.  However, if you want your money instantly via the instant pay option, then you will have to pay $2.

Is that worth it?

Well, that’s up to you to decide.  If you’re selling a $200+ item, then maybe it makes sense, but if it’s anything less than $50, then you’re cutting into your profits.

Do note that you can only transfer up to $500 instantly per month, so it’s best to keep this in mind.

Other Fees

There are some fees you have to be aware of, but the odds of incurring them are slim.

• If your “free” direct deposit fails, there’s a $2 rejection payment fee.
• If your balance is less than $10, there’s a $2 fee (in this case, wait until you have more than the $10)
• Lastly, Mercari is straight-forward with shipping, but if you lied about the weight, they will charge you the additional shipping charges.  The cost of shipping, of course, depends on what you’re shipping.

Final Thoughts

The nice thing about Mercari is that they let you know exactly what you’re going to make after the fees.  Unlike eBay, which sends you an invoice weeks later, it’s nice to know what you’re making 100%.  It causes a lot less stress, at least for me.  In the online marketplace world, it’s hard to avoid fees.  They have to pay those server fees somehow, right?

Remember, these fees can change at any given moment, so be sure to follow the official links to know what you could be charged, as it can change at any time.

In the end, Mercari fees aren’t too high nor are they too low.  I’d say they are in the middle, not the best, the not the worst.  The biggest complaint, at least to me, is the customer support.  It doesn’t seem to be on par with other platforms.

That’s going to wrap it up.

As always, if you want to comment on the fees and/or add to what I have already written, be sure to sound off in the comments below.