I still remember the first time I listed something on Mercari back in 2018. It was a TI-83 Plus graphing calculator from high school that had been gathering dust in a drawer for a decade. I listed it for $40, and within twenty minutes, my phone buzzed. It sold. No bidding wars, no week-long wait times—just cash.
That quick dopamine hit hooked me immediately. Since then, I’ve completed over 800 transactions on the platform, selling everything from vintage Pyrex bowls to unused skincare products. But if you look up Mercari reviews online right now, you will see a chaotic mix of five-star praise and one-star horror stories. It’s confusing.
Is it a digital garage sale goldmine, or a haven for headaches? The truth is, it is a little bit of both.
Is Mercari Legit? Unpacking the Platform’s Reputation
When friends ask me "is Mercari legit," I usually tell them to look at the company’s history. This isn't some fly-by-night operation run out of a basement. Mercari started in Japan, where it is absolutely massive—basically their version of eBay. It launched in the US in 2014 and has grown into a major player in the resale market.
But legitimacy goes beyond just being a registered company. It is about trust.
(Here is where things get interesting.)
Mercari occupies a weird middle ground in the resale world. It is not as polished as Poshmark, which focuses heavily on fashion and community sharing. It is not as auction-focused or technical as eBay. It feels like a massive, nationwide yard sale. You can find high-end Gucci bags right next to half-used bottles of perfume (yes, people buy those) and custom Funko Pops.
Because it is so open, the reviews about Mercari tend to vary wildly based on what people are buying or selling. If you are selling high-risk items like electronics or designer sneakers, your experience will be vastly different from someone selling baby clothes.
In my experience, the platform is technically reliable. The app works, the payments process correctly, and the shipping labels generate instantly. However, the "human element" is where the variance happens. I once bought a "new" jacket that arrived smelling like a campfire. Was Mercari the scammer? No. The user was. But Mercari’s handling of that situation is what really matters.
Navigating Mercari Reviews for Buyers
If you are digging through Mercari reviews for buyers, you are likely worried about safety. Can you trust the photos? Will the item actually show up?
I have bought about 150 items on Mercari. Here is the breakdown:
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140 items: Arrived exactly as described, often with a nice handwritten note.
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8 items: Arrived with minor flaws not mentioned (small stains, wrong color).
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2 items: Never shipped, and I had to get a refund.
So, is it safe? Yes, but you have to be street-smart.
One specific instance stands out. In 2021, I was hunting for a Nintendo Switch. I found one for $150—about $100 under market value. The seller had zero reviews and a username that looked like a keyboard smash (e.g., "user883920"). My gut said no. I checked the photos, and they looked grainy. A quick reverse image search revealed they were stolen from an eBay listing in the UK.
That was a scam attempt. But had I bought it, Mercari would have held my money.
How Payment Works (The Safety Net) Mercari does not release your money to the seller until:
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The tracking shows the item was delivered.
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You rate the seller (confirming the item is okay).
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OR, three days pass after delivery with no report from you.
This "three-day rating window" is your golden shield. If you receive a box of rocks instead of a PlayStation, you open a return request within those three days, and Mercari freezes the funds. If you rate the seller, the transaction is closed, and you are out of luck.
My Experience: Is It a Good Selling App?
Now the tricky part. Is Mercari actually a good selling app compared to the giants like eBay?
For years, my answer was a simple "yes" because it was easy. But in 2024, Mercari made a radical change that shook the community. They eliminated selling fees.
You read that right. Zero selling fees.
Previously, they took 10% plus a processing fee. Now, if I list a mug for $20, I keep $20. This sounds like paradise, and financially, it has been great for my bottom line. I used to lose hundreds a year to fees; now I keep that profit.
However, there is a catch. (There is always a catch).
To balance the books, Mercari shifted the fees to the buyer. Buyers now pay a "Service Fee" that varies based on the item, plus a payment processing fee. This made Mercari reviews from buyers turn sour very quickly. Buyers hate seeing a $20 item turn into $35 at checkout after shipping, tax, and service fees.
Despite this, I still make daily sales. Why? because the sticker price looks lower. I can list an item for $18 instead of $22 because I don't need to cover the fee.
The "Mercari Local" Factor Another feature I have tested is Mercari Local (powered by Uber). I sold a heavy stand mixer that would have cost a fortune to ship. A driver picked it up from my porch and drove it to the buyer across town. It was seamless. If you sell bulky items, this feature alone makes Mercari a contender for the best app to sell items locally without the awkwardness of meeting a stranger from Facebook Marketplace in a parking lot.
The Dark Side: Common Mercari Scams
We have to talk about the Mercari scams. No platform is immune, but Mercari has specific flavors of fraud you need to watch out for.
1. The "Text Me" Scam This is the most common one I see. I listed a laptop once, and within seconds I got a message: "I'm interested! Can you text me at 555-0199 for more photos? The images aren't loading here." Do not do it. As soon as you text them, they will try to trick you into a fake payment or steal your login info. Mercari’s chat filters usually catch these quickly, but some slip through.
2. The "Change Address" Scam A buyer purchases your item, then immediately messages you: "Hey, I forgot to update my address! Can you ship it to my mom's house instead?" If you ship to any address other than the one on the official label, you lose all seller protection. If they claim "item not received," you have no proof because the tracking shows it went to a different zip code. I learned this the hard way with a pair of sneakers in 2019. I lost the shoes and the money.
Shipping and Returns: Where Reviews Turn Negative
If you read negative reviews about Mercari, 80% of them are about shipping or returns.
Mercari offers prepaid labels, which makes listing incredibly fast. You just guess the weight, and they give you a QR code. But accuracy is non-negotiable here.
I once guessed a bundle of jeans weighed 2 lbs. They actually weighed 2 lbs 4 oz. The post office caught it, charged the difference, and Mercari deducted it from my earnings plus an administrative fee. It was a painful lesson. Now, I use a dedicated shipping scale for everything.
The Return Policy Limitations Unlike eBay, where you can set your own return policy (like "No Returns"), Mercari controls everything.
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Buyers cannot return for "fit" or "smell" (technically).
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Buyers CAN return for "not as described."
This creates a gray area. I sold a vintage wool sweater that was clearly described as "shrunken fit." The buyer opened a return claiming it was "damaged" because it was small. Mercari approved the return. I got my sweater back, but I was out the time and effort. It is a risk you take.
People Often Ask Me: Why Are the Fees So Weird Now?
This is the number one question in my inbox lately. "Why am I paying a fee to buy used pants?"
Here is how I explain it: Mercari is trying to flip the script. By removing seller fees, they hope to flood the platform with inventory. More stuff = more buyers. The buyer fees are variable (which is annoying—you don't know the exact fee until checkout), but they usually hover around 10%.
My advice? If you are a buyer, bundle items. Sellers are usually willing to offer a discount on a bundle that offsets those new service fees. It is a negotiation game now.
Common Question I See: Can You Get Scammed Easily?
"Is it easy to get scammed?"
If you stay on the app, it is actually quite hard to lose money.
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As a buyer: Your money is safe until you rate.
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As a seller: You don't ship until the app says "Sold - Ship Now."
The only time I truly felt "scammed" was not by a user, but by the automated support. I had a package destroyed by USPS. It was crushed. I submitted photos to Mercari support. Because I hadn't used their prepaid label (I used my own via Pirate Ship to save money), they denied my insurance claim initially. It took ten emails to get a human to review it.
So, is it easy? No. Is it frustrating? Sometimes.
Comparing Mercari to Other Apps to Sell Items
I don't just use Mercari. I’m active on Poshmark, eBay, and Depop. To understand if Mercari is the right app to sell itemsfor you, you need to see how it stacks up.
Mercari vs. Poshmark Poshmark is social. You have to "share" your closet constantly to get seen. It is exhausting. Mercari is "list and forget." You list it, and the algorithm shows it to people. However, Poshmark’s shipping is simpler (flat rate for anything under 5lbs). Mercari requires you to weigh everything to the ounce.
Mercari vs. eBay eBay has a much larger audience, but the listing process is tedious. You have to fill out fifty different item specifics. On Mercari, I can list an item in 60 seconds flat. However, eBay’s seller protection is generally more robust for high-value items.
The Verdict on Cross-Listing I realized early on that relying on one app is a mistake. If Mercari bans you (which happens randomly), your business dies. I use Closo to automate cross-listing my inventory. It saves me about 3 hours weekly by taking my Mercari listings and cloning them to Poshmark and Depop. This way, I get the 0% selling fees of Mercari, but the audience reach of Poshmark.
Strategies for Success on Mercari
If you want to have positive Mercari reviews on your profile, you need a workflow.
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Be Honest About Flaws: I zoom in on every scratch or thread pull. Buyers appreciate honesty more than perfection.
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Ship Fast: Mercari gives you 3 business days, but I ship next day. It is the easiest way to get 5 stars.
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Use Tools:
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Scale: A simple kitchen scale works.
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Printer: A thermal printer (like a Rollo) saves a fortune on ink, but a regular printer is fine to start.
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Cross-listing Software: If you are serious, you need to be on multiple apps. I recommend checking out resources like how to start crosslisting to understand the workflow.
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The Reality of Support
I need to manage your expectations regarding Mercari’s support team. It is largely AI-driven.
If you have an issue, you will likely get a canned response first.
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Example: "We understand your frustration..."
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My Tip: Keep replying. Eventually, the ticket escalates to a human.
Opinion time: This is Mercari’s biggest weakness. When things go right, the app is brilliant. When things go wrong, you feel like you are shouting into the void.
Maximizing Your Profit
Since the fee change, I’ve adjusted my strategy. I price items slightly lower on Mercari than on Poshmark to account for the buyer fees.
For example, I might list a jacket for:
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$50 on Poshmark (where I pay $10 fee).
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$40 on Mercari (where I pay $0 fee).
The buyer on Mercari sees a lower price, and even with their added fees, it often comes out cheaper for them, and I make the same profit. It’s a win-win if you do the math.
(This is the secret sauce to winning on the platform right now.)
Conclusion
So, after thousands of dollars in sales and hundreds of trips to the post office, what is the verdict? Is Mercari legit? Yes. Is it perfect? Far from it.
Mercari is the best "casual" selling platform on the market. It is easier than eBay and less demanding than Poshmark. It is perfect for clearing out your closet or flipping thrift store finds for extra cash. However, you must be prepared for the occasional weird buyer, the confusing fee structure, and the automated support.
My recommendation? Download it. List five things from your house that you haven't touched in a year. You might be surprised at how fast they go. Just buy a scale first.
Would you like me to help you draft your first listing description to make sure it hits the algorithm correctly?
