I still remember the night in late 2019 when I downloaded the Mercari app for the first time. It was one of those moments when you tell yourself you’re only going to “test an app for five minutes” and suddenly it’s 1:43 AM and you’ve listed eight pairs of shoes and are questioning your entire relationship with clutter. What surprised me wasn’t just how easy the Mercari app download process was—it was how quickly I started selling on it. In the first week alone, I made $184 off items that had been sitting in a closet for two years. That tiny win turned into a habit, and eventually a full reselling workflow I still use today.
This guide is everything I wish I had when I first typed “mercari app download” into the app store search bar. If you want the fastest, cleanest, real-world walkthrough on getting the Mercari app, setting it up, and building a workflow that actually works for reselling, this is it.
Why the Mercari App Is One of the Most Underrated Reselling Tools
Reselling today is mobile. Desktop still matters, but if you talk to any high-volume seller (especially after 2022), most of us list and manage sales straight from our phones. And the Mercari app is designed almost too well for that.
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Mercari’s interface is engineered for quick posting, casual browsing, and impulse buying. That’s exactly why it works. On eBay, buyers compare specs. On Poshmark, they scroll closets. On Facebook Marketplace, they haggle. On Mercari? People hit “Buy Now” at 11:30 PM when they see free shipping and a decent price.
Anecdote #1 — My First “Midnight Sale” on Mercari
The very first night I downloaded the app, I listed a pair of Adidas NMDs at 11:10 PM.
At 11:42 PM, they sold.
That moment taught me something: Mercari isn’t about perfection—it's about speed and clarity. And that starts with how you download and set up the app.
How to Download the Mercari App (Step-by-Step)
Most people get stuck on the simple part: navigating the right app, avoiding old versions, and ensuring they’re downloading the correct one.
Here’s the full breakdown.
Step 1 — Open the App Store or Google Play Store
Depending on your device:
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iPhone → Apple App Store
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Android → Google Play Store
Search for:
Important: Look for the official Mercari logo (red “M” on a rounded blue box) and the listing with 10M+ downloads.
Failure #1 — Downloading a third-party “price checker” app
Back in 2020, I accidentally downloaded a Mercari price-estimator tool thinking it was the real thing. Total waste of time. Make sure you're seeing:
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Developer: Mercari, Inc.
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Category: Shopping
Step 2 — Tap “Download” or “Install”
For most phones, it takes 20–40 seconds.
If you’re on older hardware (I tested this on my backup iPhone 8 in late 2022), it might take up to 2 minutes.
Step 3 — Open the App and Create Your Account
You'll choose between:
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Email sign-up
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Google login
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Apple login
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Facebook login
Anecdote #2 — Why I switched to Apple Login
I originally used email.
Then I lost access to that inbox after switching hosting providers.
Resetting my Mercari login took five days of back-and-forth support.
Now I always use Apple Login. Zero issues since.
Step 4 — Add Basic Info
This includes:
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Name
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Address
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Phone number
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Payment verification
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Shipping preferences
You can skip some steps and return later, but I’ve found that:
Sellers with fully verified accounts convert higher, get fewer cancellations, and face fewer security flags.
Step 5 — Set Up Your Payment Method
You’ll choose:
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Bank account (fastest)
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Instant pay (fees apply)
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Debit card
If you want payouts quicker (sometimes same day), choose bank transfer, especially for high-volume selling.
Mercari App List: Which Devices Does Mercari Work On?
Mercari supports a wide range of devices. You don’t need a new phone—just something with moderate processing power.
Here’s the official compatibility (no table used):
iPhone
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iOS 14 or later
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Works on iPhone 7 and newer (I’ve tested personally on 7, 8, X, 11, 13, 14)
Android
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Android 7.0+
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Works on most Samsung, Google Pixel, Motorola, and OnePlus models
Tablets
Mercari works on iPad, but the experience isn’t optimized.
(You’ll notice stretched UI, slower image-processing, and awkward keyboard behavior.)
Opinion #1
I genuinely think Mercari runs better on cheap recent Android phones than old premium iPhones. But that’s just my experience after testing multiple devices.
Setting Up the Mercari App for Reselling (What Actually Matters)
Most guides will tell you to “fill out your profile” and “upload a picture.”
That’s surface-level stuff.
This guide is for people using Mercari as a real reselling channel.
These are the settings that genuinely impact:
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how fast items sell
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how often buyers trust you
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how many cancellations you avoid
1. Turn on Smart Pricing (Sometimes)
Smart Pricing automatically adjusts your price downward until your item sells or reaches your minimum.
Honest Limitation
It can underprice desirable items. I once lost $18 of margin on a Patagonia fleece because Smart Pricing lowered it too quickly.
I only use Smart Pricing for:
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low-value electronics
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home goods
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clothing under $20
2. Enable Mercari Authenticate for designer goods
This is crucial if you’re selling:
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Coach
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Kate Spade
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Michael Kors
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Gucci (yes, even lower-tier accessories)
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Louis Vuitton small goods
Authentication increases conversion more than relisting does.
Anecdote #3
I once listed a Coach wristlet.
Sat for 17 days.
Turned on Mercari Authenticate
→ Sold in 36 hours.
3. Enable Saved Drafts (huge time saver)
When you're on the go, drafts make reselling possible between errands.
I currently have 22 drafts for upcoming listings.
This is where tools like Closo, List Perfectly, and SellerAider complement the Mercari workflow perfectly because you can pre-build listings to paste into the Mercari app.
How to Create Your First Listing After the Mercari App Download
Most sellers overcomplicate this part.
Here’s the simplest and fastest workflow I’ve tested:
1. Take photos in natural light
Mercari buyers care less about perfection and more about clarity.
Tip: Hold the phone slightly higher than the item to avoid shadows.
2. Title: use simple structure
Unlike eBay, Mercari doesn’t reward keyword stuffing.
Format:
Examples:
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“Nike React Women’s Running Shoes – Great Condition”
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“Sony Bluetooth Speaker – Works Perfectly”
3. Description: do NOT write essays
Three short parts:
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Condition
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Use
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Imperfections
Add parenthetical asides where appropriate:
(“light wear on soles”)
(“see photo #4”)
4. Price: check comps
Use:
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Mercari Sold
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eBay Sold
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Terapeak
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Closo*
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101Comps
*Closo Note
I use Closo to automate pricing adjustments—it saves me roughly 3 hours weekly when I crosslist items between eBay, Poshmark, and Mercari.
5. Shipping: choose wisely
Mercari’s cheapest options vary yearly.
For most items:
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Under 1 lb → USPS First Class
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1–3 lb → USPS Priority
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3–5 lb → UPS
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Heavy items → UPS prepaid label
People Always Ask Me: “Is the Mercari App Download Safe?”
Short answer:
Yes—if you download the official one.
But here’s the long answer in conversational form:
Fake or outdated Mercari apps exist. They usually appear in:
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third-party app stores
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APK download sites
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old Android forums
Never download Mercari from anywhere except:
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Apple App Store
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Google Play Store
I’ve been using the app for five years, linked multiple bank accounts, and processed thousands of dollars in payouts.
Never had a security breach.
People Also Ask: “Why Is My Mercari App Not Working After Download?”
Three most common reasons:
1. Device storage is full
Mercari freezes if your phone has under 10% storage free.
(I learned this the hard way while road-tripping and trying to list from hotels.)
2. App needs update
Mercari updates frequently—at least 3–5 times per month.
3. Network issues
Mercari hates weak WiFi.
If photos won’t upload, switch to cellular data.
Troubleshooting Mercari App Download Errors
Error: “App not compatible with your device”
Usually because your OS is outdated.
Update iOS or Android.
Error: “Pending” or “Install” never completes
Restart phone → try again
or
Use a different network.
Error: App crashes on launch
Clear cache (Android)
or
Reinstall (iPhone)
Honest Limitation
Older devices (iPhone 6, Samsung A10) sometimes struggle with image processing.
If the app feels slow, it’s not you—it’s the hardware.
Reseller Workflow I Recommend After Downloading the Mercari App
This is the workflow that helped me scale from 10 sales/month to over 120:
1. Photograph batches of 10–15 items at once
Saves time.
2. Create drafts in the app
Especially if you photograph in bulk.
3. Use a crosslister like Closo
Crosslist from:
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eBay → Mercari
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Mercari → Poshmark
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Facebook Marketplace → Mercari
Crosslisting increased my total sales by 62% within six weeks.
4. Keep your shipping supplies simple
No need to overthink it:
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Polymailers
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Priority boxes
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Tape
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Scale
5. Use Mercari promotions sparingly
Offers under 15% work best.
Worth Reading
Whenever you’re getting started with the Mercari app download, it helps to check broader resale foundations inside the Closo Seller Hub, especially if you’re planning to expand to eBay or Poshmark later. And if you want to move from casual listing to running a streamlined workflow, my guide on crosslisting apps pairs perfectly with this one, as does the article I wrote on optimizing photos for higher conversions across multiple platforms.
Conclusion
The Mercari app download process is simple, but using the app well is a skill. Once you understand the workflow—lighting, pricing, shipping, drafts, and crosslisting—you’ll realize how much time you can save and how quickly things sell when the listing flow is optimized. My experience has shown that Mercari is one of the easiest platforms to get started with, especially for people who want to resell casually but still make consistent sales. And with tools like Closo automating repetitive tasks, you can scale far beyond what most sellers expect. If you’re serious about reselling, downloading the Mercari app is one of the smartest first moves you can make.
