Is Mercari Legit? Here’s the Truth!(2023)
Mercari is a popular online marketplace and app that is used to buy and sell items. But is Mercari legit? It is safe to use for sellers? What about buyers? This blog post is going to cover whether it’s safe to buy and sell on mercari, how mercari works, what kind of people are using it, and everything you need to know about using Mercari.
Is Mercari Legit?
Mercari is definitely legit. While there is some risk with any sort of online transaction, Mercari is generally safe to use for buyers and sellers. Though you may (rarely) run into the occasional problem or scammer, it’s really not that common and as long as you follow the rules and use some common sense, you should be protected.
If you haven’t signed up for Mercari yet, use this link and to get a $10 credit for your first purchase and then another $20 credit when you’ve made $100 in sales!
I have personally made over 130 sales resulting in over $4,000 on Mercari and have made over a dozen purchases. I have yet to run into a problem so it definitely has my seal of approval.
Hopefully that answered your question! If you’re planning on selling on Mercari, I have a lot of other info below to help you out so keep reading.
How does Mercari work for sellers?
Mercari is available via the Mercari app (iOS and Android) or through their website. To start selling on Mercari, you need to:
- Sign up for a new account (this link will get you a $10 credit for your first purchase and another $20 credit after you do $100 in sales)
- List items you want to sell with clear photos and honest descriptions
- Once an item sells, Mercari will charge the buyer and hold onto the funds.
- You ship the item either using a Mercari generated label or shipping on your own, depending on what you chose during the listing. Always make sure to upload the tracking number if you don’t use a Mercari generated shipping label.
- When the buyer gets the item they will rate it and the money will be released into your balance. If they don’t rate within 3 days, the funds will automatically be released.
- You request payment via direct deposit to your. bank account (takes up to 5 business days for free) or instant pay (instantly deposited to your debit card for a $2 fee)
It’s really quite simple once you get a hang of it!
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How to avoid getting scammed on Mercari as a Seller
While Mercari is set to keep buyers and sellers safe, you do want to look out for red flags to avoid getting scammed.
Here is how to avoid any issues that may come up:
– Never accept money outside of Mercari! This is the number one rule for sellers on Mercari and if you follow this rule then it’s really unlikely you’ll get scammed.
– Use common sense when buying OR selling. If something seems fishy or complicated, it’s probably something you should avoid.
That’s really it. Sometimes scammers can sneak through just like in almost anything, but you’re generally safe if you pay attention to potential red flags.
How does Mercari protect sellers?
Mercari does have a seller protection policy that ensures you’re as safe as possible when selling online. Here are some key ways Mercari protects sellers:
- Mercari holds onto the buyer’s money to ensure the buyer actually pays for the item and the transaction goes well, keeping both the buyer and seller safe.
- Mercari includes up to $200 in Shipping Protection with all Mercari prepaid labels. This means if your item is lost in transit or a buyer files a return for an item damaged in transit, you’re covered.
- If you can provide photo evidence that a return was sent back in different condition than you originally shipped it within 24 hours of receiving it, you may be eligible for reimbursement.
If you want more detailed info you can read the full Mercari Seller Protection Policy.
All in all Mercari is pretty safe to sell on. As with any type of selling, there are always going to be some risks involved so proceed with caution with any online marketplace you decide to sell on.
Want to learn more about selling on Mercari?
As sales margins lowered , competition gets stiffer , and inflation takes over in 2023 . Fuel and Shipping cost takes a big hit . And so does Mercari a company that is pushing shipping through Mercari as their profit maker. Mercari as of today 2023 is investing heavily in the questionable outsourced Indian “bhenchod“ leadership and marketing strategy .They are trying to separate themselves from EBay , Offerup and Etsy and Facebook MP. And so they have done questionable things with policy that are very unethical but acceptable by Indian “Bhendchod”company standards . One big issue I recently experienced is with their app on IOS Apple Store . Their Mercari app unlike Ebay or Amazon or Offer up will not have gallery and folder permissions in settings . Instead it will have back door access through the app itself and so if you open the app and browse your gallery and files to upload photos , it will not allow you to disable access the normal way the above apps do (in their settings )after uploading . This is a very questionable and big vulnerability they incorporated .
For them this allows the app to see all your gallery post including your sales items and this is what can be used for them to sale your data or strategise !
Then recently Mercaris “Bhenchod”marketing and support have been analysing sellers who do not use their shipping service and making purchases off of Maercari , and so have unethically been pushing them off their platform or force them to use Mercari shipping by :
Using ghost /fake (Mercari employed) accounts or AI buyers that will randomly like your Sales Post and then purchase it . THEN since it is a Mercari Ghost buyer ( who works for Mercari) they can choose to incorporate a fake address that will be return to sender or process a legitimate address to the ghost buyers location. All of this will cost the seller in the end because if you don’t use Mercari shipping you do not get refund in shipping .
The Ghost (Mercari employed) buyer is a product of this Bhenchod marketing strategy that Mercari is employing as of 2023.
These are only two major issues I have experienced . Well that and besides their pathetic shady AI of bidding and negotiating prices against legitimate buyers, the. along with the fake AI “likes” of seller items that seems so in-genuine and fake and Bhenchod marketing ! ( seriously a “like” at 4am ?)
As of now I recommend Mercari as the very last place to goto , and if selling be damn sure to use their shipped from Mercari and do everything they force you to do then prey their Bhendchid AI Ghost Scam teams doesn’t target you .
If it does I recommend class action lawsuit.