Mercari is a top online shopping platform to buy or sell homemade, used, or new items. You can buy the best things here without breaking the bank.
Launched in 2013, Mercari has grown into a must-visit marketplace. It runs in Japan and the United States of America.
Today, Mercari is the largest and most popular marketplace app in Japan. It has over 15 million sellers, and records thousands of listings, daily. The app also runs seamlessly on the Android and iOS devices, making online shopping a breeze.
Continue reading to know more about Mercari!
Is Mercari Legit?
Legit implies doing things right. Mercari does the right thing, and so it’s 100% legit.
Here’s why most users are complaining about the platform.
Buyers and sellers who violate Mercari’s terms and conditions are punished accordingly. Then there are fees and rules most users consider inappropriate. For instance, Mercari withholds sellers’ funds for the entire 3 days rating window. Buyers can either accept or reject purchased items within the 3 days rating window.
For listings, Mercari will only accept a genuine picture of the product. Otherwise, your listing will not be authenticated.
Now, how is Mercari a scam with all that has been mentioned? You can stop using the site if you feel uncomfortable with the terms and conditions.
Statistically, Mercari is growing at an impressive rate. The app has been downloaded over 45 million times in the United States of America alone.
That’s not all. Mercari app’s average rating on Google Play and App Store are 4.5 and 4.8, respectively. Over 100k listings are approved and published on the platform daily.
What Mercari Is
Mercari gives non-retailers a platform to sell off used, handmade or new items. Signing up and listing is free. You only pay 10% of the listing price per sale.
So, if you have items you wish to sell, join Mercari, and make some extra cash. You can sell new or used books, electronics, clothes, gadgets, and other items on the platform.
Mercari doesn’t permit listing specific items. These include illegal drugs or narcotics, cannabis plant seeds, diet products, homemade food, vitamins, weapons, alcohol, tobacco products, and many others.
You may lose your account or get punished by listing any of these prohibited items. Visit the platform to learn about the banned items you shouldn’t trade on the platform.
Why Mercari Is A Great Marketplace For Buyers And Sellers
This platform features a wide range of everyday items. You can buy good quality used or new products at reasonable prices, too. The app is also a breeze to use. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to sell or buy items.
For the best deal on used items, you can always count on Mercari. Sellers on this platform aren’t professional retailers. That’s why the listing price is low at times.
On Mercari, the sellers comprise of individuals who are selling their stuff for one reason or the other. The Items might be overgrown kid stuff, or maybe the seller just wants to relocate.
Mercari is an ideal platform for sellers and buyers interested in quick deals. Low maintenance and listing fees also make it a wise choice.
Note: If you wish to make side money selling genuine items, choose Mercari. With the right attitude and honesty, you will achieve your goal on the platform.
Remember, buyers will always go after sellers with good ratings. And the platform’s feedback system makes identifying reputable sellers and buyers a breeze. So be among the good sellers or buyers.
Mercari Scam: What You Need To Know
Thus far, no fraud victim statement has indicted Mercari for wrongdoing. Those perpetrating the Mercari fraud are unscrupulous buyers and sellers, not the platform itself.
Read Mercari fraud discussions on community forums. You will find out that the fraud accusations against the platform are just mere complaints from buyers or sellers.
Most of the complaints are about the fact that Mercari withholds funds from sellers until buyers are satisfied with their purchases.
Another complaint from sellers is the sudden restriction of accounts or cancelation of ongoing transactions. Mercari doesn’t suspend accounts or cancel transactions for no reason. They do when prohibited items are traded or suspect fraudulent activities in an account.
The eCommerce platform’s feedback system also frustrates most buyers and sellers, who obviously may not have good intentions. Mercari’s rating system shouldn’t scare any seller or buyer with good intentions.
The numerous complaints about Mercari on various forums are as a result of a combination of these factors. They are the reason Mercari is called a fraudulent eCommerce platform.
However, by definition, a scam refers to any fraudulent activity perpetrated by an individual, company, or group of persons, to obtain money or something of value falsely from a victim.
Mercari charges 10% of the listing price and withdraws it per sales. Mercari won’t withdraw money from an account illegally. Contact customer support if you have any complaints.
How Mercari Scam Buyers And Sellers Operate
On Mercari, sellers scam occurs when a seller attempts to sell a damaged or fake product and denies it when the buyer complains about the product.
At times, the buyer may forget to notify Mercari of the product’s condition within the 3 days rating window. Once the fund gets to the seller, reclaiming it might be difficult.
Another Mercari buyer scam happens this way. A buyer with no intention of paying for an item may claim that the received item was damaged or is a fake, whereas that was not the case when the seller sent it.
The scam buyer’s intention is to get products for free and have the withheld fund released back to his or her account.
Another way that scam buyers operate is by using payment methods Mercari doesn’t accept and then talk sellers into lowering item prices. Some also claim products sent arrived damaged and demand reduction of the product price.
The possibilities for buyers and sellers to perpetrate scams are endless. So you need to be careful when buying or selling on Mercari or any eCommerce platform.
How To Avoid Scam On Mercari
There are several ways to avoid being defrauded on Mercari. Whether you’re a buyer or seller, the following tips will make using Mercari worthwhile.
- Keep personal details private:
Resist the urge to give out personal contact information to a buyer or seller. These include your phone number, residential address, social media account, email, and others.
- Conduct your entire transaction on the platform:
Your interaction with other users (buyers or sellers) should be on Mercari. Do not move any deal outside the platform, no matter how tempting the offer is.
When you do that, Mercari can’t protect you from being scammed.
- Use strong passwords:
Hacking into an account with a weak password is easy. Make life difficult for fraudsters by using a stronger password. Let the password include different characters, including upper-class letters, and numbers. That way, it will be difficult to guess your password.
You should also consider changing your password often. Lastly, protect your login details. Don’t give them out to anyone.
- Order confirmation shouldn’t exceed 3 days.
Mercari clearly states that buyers must confirm orders within 3d days of shipping. After 3 days, payment is sent to the seller’s account.
So make sure you confirm orders within 3 days. If the item is damaged or fake, inform Mercari about it before the 3 days window elapses.
- Use credit cards for payments.
Debit cards aren’t the wrong choices for payment. But it’s better to use credit cards. The reason is that credit cards offer an additional layer of protection, which is beneficial to avoid being defrauded.
- Check product information before buying:
If a product’s description looks suspicious, don’t buy it. Always go through product information carefully before splashing the cash.
Again, check the seller or buyer’s rating. Avoid sellers or buyers with a poor rating. That’s one of the red flags to watch out for when buying or selling on Mercari.
Buying Products On Mercari: Simple Steps
If you are interested in buying from Mercari, here are the simple steps you need to follow.
Step 1: Use the search option
The search option on Mercari is quite user-friendly. So, don’t be put off by the huge collection of items on the platform.
Using the browse and search option, locate items of choice, and see if you can get a good deal from the seller.
Step 2: Buy the product or request for the best deal
The next step is to hit the “Buy button” to purchase the item for the listing price. However, if you are uncomfortable with the listed price, send the seller a new offer via the mobile app.
If the seller accepts the new offer, he or she has 3 days to ship the item.
Step 3: Rate seller and item
The last step is to rate the seller. You should only rate the seller after receiving and assessing the product.
Now here’s the thing. If the item is as described, go ahead and rate the seller. But if there’s an issue with the item shipped, notify Mercari immediately.
Remember, you have just 3 days rating window. So ensure you return items within this period.
Conclusion
Is Mercari legit? That’s the question, and the answer is yes. You can sell or buy on Mercari without fear. However, endeavor to abide by the platform’s terms and conditions. Learn about prohibited goods and provide clear product descriptions. Also, if you are a buyer, always be on the lookout for red flags when dealing with sellers.
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