How to List an Item on Mercari?

The goal of this post is to share with you how I list an item on Mercari.

Are you new to Mercari?

Mercari is an online commerce platform that allows its buyers and sellers to buy and sell almost anything.

From clothes, toys, electronics, etc. Mercari is the place for you to sell your items, either if you are an individual trying to sell unused items sitting around the house, or an established seller in other online marketplaces trying to reach a larger audience and increase sales.

Mercari is fair when it comes to advertising. No listings advertising accounts are allowed, which gives every seller including new sellers with no money to spend on advertising a fair chance to compete and make sales. You only need to list your items and add a detailed description for your items to show up on keyword search results.

Now, This is how I list an item on Mercari:

(You can list on Mercari app or in their website, it’s easy and free. A flat fee of 10% will only be charged when a sale is completed).

Add Photos:

You can upload or drag and drop up to 12 photos when you list an item on Mercari.

• I upload the maximum of 12 photos to show all angles of my item and anything specific about it.
• I take my photos in a room with good lighting.
• I use a white background to help any potential customer focus only on the item.
• I add photos of any damage or flaws.

Add Title:

Mercari allows the use of a maximum of 40 characters in the title.

• I consider my item’s title as a small description and use the keywords that most describe it.
• I add brand, item’s type, size.(You can change this based on your item’s category).
• I search similar items on Mercari to spy on my competition for inspiration only. I do not copy and paste other sellers titles.

Add a Description:

Mercari allows a maximum of a 1000 characters in the item’s description section.

• I add a detailed description of my item.
• I add the most important keywords that describe my item such as brand, item’s type, category, size, color, material, country of origin, etc.
• Any important information that the customer will need to make a decision such as measurement, functionality, etc.
• I describe the condition of the item and any damage or flaws to avoid returns and bad feedback.
• I research terms and keywords potential customers will use to find similar items and add those keywords to my description.

Add Tags:

Mercari allows you to add 3 tags to your listing. This section is optional.

• I add the 3 tags that most describe my item.
• Even if this section is optional, I always add the 3 keywords that describe my item to help my listing rank better in Mercari keyword search results.
• I use keywords that I used in my title and my description.

Select a Category:

Simply select your item’s category.

• I always verify my selection before I list my item to make sure that I selected the correct category. Selling a purse in men’s category won’t work.

Add a Brand:

In this section, add the brand of your item.

• I make sure that the item I’m selling is authentic.
• Many customers on Mercari search the app for specific brands. I make sure I add the brand of my item to allow it to rank better in Mercari search results.
• If the brand of my item is not in the list of brands on Mercari, I leave the brand blank and make sure it is included in my title and description. If you type in your brand and it doesn’t appear in the Mercari list you run the risk of the app auto correcting your brand which can confuse your customers. This is why I leave the brand blank if it doesn’t already appear in the list.

Select the condition of your item from the 5 options that Mercari provides:

1. New (New with tags (NWT). Unopened packaging, unused).
2. Like New (New without tags (NWOT). No sign of wear,unused).
3. Good (Gently used, one/few minor flaws, functional).
4. Fair (Used, functional, multiple flaws/defects).
5. Poor (Major flaws, may be damaged, for parts).

• When an item is used, I always try to be generous while selecting its condition. People can see used items conditions in different ways. I don’t want a customer to give me a bad feedback just because we have differing opinions about the condition.
• The condition I select is always the same I add to my desciption and show in my photos.

Select Color:

Select the color of the item.

• Should be the same as in the description and photos. If I’m not sure, I simply ask a friend or a family member to make sure I select the right color of my item

Decide your Mercari Shipping:

Add the zip code from where your item will be shipped, and decide if the buyer should pay the shipping cost or if you are offering free shipping.

• I add the correct ZIP CODE from where I will ship my item.
• I decide If I want the buyer to pay for shipping, or if I want to offer free shipping of the item. (I usually test both strategies – Mercari recommends free shipping but you are free to use the shipping strategy that works for your business).
• I decide if I want to ship on my own or use Mercari shipping. I generally ship with Mercari because it saves me time and money. However if the item is more than a pound I found out its better to offer free shipping to the customer and ship the item on my own.

Set your Price:

In this section you set the price of your item.

• I search for similar items on Mercari to check my competition’s prices. I don’t want to be selling an item for $100 when everybody else is selling it for less than $50.
• I take in consideration that there is a 10% fee that Mercari charges after a sale is complete, and that I will have to give discounts to sell my item fast, either by accepting offers from customers or offering discounts to likers (Mercari members who like my item).

Smart Pricing:

After you decide your price Mercari will give you an option to use its smart pricing tool where you can choose your price and minimum price your are willing to accept for your item (floor price).

You can disable this pricing tool or enable it. I always use this tool so that I can automatically offer a discount everyday until the item is sold or it reaches my minimum price.

List:

Your listing is now complete click on the “List” button to publish it.