What are the fees for Mercari and eBay? What is the difference between eBay and Mercari? Online marketplaces are growing, so it’s crucial to determine where to sell your products by 2024. Mercari and eBay are two of the biggest players in this market. Both offer sellers a variety of features. But which is best for you mercari vs ebay!
Active Users: Mercari vs eBay
Mercari
Mercari, a mobile-first platform based in Japan that has now expanded into the US market, is a very popular marketplace. Mercari’s user-friendly interface and simplicity make it simple to list and sell products quickly. The app’s straightforward listing process is appreciated by users, even though it doesn’t offer as many features as eBay. Mercari announced that they reached over twenty million monthly users.
eBay
eBay is the preferred e-commerce site for millions of people around the globe. eBay’s intuitive features and 159 million worldwide users take ecommerce up a notch. eBay’s online store allows sellers to easily manage sales and reach a larger customer base than traditional brick-and-mortar stores. eBay offers a much wider range of tools and customer service options than other ecommerce sites. This allows sellers to grow their businesses with little effort.
Let’s talk about the pros and cons of a seller on both platforms:
Listing Fees: Mercari vs eBay
The fees charged by eBay and Mercari are similar, but that’s where they tend to diverge. Both platforms charge a 13% fee for selling.
Mercari fees
Mercari provides unparalleled transparency in its rates for those who want to maximize their profits from online selling. Mercari charges a total of 13 percent on all sales and purchases, plus 10 percent in commissions and 2.9% payment processing fees per transaction. Mercari allows you to list your business for free, with no restrictions on the size of your store.
eBay Fees
Understanding the details of eBay’s fee structure can be overwhelming for some. Sellers may have to consider insertion fees and final value depending on their eBay membership level, store subscription, and chosen promotion method. In addition, anyone who wants to use any promotional features may also have to pay additional fees. These are optional, but they help support marketing campaigns.
Insertion Fee
Listing fees are also known as insertion fees. Sellers without subscriptions can list up to $250 items per month for free. It’s a great way for new eBay sellers to get their feet wet in e-commerce without having to worry about extra fees.
Final Value Fee
Understanding final value fees is important if you sell on eBay. These fees are 12.9 percent and vary depending on the category of the item as well as the price of the item, shipping service, and the sales tax. Your final value fees may vary depending on the item. It is helpful to use a chart to help you understand what fees to expect when selling items on eBay.
Promotional Fee
You can increase your exposure by promoting your eBay listings. eBay provides a variety of promotional options when you choose to promote your product, such as adding a sub-title or listing it in multiple categories. Even better, promotional fees are only charged if an item is sold after the promotion.
Check Return Policy: Mercari vs eBay
Mercari and eBay both prioritize customer satisfaction despite the significant differences in their return policies.
Mercari’s Policy
Mercari offers a simple policy for buyers who did not receive the item or the wrong item. It also covers damaged items. Mercari has a simple return policy that covers buyers who have not received the item, received the wrong item, or received a damaged item.
- Buyers have up to three business days to return items. As a seller, I don’t want to worry about my buyer returning an item long after they have purchased it.
- Mercari will pay for the return shipping.
Mercari goes beyond their formal policy, even though they can’t return anything for any reason. When buyers are not satisfied with their purchases, mercari will open a claim and usually resolve it in the buyer’s favor, even though it is technically against their policy.
eBay Policy
eBay can be a good option for entrepreneurs. However, it comes with the responsibility of protecting buyers. You can create your own return policy as a seller. This includes everything from the shipping costs to the period for returns. This might sound like a good idea, but it doesn’t replace eBay’s buyer protection policy. eBay will accept all reasonable returns, no matter what you set up.
Item not as Described (INAD)
In the event that a customer wants to return a product, they can file an INAD to override your return policy. eBay is likely to approve your return without your consent in 99 percent of cases, even if the item matches what was described. In addition, if you lose the INAD case, you will be required to pay the shipping costs for returning the item.
eBay sellers must accept that buyers can open an INAD claim. This makes returns inevitable. It can be a hassle because you are faced with two options: pay for the return shipping or absorb the cost when a customer successfully files a claim.
Shipping Policy: Mercari vs eBay
eBay and Mercari both offer multiple shipping options: eBay offers international delivery, while Mercari offers local deliveries.
eBay Shipping
Many sellers find selling on eBay attractive because it offers flexibility in shipping. You can select from several options, including charging for shipping or offering free shipping. Calculated shipping lets buyers pay a fee that is based on the location of their order, its weight, and its dimensions.
Here is a list of carriers with whom eBay has partnered:
- USPS
- UPS
- FedEx
- DHL
- OnTrac
- Lasership
- Spee-Dee Deliveries
eBay offers shipping services as well. Sellers can use this service to expand their reach and expose their business to a global audience. With eBay, shipping internationally has never been simpler! You only need to ship your goods to the warehouse in Kentucky, and eBay will take care of everything else. It’s quick, simple, and hassle-free.
Mercari Shipping
Mercari, on the other hand, does not offer eBay the benefit of international shipping. Mercari offers the convenience and speed of local shopping combined with an online marketplace. It’s like a Doordash of shopping! Local can deliver anything from computers to sofas! They also have low delivery costs – you can get your goods from local vendors quickly.
Here is a list of the carriers with whom Mercari has partnered:
- USPS
- The UPS
- FedEx
- Uber
- Dolly
Mercari has two options to ship nationwide at a high price.
- Standard shipping: This has a delivery time of 2-7 business days.
- Economy: Slow time frame with 12+ Business Days
Shipping is a major factor in many online purchases that exceed one pound. Mercari shoppers expect free shipping, and if shipping costs are too high, they will shop elsewhere. Mercari sellers must offer reasonable prices or free shipping to remain competitive.
Listing Process: Mercari vs eBay
Mercari makes it easy to list an item, but creating a listing for eBay takes more work. eBay has a much larger number of buyers – eight times more than Mercari! It’s worth the effort to list your item in full on eBay. Once you’ve mastered the process, it will become easier.
Get your copy of Vendoo’s Ultimate Marketplace Guide for Resellers now!
Mercari Listing Process
The process of listing an item in the mercari application is simple and fast. Take some photos (up to twelve images) and fill out a few details to list your item.
Smart Pricing and Smart offers are two of the promotional features that Mercari offers to help buyers save time and attract potential buyers.
Smart Pricing
Smart Pricing continuously updates the listing until the item is sold or it reaches the floor price. Every time the price is updated, listings are exposed to potential customers and promoted.” – Mercari
Sellers complain that this feature is too aggressive. It does not stop customers from making an offer for an item that has already been discounted. This feature was created:
Smart Offers
Mercari’s new Intelligent Offers enables sellers to easily and quickly set a price minimum for their listing. Mercari accepts an offer as it is, or will send a counteroffer to the seller within a range that has been predetermined. Mercari will take the hassle out haggling by ensuring you receive the price you deserve.
eBay Listing Process
The listing process on eBay is overwhelming. If you are not familiar with the platform, creating a listing can be a daunting task. It can be a challenge to navigate the menus and choose the best options for your products. But it is well worth the effort. There’s room for up to 24 photos per listing, and you can also include a video if desired. This allows you to showcase all the great features of your product. Using keywords that are relevant to your potential buyers is a great way to increase visibility.
Bid or buy it now
eBay began as an online auction site in the 1990s. In an auction-style listing, the seller names a starting bid, and you bid against others. The highest bidder pays for the item when the listing is over. Antique sellers still use auction-style listings, even though they are not as popular as in the past. eBay’s Buy It Now option is the fastest and easiest way to price an item.
Promotions and Volume Pricing
eBay is a good way to increase visibility and drive sales. eBay’s simple ad platform lets users pay for promotions with low rates – starting at just 2%. This fee is only charged when the item you are selling sells.
eBay has made it easier for sellers to encourage their customers to buy in bulk. eBay’s volume pricing encourages sellers and customers to purchase multiples of the same product, making it a more affordable and attractive option. The attractive discounts can help eBay sellers grow their business by gaining more customers and sales.
The Final War: eBay vs Mercari
Overall, selling through Mercari can be a great alternative to eBay for sellers. It has similar top-selling categories but significantly fewer audience and seller tools. Mercari is a great alternative for those who don’t want to jump into eBay’s feature-rich universe. It’s a simple way to get started in ecommerce. Mercari provides sellers with the tools to succeed, including Smart Pricing and Smart offers. eBay still has the most features and the largest audience. We hope you got the final conclusion of mercari vs ebay!