Guide
How to sell on Mercari: listing, photos, shipping and fees
How to sell on Mercari, from your first listing to payout: the account, the 12-photo listing, Smart Pricing and Promote, the 10% selling fee, prepaid labels and the three-day rating window, with every number taken from Mercari’s own help pages.
By Elena Varga · Reviewed by Sofia Moretti |Fact-checked|15 min read
Key takeaways
- 1Listing is free; Mercari takes 10% of the item price plus any buyer-paid shipping when it sells, and the buyer pays a 3.6% Buyer Protection fee on top. Direct Deposit is free, Instant Pay is $3.
- 2Use up to 12 photos in natural light on a plain background, front first, with the tags, every flaw and a worn shot. Fill in the brand field: Mercari says it improves visibility.
- 3Enter the packed weight, ship within three business days on a Mercari prepaid label, and the buyer has three days after delivery to rate before the money reaches your balance.
10 free photos, no card. Photos as low as $0.25 each.
On this page+
How do you sell on Mercari?
The short answer
Sign up with an email, a username and a phone number, then list from the app: up to 12 photos in natural light on a plain background, a title, a description with the brand, size and condition, a price between $1 and $2,000, and the item’s weight for a shipping label. Listing is free. When the item sells, Mercari takes 10% of the item price plus any buyer-paid shipping. Ship within three business days on the prepaid label; the buyer has three days after delivery to rate, and the money goes to your balance.
Each step follows, linked to the Mercari help page behind every number. Still choosing an app? Where to sell clothes online puts Mercari beside Poshmark, Depop, Vinted and eBay.
How do you set up a Mercari account and get paid?
The short answer
Tap Sign up, enter an email and password, confirm a one-time code, choose a username and verify your phone by SMS. Then add a payout method and complete identity verification when Mercari asks.
- Sign up once. Mercari’s account guide allows one account per person; the email code is good for 10 minutes.
- Be old enough. Mercari’s minors policy requires you to be 18, or the age of majority in your state; a 13-to-17-year-old can use Mercari only through a parent’s or guardian’s account.
- Verify your identity when asked. Mercari’s identity page lists name, address, date of birth, Social Security or Tax ID number and a government ID, and Mercari may not process your transactions until you are verified.
- Set up a payout method. A bank account for Direct Deposit, which is free, or an eligible Visa or Mastercard debit card for Instant Pay, which costs $3 and needs government ID verification, per Mercari’s getting paid page.
How do you list an item on Mercari, step by step?
The short answer
Photos first, then a description with the brand, a category, the condition and the size, then the price and the item’s packed weight. Mercari shows shipping options by carrier for that weight and asks whether you or the buyer pays. You can save the listing as a draft and finish it later.
Here is each field in Mercari’s listing guide, what to put in it, and why it matters for selling on Mercari:
| Field | What to enter | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Photos | Up to 12. Natural light, a plain background, every side, every flaw. Your best photo first. | Mercari says the first photo is the first thing shoppers see; the rest answer their questions before they ask. |
| Title | Brand, item, size, color, one defining detail. | Shoppers search by brand and item; the title is what the search matches. |
| Description | Condition, color, size, fabric, measurements, every flaw, and a line on how it wears. No unrelated brand names or hashtags. | Mercari says accurate detail helps a listing get found, and asks you not to stuff it with brands and tags that are not the item’s. |
| Brand | The brand on the label. | Mercari says adding the brand improves your listing’s visibility, because lots of shoppers search for specific brands. |
| Category and condition | The closest category; the condition honestly. | Both make the listing easier to find, and condition sets the buyer’s expectations. |
| Size | The size on the tag, plus flat measurements in the description. | A buyer cannot try it on; your numbers are the fitting room. |
| Price | Between $1 and $2,000, or set a price and a floor price with Smart Pricing. | The price is also what Promote and offers are measured against. |
| Shipping | The item’s weight, packed. Then choose a prepaid label or your own, and who pays. | Mercari shows carrier options by weight class; a wrong weight becomes an overage charged to you. |
Write the title the way buyers search
Brand, item, size, color, one detail that sets it apart: “Patagonia Better Sweater fleece jacket, women’s M, navy”. Shoppers search by brand, per Mercari’s how it works page, so put it first, spelled as the label spells it. Leave out “gorgeous” and “rare”.
Describe it as if the buyer were holding it
Mercari asks for as much detail as possible: the brand, a category and the condition, and a call-out of every flaw. It also suggests a short story about the item so a shopper can picture using it. Add flat measurements (pit to pit and length; waist, rise and inseam for pants), the fabric from the care label, and each flaw with its photo number: “Small pull on the left cuff, see photo 7.” Not negotiating? Mercari’s offers page suggests saying the price is firm in the description.
What photos do Mercari buyers expect?
The short answer
Mercari gives you 12 photo slots and asks for natural light, a plain background, every side and every flaw, with your best photo first. Every photo must be one you took. For clothes, fill about nine: front, back, tags, fabric, details, flaws, measurements and a worn shot.
Buyers want scale: the item flat with measurements and, better, worn. They also want proof they can read: brand tag, size label, each flaw.
- Slot 1, the front. The whole item, centered. Mercari says the first photo is the first thing shoppers see.
- Slot 2, the back. Flip it without moving the phone.
- Slot 3, brand tag and size label. Brand and size readable at a glance.
- Slot 4, care label and fabric. The fiber content, then the weave in daylight.
- Slot 5, details. Buttons, zips, prints, hardware.
- Slots 6 and 7, flaws. Close-up, then a step back so the buyer sees where it sits.
- Slot 8, measurements. A tape across the flat item.
- Slot 9, worn. Try it on for a mirror shot, or ask a friend to wear it. Mercari lets you rearrange photos whenever you want, so test it as photo 2 on a few listings.
For shoes, add the sole, insole and size label; the shoe photography guide has the full set. Pixel sizes are in product image size requirements; light and backgrounds are in how to photograph clothes to sell.
How do you price on Mercari: Smart Pricing, offers and Promote
The short answer
Price against similar sold items. Smart Pricing moves the price between your price and a floor. Promote, Offer to Likers and a Time-limited Sale are price cuts of at least 5% (Promote) or at least 10% (Offer to Likers and a Time-limited Sale). Promote and a Time-limited Sale get a search boost; Offer to Likers goes straight to the people who liked the item.
Setting the price, offers and bundles
Mercari’s pricing page: price against similar items, discount out-of-season pieces, lower the price if an item has not sold in two to three days, and bundle cheap items. Check sold listings, not just live ones, per its how it works page. Prices run from $1 to $2,000, or up to $5,000 for items verified with Mercari Authenticate, per the price limit page. Buyers can offer on an item or a bundle; you accept, decline or counter, and they have 24 hours to answer a counter, per the offers page. A bundle is up to 20 of your items, up to $2,000, in one box with one tracking number, per the bundle page: how $8 T-shirts become a $40 sale.
Smart Pricing and Smart Offers
Smart Pricing asks for two numbers: the listing price and a floor price. Per Mercari’s listing guide, it adjusts the price gradually, based on demand, and never below your floor. Its Promote page warns that promoting below the minimum you set stops Smart Pricing and Smart Offers until you edit the listing and adjust the range.
Promote, Offer to Likers and Time-limited Sale
Three tools on each listing, all from Mercari’s Promote page. None can take a price below $1.
| Tool | What you do | What Mercari does | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Promote | Cut the price by 5% or more. | Boosts the listing in search results and notifies everyone who liked it. | A permanent price drop. Each item can be promoted once every 24 hours. |
| Offer to Likers | Cut the price by 10% or more. | Sends the deal to up to 50 of the most recent likers. | Valid for 24 hours. Mercari can auto-send your latest offer to each new liker after a delay you choose. |
| Time-limited Sale | Discount an item listed for seven or more days, at least 10% below its historical lowest price. | Boosts it in search, features it in the Deals section and notifies interested buyers. | Valid for three days. |
A practical rhythm: send an Offer to Likers once the item has a few likes, Promote if it still sits, and after seven days run a Time-limited Sale. That sale must be at least 10% below the item’s lowest price so far, so every Promote raises the bar for it.
What are Mercari fees for sellers?
The short answer
Listing is free. When an item sells, Mercari takes a 10% selling fee on the item price plus any buyer-paid shipping, with no separate payment processing fee on listings under its current fee structure; the buyer pays a 3.6% Buyer Protection fee on top of the price. Direct Deposit is free and Instant Pay is $3.
Every number below is from Mercari’s fee page and its fee FAQ. Fees change, so before you price, check the fee page or the fee shown on each listing’s editing screen.
| Fee | Amount | Who pays |
|---|---|---|
| Listing | Free | — |
| Selling fee | 10% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping | Seller |
| Payment processing | None on listings under the current fee structure | — |
| Buyer Protection fee | 3.6% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping | Buyer |
| Direct Deposit | $0; $2 for a failed deposit | Seller |
| Instant Pay | $3 per cash-out; up to $600 a month, once a day | Seller |
| Cancellation | 5% of the item price, up to $25, for sellers who cancel frequently | Seller |
| Mercari Authenticate | $5 per authenticated listing over a set amount; $10 for a certificate | Seller |
How does Mercari shipping work?
The short answer
Enter the packed weight when you list, choose a Mercari prepaid label with USPS, UPS or FedEx or your own label, and decide who pays. After the sale the label arrives by email and on the Order Status page; ship within three business days, tap I Shipped It on the Order Status page, and a prepaid label carries up to $200 of Shipping Protection.
Two routes, per Mercari’s shipping for sellers and labels and carriers pages. For clothes, the prepaid label covers almost every sale.
| Option | How it works | Shipping Protection |
|---|---|---|
| Mercari prepaid label | USPS, UPS or FedEx, for packages up to 50 lbs actual or dimensional weight, 34" on the longest side and 20" on the second. You or the buyer pays. The label comes by email and on the Order Status page. | Up to $200 for standard, economy and Media Mail rates |
| Your own label | UPS, USPS or FedEx, at your cost, with a valid tracking number entered on Mercari. | None |
Weight, size and the label price
Shipping weight is the item plus its packaging. The rules, from Mercari’s shipping pages:
- Rounding. Over one pound, labels round up to the next pound: a 3.25 lb parcel needs a 4 lb label. Over 20 lbs, weights are billed in 10 lb steps, per the overweight page. Prepaid labels stop at 50 lbs, per the labels and carriers page.
- Dimensional weight. Length × width × height divided by 139, per the packing page; carriers charge the greater of that and the actual weight, and any overage is charged to you as the true weight less what was paid.
- Best rate. The cheaper rate goes to packages of one cubic foot or less with a longest side of 22 inches or less; anything bigger, or with no dimensions entered, gets the Standard rate, per the Best versus Standard page. Measure the box.
- Packaging. The packing page calls a poly mailer or softpak perfect for smaller items like clothing; otherwise the smallest box.
After the sale
- Drop off at the right carrier. USPS labels at a USPS location or eligible collection box; UPS at The UPS Store, an Access Point or a Drop Box; FedEx at FedEx or an Authorized Shipping Center, per Mercari’s labels and carriers page. For an eligible USPS or UPS label, bring the QR code to a staffed Post Office or The UPS Store instead of a printout; collection boxes and drop-off-only locations can’t scan it. Then tap I Shipped It on the Order Status page.
- Keep the protection. Mercari’s Shipping Protection page covers a prepaid-label package up to $200 only if the carrier scans it within three calendar days of purchase, it is within the size and weight limits, and it was packed to Mercari’s and the carrier’s guidelines. A package counts as lost after 30 days without a scan. Your own label has no protection.
When does Mercari pay you?
The short answer
After delivery the buyer has three days to open the package and rate. If they do not, Mercari rates the transaction five stars automatically. You then rate the buyer, the transaction completes and the money goes to your Mercari balance: free Direct Deposit typically arrives within five business days, Instant Pay usually within minutes (up to 30) for $3.
If the buyer raises an issue inside those three days, the automatic rating is held until it is resolved, per Mercari’s ratings page for sellers, so an accurate listing is also the fastest way to get paid.
Where do on-model photos fit if you sell on Mercari?
The short answer
Not in the Mercari listing: Mercari asks for photos you took yourself, so the worn shot there is yours. On-model photos fit where you sell beyond Mercari: your own store, Instagram and ads. Upload your flat, hanger or mannequin photo to Tryly and get the same garment on a model in about 15 seconds.
On your own shop or social page, a flat lay cannot show how an item sits on a body. With Tryly’s AI clothing photography you upload the photo you already took, choose the model, pose and background, and the real garment is placed on the model. Pick from 500+ models, or use your own model or yourself. You start with 10 free photos, no card.
Before
AfterWhere the on-model photo goes
- Your own store. Product pages on your own site set their own photo rules. Starting an online boutique covers the setup.
- Instagram and ads. Show the fit where shoppers scroll; Instagram for clothing brands has the posting plan.
- Marketplaces whose rules allow it. Read each platform’s photo rule first. The Poshmark guide quotes Poshmark’s.
- Hold the item next to the screen. Color, print, seams, pockets, buttons and hem length should match the item in your hand. Anything that differs does not get posted.
- Keep one model across a batch. Twenty products on one model read as one brand on your store or feed. The cover and the test below show one model in two outfits.
The test that matters
Try it on your hardest garment first.
Sellers judge an AI photo tool on the piece most likely to go wrong: a print, a logo, sheer fabric or a detail that has to sit exactly right. Check the result at full size before you publish it. Here: a cream rib-knit crew-neck sweater, photographed flat beside a pair of black tailored pants.
01 Product photo
02 On the model
03 Full-size check
10 free photos, no card.
Shoes and accessories
The same upload covers shoes, bags, hats, watches and jewelry. From one photo of a pair, Tryly’s AI shoe photography tool returns studio angles or the shoe on a foot.
01 Your photo
02 Studio side profile
Photos made on a paid plan can be used on your store, in ads and on social media. Plans start from $9.99/month (Starter plan, billed annually), from $0.33 a day, with photos as low as $0.25 each: at Tryly’s lowest rate, 100 on-model photos for your store cost $25.
Mercari tips: the mistakes that cost first-time sellers
The short answer
Guessing the weight, a weak first photo, an empty brand field, promoting below your Smart Pricing floor, shipping late, canceling sales, skipping identity verification and leaving out the worn photo. Each one is cheap to avoid and expensive to learn.
- Guessing the weight. Weigh it packed. Labels round up, and an overage is charged to you.
- A blurry first photo. It is the first thing shoppers see. Make it your best.
- Leaving the brand field empty. Mercari says the brand improves visibility. Type it as the label spells it.
- Promoting below your Smart Pricing floor. Smart Pricing and Smart Offers stop until you edit the listing and reset the minimum.
- Shipping late. Ship within three business days. Shipping Protection also needs the carrier to scan the package within three calendar days of purchase.
- Canceling sales. Frequent cancellations cost 5% of the item price, up to $25. List only what you can ship this week.
- Skipping identity verification. Mercari may not process transactions until it is done. Complete it as soon as Mercari asks.
- No worn photo. Buyers want proportions and fit. Try the item on for a mirror shot, or ask a friend to wear it.
One more Mercari tip: tap “Save draft” as you photograph each item, then weigh, price and publish the batch in one sitting. The white background guide keeps every listing looking the same.
Questions about selling on Mercari
How much does Mercari take from a sale?+
10% of the item price plus any buyer-paid shipping, so $2.50 on a $25 top. The buyer pays the 3.6% Buyer Protection fee.
Is it free to list on Mercari?+
Yes. Mercari’s fee page says listing is always free; you pay the selling fee only when the item sells.
Who pays for shipping on Mercari?+
You choose when you list. If you pay, the label cost comes out of your earnings. If the buyer pays, the 10% selling fee also applies to the shipping.
How long does Mercari take to pay you?+
The money reaches your balance once the transaction is rated, up to three days after delivery. From there, free Direct Deposit typically takes up to five business days; Instant Pay costs $3 and usually takes minutes.
How many photos can you add to a Mercari listing?+
Up to 12, per Mercari’s listing guide. For clothes, about nine cover it, with your best photo first.
Can a Mercari listing use photos you did not take?+
No. Mercari’s Prohibited Conduct policy lists “Using any stock or advertisement photos” and “Using photos that you do not own or have not taken yourself”. Take every listing photo yourself, including the worn shot. On-model photos made with Tryly belong on your own store, social media and ads; start with 10 free photos, no card.
Sources, all Mercari Help Center: fees and fee FAQ; creating a listing and how it works; how to set a price and price limit; Promote, offers and bundles; shipping for sellers, labels and carriers, overweight packages, packing, Best versus Standard rates and Shipping Protection; ratings for sellers and getting paid; account and settings, minors and identity verification.
Written by
Elena Varga
Head of Content, Tryly Academy
Former e-commerce photo producer who ran catalogue shoots for fashion labels for over a decade. Writes the Academy’s guides.
- 11 years in fashion e-commerce
- 1,200+ catalogue shoots produced
Expert review
Sofia Moretti
Fashion photographer · Expert reviewer
Has shot campaigns and on-model e-commerce for fashion brands for 14 years. Reviews every Academy article for accuracy.
- 14 years in fashion photography
- Campaign and catalogue work across Europe
How we work: every Academy article is written by a specialist, reviewed by a working fashion photographer, and re-checked against its sources when prices or rules change.