The Japanese online flea market, Mercari, is here and I’ve been finding lots of rad stuff on there lately. Mercari is an app where sellers can easily post up to four photos and price items between $3 and $3000. Yes, there are tons of listings of things that you probably don’t want or need like a Lara Croft costume or a catfish fishing kit, but if you know what you’re looking for, then you can use the simple search function and find some fantastic deals in this virtual yard sale.
I’ve bought and sold many items on the app now, so here are a few tips on how buying on Mercari works:
1. Know what you’re shopping for. You can literally spend hours scrolling through categories of items/junk listed for sale on Mercari. It’s best to have a specific item in mind and run a search for it.
2. Ask the seller questions. Comments can be left for the seller for each item. Ask specific questions about authenticity, condition, sizing, or for more pictures before you buy. Most items I buy are New or in Like New condition. And I always ask about authenticity more than one time. Very often sellers will initially claim their item is authentic, but when you ask them again for a guarantee, they’ll say something like, “It was a gift, so I’m not sure.” That means the item is most likely not authentic and you’re buying a knockoff (and there are lots of knockoffs).
3. Negotiate, but don’t lowball. There are so many lowballers using this app! Not only is lowballing disrespectful and annoying, it’s a waste of time. Most sellers of the types of items I buy (shoes, cosmetics, accessories) are more than willing to drop their already reasonable prices by another 5% to 10%. The Chloe bag was initially listed for over $500.
4. Rate promptly. After purchasing and receiving items, buyers are required to submit a rating of the seller, and only then will the seller receive their funds through Mercari. Hence, it’s important to rate your seller so they can get the moolah they’re rightfully due. Rate them even just one full day after receiving the Pogs you just bought, and he or she might end up giving you a Good (not Great) or Poor buyer rating. A seller gave me a Good rating once when I went out of town and was unable to rate her the same day the package was delivered. I thought I was a Great buyer, so I was peeved.
Happy shopping! Sign up with Mercari using referral code VSERAZ and we’ll both earn $2 credit!
Thanks for reading!
Have you already scored some sweet gems on Mercari? Comment below!
