In the reselling business, sales are what keep the sellers going. We are going to dig into Mercari vs. eBay. What is the best platform to sell on?
Which selling platform to sell on is a personal choice. But, it is always important to have the facts.
The goal is to have the most eyes on your items. The size of the audience is a big deal too. No sales mean no income. No income means no business.
The top 3 most important features of a selling platform are: the quality and size of the audience, the fees, and how easy the platform is to use.
Size Of The Audience?
eBay’s audience is nearly 200 million users worldwide each month, and Mercari’s audience is over 20 million.
Why is the size of the audience important? It is important because the more eyes on your items, the better chance they will sell.
eBay definitely has more users, which in turn means more eyes on your items. But, that does not mean not to list on Mercari as well.
Ease Of Use
It appears that based on the items most sold on Mercari, the audience is younger.
The younger audience seems to be looking for popular, stylish items aimed at the young crowd.
eBay’s audience does not really fit into an age group. The ages range from young to old. eBay attracts buyers that are ready to spend more money on single items. Some eBay buyers come looking for uncommon treasures and collector items.
More sellers on eBay sell as their full-time income. And, Mercari sellers tend to be hobby sellers. That could change in the future.
Mercari’s listing process is extremely uncomplicated, straightforward, and easy. eBay’s listing process is more intense, specific, and detailed.
The simplicity of Mercari’s listing process is a definite positive. However, the required particulars on eBay may be more time-consuming. But, they allow a listing to stand out more. It can allow buyers to better find exactly what they are looking for.
There are also additional choices when it comes to filters, payments and shipping on eBay.
Fees
eBay fees run between 12 and 15% of each sale plus $.30.
Mercari fees are 10% of each sale plus $.30.
It may make sense to choose the lower fees. But, it is also important to take everything under consideration before deciding which platform is the best for you.
Some More Differences Between Mercari And eBay
The most common things to look at when choosing a selling platform are audience size, how easy it is to use, and the fees.
With those covered, there are still several differences to compare.
Shipping Discounts
Shipping rates are similar on both platforms. eBay and Mercari offer sellers considerable discounts on shipping compared to full retail price.
Returns
The process of handling returns on Mercari is not as simple and easy as it is with eBay. eBay has a defined process that works with the buyer and the seller.
Mercari only allows returns for 3 days once an item is received. eBay allows returns for 30 days after an item is received.
eBay has a consistent customer support system set up that makes it easy for buyers or sellers to contact them in multiple ways.
Customer service on Mercari is not as established or easy to use.
Feedback
eBay puts a much stronger emphasis on feedback than Mercari. Mercari has a 5-star rating system, and sellers get no repercussions if they receive multiple 4-star ratings from customers instead of 5 stars.
Mercari buyers don’t blink twice with feedback that is not close to perfect.
eBay sellers strive to have the highest feedback possible.
If a seller has less than 97% positive feedback on eBay, it means that the seller has some negative feedback.
Negative feedback could mean that the seller didn’t do what they were supposed to. But, it can also be a mistake, a dishonest buyer, or just a misunderstanding.
Getting Paid
Both Mercari and eBay use similar systems. Since eBay switched over to Managed Pay, the platform payments are alike. Once an item sells, fees are deducted from the balance, and then payments are made into the seller’s account.
Scams
New sellers on eBay commonly experience scammers because they don’t have feedback yet.
Once a seller builds some feedback, scammers are much less frequent and eBay does what they can to protect their sellers and buyers.
Mercari buyers experience a lot of scammers. The buyer protections are not as established yet.
Maybe You Don’t Have To Choose One
Cross-posting is a great way to get the best of both worlds.
Listing on multiple platforms will always get more eyes on your items. And, it will get your item in front of different types of buyers.
eBay and Mercari are great places to cross-post items.
There are great cross-posting platforms available to assist or you can do it yourself.
FURTHER RESOURCES
Download These 47 Household Items To Resell TODAY!
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