Is Mercari Legit? A Quick Guide For Sellers & Buyers

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Everything you need to know about online safety and fraud on Mercari

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Is Mercari a legit site?

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Is Mercari Authenticate legit?

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How to Avoid Scams as a Buyer

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How to Avoid Scams as a Seller

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Common Mercari Scams

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Does Mercari refund for scams?

Mercari is a versatile online marketplace where people can resell just about everything under the sun. Like fellow selling platforms Poshmark, Depop, and eBay, Mercari is a legitimate and safe place to buy and sell used items—as long as you take the proper precautions first. Read on to learn everything there is to know about both Mercari and Mercari Authenticate, and how you can stay safe as both a buyer and a seller.

Things You Should Know

Mercari is a legit, safe business that’s accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A rating.
Mercari Authenticate is a legitimate service used to confirm the authenticity of certain luxury products listed on Mercari.
Look for a verification badge on the user profile of a buyer or seller to see if they took extra steps to confirm their identity with Mercari.

Section 1 of 6:

Is Mercari a legit site?

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Yes, Mercari is a legitimate website and shopping platform. Mercari is a BBB (Better Business Bureau) accredited business with an A rating on the organization’s website.^{[1]XTrustworthy SourceBetter Business BureauNonprofit organization dedicated to promoting marketplace trustworthiness by educating consumers and reviewing businessesGo to source} It is perfectly safe to buy and sell items on Mercari, but it’s still possible to get scammed if you aren’t careful. It never hurts to do a little extra digging before buying from a specific seller or selling to a specific buyer!
- Originally started and founded in Japan by entrepreneur Shintaro Yamada, the company has since established a branch in the USA that’s based in Palo Alto, California.^{[2]XResearch source}

Section 2 of 6:

Is Mercari Authenticate legit?

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Yes, Mercari Authenticate is a legitimate service that costs the seller $5. Mercari Authenticate works with qualified, third-party professionals from the business Real Authentication to review luxury listings and decide if they’re legitimate or not. Approved items receive a special diamond badge on the listing, so interested buyers can be confident that the designer item they’re interested in is legit.^{[3]XResearch source}
- The Mercari Authenticate service applies to items like handbags, glasses/eyewear, jewelry, wallets, watches, and shoes.
- Authentication is an optional service unless you sell the item above the established price point.
- It costs $10 to receive a certificate of authentication for certain items.

Section 3 of 6:

How to Avoid Scams as a Buyer

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All verified Mercari users have a badge of a shield with a checkmark in the center. This proves that they’ve taken steps to confirm their email and phone number and that they’ve uploaded a valid copy of their government ID.^{[4]XResearch source}
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Never pay for an item outside of Mercari’s platform. Any legitimate seller will expect payment through the Mercari platform, and won’t ask you to send money through a different channel.^{[5]XResearch source}
- If you receive a suspicious DM from a seller on Mercari, hit the flag icon next to the message to report it.
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Request a refund right away if you’re unhappy with your purchase. Mercari has a 3-day return policy for buyers in case your purchase doesn’t meet your expectations. Before giving the seller a rating, initiate a return within Mercari.^{[6]XResearch source}
- To request a return, go to the “Order Status” page and select “Get help,” followed by “This is about returning my purchase” and “I want to return my purchase.” Explain why you’re requesting a return, and wait 24 hours to see if the seller gets in touch. After that point, Mercari will review the request.
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Report inappropriate listings to Mercari. If an item seems to violate Mercari’s prohibited items policy, pull open the listing and hit the flag icon in the top right corner. Detail why you’re reporting the listing, and then hit “Submit” and “Yes” to confirm.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Coupons, counterfeit items, digital items, and inappropriate items are all banned from the Mercari platform.
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Avoid buying from sellers with no reviews. Whenever possible, look for sellers with good ratings and reviews—that way, you can be confident that you won’t be scammed. Sellers with zero reviews are more likely to be scam accounts.
- It’s also important to keep the price point for items in mind. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Mercari has an established refund policy in place, so it’s not hard to get your money back. Still, it’s best to avoid scams in the first place so you don’t have to deal with that hassle in the first place.

Section 4 of 6:

How to Avoid Scams as a Seller

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Check that the buyer is verified on their Mercari profile. Look for a shield-like icon with a white checkmark in the center—this proves that the buyer took the time to provide a legitimate government ID and confirm their phone number and email.^{[8]XResearch source}
- On their website, Mercari reminds sellers that profile verification doesn’t 100% vett a buyer. It’s always best to follow your gut before doing business with any buyer—if you’re getting bad vibes, feel free to call the order off.
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Require payment before shipping any items. Ignore any buyer requests to accept payment later (like upon delivery), as this makes it easier for a scam to occur. Instead, require all buyers to use any of the payment methods offered by Mercari, including:^{[9]XResearch source}
- Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express
- PayPal
- Venmo
- Zip
- Apple Pay
Services like PayPal make it easy to check if the money sent over by the buyer cleared properly.^{[10]XResearch source} Double-check that the payment is good to go before you ship anything out.
Use Mercari’s built-in messaging system by hitting the “Message” button on the buyer’s profile.^{[11]XResearch source} That way, if anything goes wrong with the transaction, Mercari can easily reference your in-app communications.
Mail and shipping services like USPS allow you to request a signature confirmation for a package before you send it out.^{[12]XResearch source} Taking this extra step prevents scammers from pretending that they never received a package.
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Include plenty of details in your listing. Take plenty of photos of the item and provide a detailed description of what it is (including its condition). Provide the brand of the item (if applicable), so potential buyers can get the full picture.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Include pictures that highlight any of the product’s issues or cosmetic defects, so the reader knows exactly what they’re buying.
- For designer items, include pictures of details that prove the item’s authenticity, like a serial number.
- Mention any accessories that come with the item, so the buyer can’t pretend something was missing from their package.
- Take a video of you packaging the item to help prove your legitimacy as a seller.

Section 5 of 6:

Common Mercari Scams

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Common buyer scams Some buyers may try to waste a seller’s time or steal their money with tricks like:
- Low price offers: Some buyers may attempt to haggle for a price that’s much lower than the established listing. Then, they’ll back out of the offer later.
- No payment: Certain buyers may request a delayed payment method (like paying after the item is delivered). Later, they’ll receive the item but never pay for it.
- Bogus returns: Some crafty buyers will purchase an item that they already own a damaged version of, so they can take a picture of their damaged item and use it to get a refund. Then, they’ll return the busted item to you and sell the high-quality item they scammed from you.
- Sketchy emails: Some buyers use email phishing tactics to get a seller’s personal payment information (like a bank account number).
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Common seller scams Sellers using online platforms like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Mercari often use cheap schemes to scam buyers, like:
- Dropshipping scam: The seller lists Amazon items on their shop at a higher price, forcing buyers to pay extra shipping fees. In actuality, the seller is buying the item on Amazon and having it shipped directly to the buyer.
- Fake items: Sellers try to pass off counterfeits as the real deal, especially when it comes to designer goods. Thankfully, the Mercari Authenticate feature makes this scam easier to avoid.
- Address switching: Sellers send a bogus package in the mail to your address, only to contact the shipment company and change the address before it gets to you.

Section 6 of 6:

Does Mercari refund for scams?

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Yes, as long as you request a return within 3 days. Mercari offers refunds for common order issues (e.g., a canceled purchase, a returned item, a damaged item), as well as other issues that may have popped up during your order (like a scam).^{[14]XResearch source} To get the refund process in order, request a return for your item by following these steps:
- Go to the “Order Status” page and hit “Get help” followed by “This about returning my purchase” and “I want to return my purchase.”
- Choose a reason for my you’re requesting the return, providing extra information and photos as evidence.
- Once Mercari approves your return request, use the provided return label to send the item back.
- Wait 24 hours after the seller receives and reviews the return before the refund starts to be processed.^{[15]XResearch source}
- Note: Mercari only issues refunds for items purchased through the site. If you sent the seller payment through a platform besides Mercari, you won’t be able to get a refund.^{[16]XResearch source}