Mercari removed seller fees in April 2024

[think-unique]

I use Mercari for some of my listings.  Ebay has been a bit too bot friendly lately and of course the fees are the fees. Mercari removed seller fees. All of them. They DO have a fee to withdraw funds.. a $2.00 flat rate. Its better to withdraw a lot of money vs a little (when is it not better?) Anyone else hear about this switch?  Yes customers pay more but it is a nice feeling that someone is willing to try this to the benefit of sellers. 

[valueaddedresource]

@think-unique  Lots of discussion about the recent Mercari changes over on this thread:

https://community.ebay.com/t5/Selling/Another-Competitor-Makes-Some-Big-Changes/td-p/34373213 

[chapeau-noir]

You need the Mercari subreddit.

[mam98031]

Yes, as of March 27th, they are charging Buyers the fees they use to charge to sellers.  It is Mercari's position that sellers should lower their prices to reflect that they no longer have to pay the fees.  However it is my opinion that many sellers won't be doing that much to Mercari's dismay.  

It is doubtful this is going to turn out like Mercari wants, which is to revitalize the site. 

[ebarr]

Yeah, I used to buy from Mercari, now not as much, the fees are just like double taxing

[lakefor94]

Always thought it as a last ditch effort before selling out and or closing the doors. Just a matter of time.....

Hopeless at this point.

[mam98031]

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@ebarr wrote:

Yeah, I used to buy from Mercari, now not as much, the fees are just like double taxing

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I have to admit I find this funny.  Buyers often do not respect the fact that sellers pay fees for the sites they sell on.  But now on Mercari the buyers are seeing the fees that the sellers use to have to pay and many do not like it.  I'm hopeful it will bring more buyers here and with a renewed respect for sellers and the fees we have to pay.

[azazel_2014]

Hello. I just wanted to reply because I was looking at this issue after being shocked by how much the price of an item went up after I went to accept an offer. The reason I wanted to comment on your response is that I'm a substance use and mental health counselor and I have that same quote closing my work email. Seeing this made my day. Thank you. 

[slyders_finds]

I tried to sell on Mercari once. On my first listing, overnight I had a scammer try to target my account and Mercari shut them down. To me was not a confidence builder so I pulled my listings down. BTW, I thought the $2.00 fee is if you want to withdraw under $10 balance? 

[funfactorychannel]

I got like a bigger increase in sales since the change eventhough prices are the same here and there. 

The buyer fee are a lot less than seller fees, so its not apples to apples. I think they are trying to make more fees by selling volume to make it up a seller selling an item here and there.

The biggest impact I think is the shipping cost between mercari, poshmark and ebay. Overall cost is a factor and biggest draw is lowered shipping cost. Especially at the 2 to 3lbs area. Which right now Ebay if you did not pass the discount or set flat shipping is a lot higher than the other 2 stores.

[tobaccocardyahoo]

Mercari's US operations are failing.

The fee gambit is a Hail Mary play hoping that it will increase sales on the US site,

Opinions differ on whether it will.

It is a tiny player in the US with a limited selection of merchandise types. If your merchandise fits the site, you can try it. My merchandise does not.

[cardsforauction]

Yes,   bought a few items there too.  Thought it was a good place to buy stuff, but now the fees scare me off.  The seller is suppose to pay listing and FVF's not buyers.  Just a gimmick for Mercari to get more sellers to list more items there.  I guess it will work for sellers, but buyers beware.

[mam98031]

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@cardsforauction wrote:

Yes,   bought a few items there too.  Thought it was a good place to buy stuff, but now the fees scare me off.  The seller is suppose to pay listing and FVF's not buyers.  Just a gimmick for Mercari to get more sellers to list more items there.  I guess it will work for sellers, but buyers beware.

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Not a "gimmick".  And there is no rule that says sellers have to pay the fees.  It is just what you are use to.  when the seller pays the fees, they just increase the price of the item to cover the fees along with the other costs of selling the item.  So you have always paid fees.  It is just now on Mercari they are showing you the fees you will be paying and the sellers are not suppose to be marking up their products to cover fees, because they don't have any except when they want to get their money out of Mercari.

Even here, sellers pay selling fees to Ebay.  We have to mark up our products to cover those fees, so even here you do pay fees, it is just included in the price you pay the seller.

[cardsforauction]

On Mercari, previously sellers paid the fees.  Now, Mercari reversed it and make buyers pay the fees.  Sellers don't pay the fees.  Why Mercari change it?  They created a gimmick to lure sellers.  Most likely, they will go back to the previous fees for sellers.  I don't see how buyers will be buying there and be happy with this new arrangement.

[mam98031]

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@cardsforauction wrote:

On Mercari, previously sellers paid the fees.  Now, Mercari reversed it and make buyers pay the fees.  Sellers don't pay the fees.  Why Mercari change it?  They created a gimmick to lure sellers.  Most likely, they will go back to the previous fees for sellers.  I don't see how buyers will be buying there and be happy with this new arrangement.

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I understand what Mercari is doing.  It started on March 27th.  

No they need buyers.  They are betting once buyers get use to this that more will come.  Just like on Ebay, we need more buyers.  Sellers are plentiful.

This is a new thing and way too soon to tell if it is going to work or not.  Will Mercari survive?  Only time will tell and enough time hasn't passed yet.  Mercari did this because they needed to do something to increase sales on the site.  They are literally banking on this drastic change to do that for them.

The nature of people is to resist change.  It is just part of who we are.  In time buyers will get use to it and only in time will we see if buyers will accept it enough to keep Mercari a viable site.