Mercari FAQ - Common Questions Answered

Q. Does listing an item cost anything?

Listing itself is free on Mercari, Japan's largest consumer-to-consumer marketplace app. A 10% selling fee is deducted from the sale price only when an item actually sells. If nothing sells, you pay nothing. Canceling a listing or relisting is also free, so there is no risk in giving it a try.

Q. Are there any fees when buying?

Buyers generally pay no fees. The exception is choosing convenience-store or ATM payment, which adds a 100 yen processing fee. Paying by credit card or Merpay (Mercari's payment service) is fee-free.

Q. Can I negotiate the price?

Yes, through the comments section on the item page. Whether to accept is entirely up to the seller. Polite wording and a specific target price make a deal far more likely, and a discount of around 10 to 20% off the going rate is a realistic ask.

Q. Can I take down an item I have listed?

As long as no one has purchased it, you can withdraw a listing at any time. From the item's edit screen, choose either the option to pause the listing or the option to delete the item.

Q. Is anonymous shipping available?

Choose Rakuraku Mercari Shipping (via Yamato) or Yu-Yu Mercari Shipping (via Japan Post) and neither the seller nor the buyer ever sees the other's address. For anyone who values their privacy, this feature alone is reason to use these options.

Q. What if there is a problem with the item I received?

As long as you have not yet submitted a receipt rating, you can contact Mercari's support team and they will step in. If the item differs materially from the description or arrives damaged or soiled, a return and refund may be arranged. Once you rate the transaction it is considered complete, so always inspect the item before rating.

One practical tip: film a quick video on your phone before opening the outer box. A record of the package's condition at opening is strong evidence if anything goes wrong, since it shows objectively whether damage happened in transit or existed before shipping, and it makes the support inquiry go much more smoothly.

Q. What should I do if my item never arrives?

If a fair amount of time has passed since the shipping notification, start by messaging the seller to ask about the status. If the shipping method includes a tracking number, you can follow the package yourself. If that still does not resolve things, contact Mercari support and they will handle it.

Q. What if the buyer never submits a receipt rating?

Mercari automatically completes the transaction once a set period (normally 9 days) has passed since the shipping notification. If you are in a hurry, send the buyer a polite reminder through transaction messages.

Q. What if the other party stops responding?

If your transaction messages go unanswered, contact Mercari support and they will mediate. The support team reviews the state of the transaction and takes appropriate action, so stay calm and let the process work.

Q. How do I withdraw my sales proceeds?

You can transfer your balance to a bank account via the payout request screen. Each transfer costs 200 yen in fees. Alternatively, spending the balance as Merpay on everyday purchases costs nothing, so for small amounts, using it through Merpay is the more economical route.

Q. Is identity verification required?

Basic buying and selling works without it, but requesting a payout and using certain Merpay features require identity verification through the app's built-in eKYC flow. With a driver's license or My Number card (Japan's national ID card) on hand, it takes just a few minutes in the app.

Q. Can I create more than one account?

No. Mercari's terms of service allow one account per person and prohibit multiple accounts. Violations can lead to account suspension, so keep everything on a single account.