Is Mercari legit? A guide to safe shopping and avoiding scams

What is Mercari and how does it work?

Mercari is a Japanese company famous for its peer-to-peer marketplace app where users can buy and sell new and used items. Mercari works similarly to other P2P marketplaces, such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and Etsy: A seller takes pictures of an item, such as a collectable or second-hand article of clothing, and posts them on their seller profile. The seller sets a price and describes the item, sometimes using hashtags for better searchability.

A buyer selects the item and pays directly through Mercari, either with a payment card or payment app, such as Apple Pay or PayPal. The seller is generally expected to ship the item to the buyer within a three-day period.

After the delivery is confirmed, the buyer has 72 hours to rate the transaction or report an issue (for example, if an item is damaged or different than described). When the buyer confirms that the item was delivered and is satisfactory, Mercari pays the price of the item to the seller. If the 72-hour window ends and the buyer does not leave a review, the payment funds are automatically released to the seller.

Is Mercari a legit and safe website?

Mercari is considered a legitimate website. It’s a long-running platform, founded in 2013, with a large base of over 20 million monthly active users. The platform takes a number of steps to ensure reliability, like providing a payment platform and refund policy for unsatisfactory products and transactions.

Here are some of the steps Mercari takes to Its protect users:

• Payments are handled within Mercari: When a buyer pays through Mercari, the platform processes the payment and generally holds the funds until the buyer rates the transaction or the review window ends. This helps create a record of the transaction and gives both sides access to Mercari’s dispute process.

• Mercari offers shipping protection on eligible prepaid labels: When the seller chooses the option of prepaid shipping with a printed label and follows the shipping guidelines, the package is protected for up to $200 against loss or damage in transit.

• A two-way rating system builds trust and reliability: Both sellers and buyers rate each other on the platform. That helps build accountability in the community, and can help you identify who is safe to buy from or sell to.

• Mercari has a return and dispute process: Buyers can request a return if the item they bought is broken, not as described, or in some other way incorrect. Return requests must be made within 72 hours of delivery through Mercari’s channels. If approved, Mercari processes the refund after the item is returned to the seller.

User reviews and ratings

Mercari boasts relatively high ratings on platforms like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Apple App Store, suggesting that the company is trustworthy. BBB gives Mercari an A rating. App Store users give the app a 4.8 star rating.

Customer feedback on Trustpilot and Reddit paints a mixed picture of Mercari. The platform itself is legitimate, but many users describe scams between buyers and sellers and say customer support can be inconsistent when disputes arise.

For example, this Mercari user who sold an iPhone on the platform wasn’t paid for the sale. The buyer claimed that the box they received was empty, though the seller cites the weight of the box when shipped as proof that it was not. In this case, the seller says Mercari sided with the buyer. Such reviews and stories offer a nuanced portrait of Mercari as a legitimate business platform, but with inconsistent support in the case of suspected scams and seller protections.

On Trustpilot, Mercari has a 1.2 rating, with many reviews criticizing complaint handling and seller support. Taken together, these reviews suggest that Mercari is a real marketplace, but one where users may face uneven support when fraud is reported.

Common scams to watch out for on Mercari

Mercari is a legitimate platform, but like many online marketplaces, it can attract scammers. Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true, keep all payments within Mercari, and never share personal information. Scammers can impersonate both buyers and sellers, so always be aware of the red flags.

Watch out for these common scams on Mercari:

• Counterfeit listings: Some sellers advertise luxury goods, collectibles, or cosmetics that turn out to be fake or in much worse condition than described. You may pay for an authentic item and receive a counterfeit instead. Because fakes can be hard to spot, inspect the item carefully before confirming the transaction and rating the seller.

• Bait-and-switch scams: In these scams, the item delivered is not what the buyer paid for. Buyers may receive a cheaper substitute or even an empty box. In one common scam described by this Mercari buyer on the r/Scams subreddit, they purchased a regular-sized cosmetic product, and the scammer sent a trial-sized one instead. Look out for items with unbelievably low prices and sellers with poor, limited, or no reviews.

• Overpayment scams: In this scam, a buyer sends more money than the seller requested through an off-platform payment service such as PayPal or Venmo, then asks for the difference to be refunded. The original payment later turns out to be fraudulent and is reversed in full, leaving the seller out the refunded money and, in some cases, the item as well. If someone asks for a transaction off-platform, always treat it as a scam.

• Return fraud: Sellers can be targeted too. In return fraud, a buyer receives an item then falsely claims the box was empty, contained the wrong item, or arrived with something different inside. Some sellers, like this Redditor on r/Mercari fall victim to buyers swapping out the original item, submitting misleading photos, and filing a claim for a refund. These disputes can lead to significant financial losses and leave sellers with limited recourse.

• Phishing: Scammers may send messages or emails that appear to come from Mercari just to trick you into clicking malicious links or sharing personal information. These messages may claim that your “purchase is confirmed” or that your account needs “verification.” Cloaked as customer support or regular shipping emails, these scams may include a link, then steal login credentials or payment information. Remember: legitimate companies never ask for personal sensitive information through unsolicited messages.

• Fake customer support: Someone may contact you by email or on Mercari claiming to be customer support and flagging an issue with your account. Often, they’ll try to get you to click a link or take the conversation off-platform. This is a scam. Legitimate account help should be handled through Mercari’s official app or website.

• Off-platform payments: In this scam, a seller tries to get you to pay them on a platform that isn’t Mercari, like CashApp or Venmo. Then they pocket the money. Always make payments on Mercari’s platform. Requests to make payments off-platform are usually scams.

• Package diversion: In this scam, the “seller” manipulates the shipping so the package is sent to a different address near the buyer rather than to the buyer directly. The package may be empty or full of worthless items, but is still marked as delivered. Because the tracking shows delivery, the buyer may not realize what has happened until the claim window has closed and the scammer has been paid.

How to avoid scams on Mercari (as a buyer & seller)

While in most cases, Mercari is safe to buy from, it’s important to follow these steps to keep yourself (and your money) safe when buying from sellers on the site.

Here are some of the best ways to avoid scams on Mercari:

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  Check seller profiles: You already know to avoid sellers with outright bad reviews, but you should also be wary of sellers with no reviews at all. New accounts aren’t always scammers, but since there’s no way to see others’ experiences with the seller, it’s best to play it safe and avoid them. It’s also good to take auto-generated 5-star reviews with a grain of salt — these are created automatically by Mercari if a transaction is completed. The most dependable reviews are by actual customers.

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  Pay only on Mercari: Never pay or agree to pay off-platform. Mercari processes payments within the app, which helps create a record of transactions and gives buyers and sellers access to protections and its dispute process. If someone asks to transact through private means, just don’t do it. Mercari cannot trace those payments and will not refund you in case of fraud.

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  Examine listings carefully: Take a close look at the listing before buying. Check that the product, size, and condition match what you expect. Does the photograph look authentic? Could it be a photo from another website? Consider reverse searching the image on Google to see if the image was stolen from another listing or site.

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  Use Mercari Authenticate: Look for listings with a Mercari Diamond badge when shopping for high-value items and luxury brands. This means the seller submitted additional information, like serial numbers and item tags, for authentication.

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  Avoid “too good to be true” deals: If the price on an item is unbelievable, don’t take the bait. It is likely a counterfeit item or some other scam. Sometimes though, scammers list items for just under the going rate to make them look more believable and attract quick offers.

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  Do not rate the transaction early: When you receive your shipment, wait until you open and inspect it thoroughly before rating the seller. If there’s a problem, report it to Mercari right away. Once you review the seller, you cannot ask for your money back. If you’re the seller, don’t rate the transaction until the buyer does.

Tips for sellers: Protecting your sales

Selling on Mercari can be a great way to make some extra money — as long as you take precautions. Scams can affect anyone, but by staying alert and following a few safety steps it’s less likely to happen to you.

Follow these tips to protect your sales on Mercari:

• Take detailed photos: Take as many clear photos documenting as much of the item as possible. Make sure to include clear documentation of any flaws or markings the item has. Take photos of the item before you ship it, the weight, and the shipping receipt. If you’re selling something with a high value, it doesn’t hurt to record a video of the packing and shipping process.

• Use Mercari Shipping: Print a label and ship through one of Mercari’s partners; your package will be insured for up to $200. Just be sure that the weight of the package matches the label exactly.

• Never accept payment or refunds off-platform: Always use Mercari for payments and refunds. And once you have the money in your Mercari account, transfer it to your regular bank account.

• Verify buyers carefully: Look at how long a buyer has been on Mercari and how many reviews they have. Avoid selling to people with no reviews and no profile information if you can help it, as these are more likely to be scam accounts.

I was scammed on Mercari, what do I do?

You have a 72-hour reporting window from the time the package was delivered. If you’re a buyer and you need to report a scam, you can do so via the Order Status page > Need Help? It’s important that you do not rate the seller if you have an issue or suspect you’ve been scammed.

If you’re scammed on Mercari, follow these steps:

1. Contact Mercari within 72 hours: Use the app to contact customer support. Be prepared to provide photographs and detailed descriptions of what happened. If you receive an item that is not as described, report the issue immediately.

2. Do not rate the seller: If you rate the seller, the funds will be released to them. Instead, contact Mercari customer support and initiate a refund.

3. Report to payment provider: If you gave your bank or credit card details to a scammer an off-platform transaction, contact your bank or credit union and report any unauthorized transactions immediately. Monitor your bank account carefully until it’s resolved.

4. File an FTC report: Let the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) know about the scam by emailing them at reportfraud@ftc.org.

5. Freeze credit if needed: If someone has your personal details, like your Social Security Number, contact each of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to activate a credit freeze.

Protect yourself while shopping online

All online marketplaces come with a degree of risk. Mercari attempts to keep buyers and sellers safe on their website with a number of in-app precautions, but no marketplace is perfectly safe. Avast Free Antivirus is the perfect shopping buddy — it can help flag suspected scam attempts, and comes with phishing and malware protection so you can browse online marketplaces with greater confidence. Get it free today.

FAQs

Does Mercari protect buyers and sellers?

Mercari includes several features designed to help protect buyers and sellers. For example, payments are processed within the platform, and funds are typically held until the buyer confirms the item’s condition. Mercari offers product returns if the buyer reports an issue within a 72-hour window of delivery. Mercari also offers identity verification to help reduce suspicious activity on the platform.

What happens if you miss the 72-hour reporting window?

After delivery is confirmed, you have 72 hours to review the item and report an issue. If you miss this window, Mercari releases the funds to the seller and automatically gives the seller a 5-star rating. At this point the sale is considered final and refunds are no longer typically available through standard processes. Always report an issue within this period.

How can you tell if a seller is legit on Mercari?

Although Mercari itself is a legit website, there are no shortages of scammers. Watch for sellers with no reviews or profile information. Be wary of any item with a too-good-to-be-true price. And if you’re buying a luxury item, choose items with the Mercari Authenticate badge for extra protection.