by Mercari is a web-based exchange where used items can be bought and sold. This Japanese import has become a worldwide phenomenon.
Similar to eBay, it advertises used goods for sale. Is it safe to use Mercari? Many people these days have been pondering this very subject.
Because, you know, it’s a brand new app and digital market. Mercari appears trustworthy at this point. However, like with any online economy, some will inevitably seek to exploit it.
When utilizing Mercari, it’s crucial to be aware of and prepared for potential threats before making any purchases or sales. You can use Mercari without worry after reading the arguments presented in this post.
OK, so let’s get going!
Is Mercari Legit?
The Mercari marketplace is a reliable one. In recent years, it has skyrocketed in popularity. Unlike other online marketplaces like eBay and Amazon, it caters specifically to pre-owned items.
Apparel, gadgets, toys, and more may all be bought and sold easily on Mercari. While Mercari’s main focus is on selling pre-owned items, you may also find new products there. The customer has three days to send a product out as soon as it is sold.
Once a buyer verifies receipt of an item, the seller will be paid, less a 10% Mercari fee. Mercari has the potential to be a safer alternative to Craigslist.
It was a Japanese online retailer established in 2013 by Shintaro Yamada. Within a year of the app’s release, it had about a million listings.
San Francisco became Mercari’s first office in the United States in 2014. Since its release, it has been downloaded over 40 million times, putting it in third place in the US App Store. Mercari has opted to ‘temporarily retire’ from the UK market after joining in 2016.
Rapidity is one of Mercari’s selling points. Users can offer their items for sale without effort and discreetly send them to their buyers. What’s more, Mercari’s payment mechanism appears open and isn’t overly cautious about safeguarding buyers or vendors.
How To Find Legitimate Sellers On Mercari?
You can protect yourself from online scams by taking some precautions, such as restricting your Mercari purchases to verified vendors. But alas, this is not always the case. Here’s what you can do to verify the authenticity of a Mercari merchant.
Check Out Profile Verification
You can tell if a Mercari vendor is legit by looking at their profile and seeing if the site has verified them. If there is a green checkbox next to the seller’s name on Mercari, you may rest assured that they are who they say they are. Because of this, you know you can trust the seller.
Check Out Customer Reviews
When determining if a Mercari vendor is legitimate, one further item to consider is their feedback from previous buyers. If you visit a vendor’s profile and scroll down, you’ll be able to read feedback left by previous buyers.
Can you tell me if your past client was satisfied with their purchase? Did you receive what you expected? You can have more faith in a vendor if they have high five-star ratings from their buyers.
Check Out The Badges On Your Profile
Sellers who consistently meet or exceed customer satisfaction ratings will be rewarded with a profile badge. You can anticipate the seller’s reaction when dealing with someone with one of these badges. The following are some of the credentials you should look for:
1. Fast Response- This emblem indicates that the seller responds promptly to customer inquiries. This badge is awarded to sellers who, on average, answer buyers’ questions within 12 hours.
2. Quick Shipper- This emblem indicates that the vendor ships orders quickly (within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays). A badge is earned as the carrier scans the tracking information.
3. Reliable- This should give you confidence in the seller’s ability to fulfill your order.
Verify Your Identity With Mercari Authenticate
Check for a logo that verifies the item’s authenticity if it’s a designer label you’re after. To authenticate your products by a third party, you can upload pictures to Mercari Authenticate.
This seal shows that a third party has confirmed the item’s authenticity in addition to the seller.
Mercari Scams: How To Avoid Them?
There are measures you may take to guarantee your safety on Mercari. By adhering to these measures, you can keep yourself safe while shopping on Mercari.
Never Deal With Payment Outside Of Mercari
Never send money to a seller outside of Mercari, as this is the only way to get scammed.
Many of the items advertised on Mercari are unavailable. These ads are meant to persuade users to transmit funds outside the app, where they will be stored until the user decides to withdraw them. It is not worth paying someone outside of Mercari because you have no protections.
Avoid Buying Anything That Is Too Cheap
There’s probably a good explanation when anything is sold at a much lower price than usual. It’s possible the vendor won’t deliver the goods or they are already damaged. If anything is being sold at a ridiculously low price, it is generally not what it claims to be. And if something is posted for a very high price, the vendor will likely try to rip you off.
Before making a purchase, learn as much as possible about it, and if something doesn’t feel right, don’t get it.
Avoid Anything Ambiguous
If you buy something on Mercari and it turns out to be defective or unsatisfactory, you can ask for a refund. A dishonest vendor is aware of this, so they publish ambiguous ads that may not be technically fraudulent but nevertheless mislead consumers.
Never buy something online without thoroughly understanding what it is and how it functions from the seller’s description.
Ask A Question To The Seller
The Mercari ordering process allows buyers to pose questions to sellers. This is so because you can verify that both the vendor and the product you want to buy are still operational.
Also, the questions you ask the seller might help you determine whether they are legitimate. If they do not get back to you or answer your queries satisfactorily, you should look elsewhere to make your purchase.
Verify The Seller
Mercari’s methods allow you to check out merchants with ease. Badges recognizing sellers for customer-centric behaviors like prompt response and shipment are warranted.
It also shows how long the vendor has been operating their business. A trustworthy vendor is typically accompanied by reputable credentials and a lengthy track record. They wouldn’t have lasted this long if it weren’t for it.
Pay With Merpay Or Paypal
Merpay and PayPal are the preferred methods of payment. This is because a safety net is in place if the item gets lost in transit or arrives damaged.
With this payment method, you can place an order and pay for it the following month. If you have any issues with your purchase, you can file a dispute and receive your money back if the seller does not react.
Take A Look At The Tracking Number
Verify the tracking number you received matches the one provided by Mercari when you receive the goods.
If the seller does not provide a tracking number, you should request a refund since there is no evidence that the item has been shipped. There will be a 7-day delivery delay. Mercari will issue a refund if the seller states that they have already dispatched the goods.
Be Careful With Your Purchases
Once you’ve received the item, check to see if it matches the description. Photograph any problems and contact Mercari’s support team if they persist.
There will be a three-day confirmation period, after which you can cancel your purchase. Within that time period, you must inspect the item or risk forfeiting your right to a refund and the seller being compensated without your involvement.
Thus, it is imperative that you thoroughly inspect your purchase. If a product is damaged or not advertised after purchase, the customer is out of luck. Some vendors take advantage of this fact by peddling counterfeits that fool the eye.
Conclusion
While Mercari is a fantastic marketplace for buying and selling goods, you should be wary of the many frauds that could occur. The advice above will help you have a safe and satisfying experience on Mercari.
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