Shipping is a necessary part of selling on Mercari. Understanding the fees and how they work is vital in growing your business and will benefit you in the long run. However, shipping is not always free on Mercari so you need to know how much each type of shipment costs before deciding which one you want to choose.

Most shoppers care more about shipping than getting the best prices or outstanding customer service. Buyers will be delighted to receive their items on time, as delayed shipping can cause frustration and dissatisfaction.

As a Mercari seller, knowing how shipping works on the platform is crucial. Some items will be lost while in transit or your buyer will receive a damaged item even if you shipped it in excellent condition. Understanding the basics of Mercari shipping, buyer and seller protection, and costs are essential in protecting your income and online business reputation.

This guide will break down all the necessary information to help you understand how Mercari shipping works, how to ship your items and the importance of getting the exact shipping costs from the item's actual weight to avoid paying extra charges.

Mercari Shipping Options

You sold an item! What's the next step? It's time to prepare the item for shipping. Mercari is home to over 2 billion listings of new and pre-loved products. Mercari is one of the popular online marketplaces because listing an item is free. You only have to pay the 10% sales commission plus shipping costs; the rest is your income.

If you're new to Mercari, shipping can be confusing. Let's take a look at the various options and find out which is best for you.

Mercari Prepaid Label

Mercari prepaid label is the fastest and most convenient way of shipping your sold items on Mercari. When you choose the prepaid label, the label will be emailed directly to you. You just have to get the actual weight and size of the item and include it on your listing. You have the option to ship it via USPS, FedEx, or UPS.

How to Ship via Mercari Prepaid Label

1. When your item sells, a printable shipping label will be emailed to you.
2. Print the label at home and secure the package.
3. Schedule a pick-up or have it drop off at the post office of whichever shipping partner you choose (USPS, UPS, or FedEx).

Benefits:

• Get up to 64% off of retail shipping rates
• Convenience - a prepaid label is emailed to you
• It comes with $200 shipping insurance
• You can easily track your package anytime
• Discounted postage rates
• Ideal for items up to 150 lbs and 45" in length

Mercari Ship Your Own

The Mercari “Ship Your Own" option lets sellers choose their desired shipping services and arrange their shipments on their own. They can schedule a pick-up from their preferred shipping provider or drop it off. It is a better option, especially for experienced sellers with more oversized items, because they can get cheaper shipping rates than Mercari's shipping partners.

How to Ship via Mercari Ship Your Own

• Mercari will provide you with your buyer's shipping address once an item sells.
• You must buy a shipping label and ship the item using your chosen shipping provider.
• Once the shipment is made, don't forget to input the tracking information in Mercari.

Benefits:

• Allows you to choose any shipping service you want
• More pricing options
• You can find shipping services with cheaper rates
• Recommended for experienced sellers with bulky items
• Ideal for larger items with over 150 lbs or 45" in length

Mercari Pack and Ship

Mercari offers a convenient way for busy resellers who don't have the time to package their items or need extra protection in packaging their fragile items. Mercari offers a shipping option where a packing expert will do all the work, like arranging and shipping the item for you.

How Mercari Pack and Ship Works

• After your item sells, you will receive a shipping code that you need to show at a UPS store.
• You have three business days to drop it off at any UPS store.
• Show your shipping code to the UPS store associate.
• The UPS Store Certified Packing Experts will print, package, and ship the item for you.
• The 'Order Status' page will update automatically to inform your buyer that the package is on its way.

Benefits:

• It saves you plenty of time
• A certified packing expert will package and ship the item on your behalf
• With $200 shipping insurance
• Offers a flat rate shipping for all 50 states
• Ideal for working individuals who don't have time to pack their sold items
• Recommended for huge and fragile items that need extra care in packaging

How to Change Shipping Weight

There are two ways to update your shipping weight. First, determine who's paying for the shipping, then follow the steps below:

• The seller pays for the shipping

  If you are paying for the shipping, you can change the weight or dimension of your item by selecting the "edit label" on the Order Status page. Once updated, you must reprint your shipping label by clicking the "Recreate" button and selecting "view and print."

• The buyer pays for the shipping

  If your buyer is paying for the shipping, you can either shoulder the additional costs or cancel the transaction first, then ask the buyer to repurchase the item. Ensure to keep your customer informed, so they know if the shipment is on its way or if they'll have to re-order it.

Steps on Canceling the transaction:

1. Head to the Order Status page and send a message to your buyer, informing them about the situation.
2. Ask your buyer to Like the item or Follow you so they can easily see and repurchase it.
3. Proceed in canceling the item by clicking the Refund the buyer located at the bottom part of the Order Status page.
4. Go to My Page, click My Listings, tap Edit, select the item, then click Activate.
5. You may now ask the buyer to repurchase the item. They can see the item under their My Likes or Following.

After the customer reorders the item, you can create and print a new shipping label. To reprint your shipping label, go to Profile > Selling > In Progress > the item > View and Print.

Mercari Shipping Rates

The shipping rates depend on your item price and your shipment option. As of February 2022, you can still get an average of 43% off retail for shipping labels for items between 0.25 lb - 150 lbs. Mercari prepaid labels include shipping protection of up to $200 in case your item is lost or damaged in transit by the carrier.

Getting a weighing scale is important to get your package's accurate weight before selecting the shipping option of your choice. As of writing, the following are the updated Mercari shipping rates as of February 2022.

Small Packages size 7” x 6” x 3” (up to 1 lb)

Mercari Prepaid Label: $6.18

Average Retail Carrier: $10.15

Mercari Pack and Ship: $30.00

Medium Packages size 12" x 10" x 5" (Up to 5 lbs)

Mercari Prepaid Label: $10.95

Average Retail Carrier: $17.18

Mercari Pack and Ship: $35.00

Large Packages size 45” x 18” x 6” (Up to 40 lbs)

Mercari Prepaid Label: $45

Average Retail Carrier: $115.37

Mercari Pack and Ship: $70.00

Shipping items using QR Code

UPS and USPS now offer a QR code instead of printing your shipping label. Go to the UPS Store or USPS Post office near you, bring your packed item, and show them your QR code. Their associate will scan the QR code on your phone and ship the package.

QR codes can be found in your email or the Order Status Page. If you'd still like to print your UPS or USPS label, you may do so. You can find them in your email once your item's sold. UPS drop-off only locations and USPS drop boxes can't scan a QR code, so make sure to only drop off at a UPS Store or USPS post office near you.

UPS QR Code Shipping Options:

• UPS Ground
• UPS SurePost shipments

USPS QR Codes Shipping Options:

• USPS First Class
• Priority Mail Shipments

How Does Shipping Protection Work

Mercari offers shipping protection on all Mercari prepaid labels, including items picked up and delivered via Mercari local. Sellers and buyers are protected up to $200 if the carrier loses or damages the item in transit.

How to File a Claim:

1. The buyer needs to contact Mercari to file a claim (lost or damaged item)
2. Mercari will investigate the claim
3. After the investigation, Mercari will refund the buyer
4. Once the claim has been approved, the seller will receive shipping protection reimbursement

To compute the total coverage, you just have to get the item's price and deduct the selling and processing fees.

Note:

• For filling lost items, you must file a support request within 7 - 14 business days from the carrier's last shipment scan.
• For damaged items in transit, you must file a support request within three calendar days from the delivery date. The claim must be filed on Mercari, not with the carrier.

Shipping Protection Guidelines

To make sure your item is protected against unwanted circumstances such as loss or damage, you must ensure to comply with the following checklist:

• Your item must be shipped using a Mercari prepaid shipping label or picked up and delivered with Mercari local.
• The order must be shipped within three business days from the purchase date and scanned by the carrier.
• The packaged weight is less than or equal to the shipping label (H x W x L / 130 shipping divisor)
• The package size should be less than 45" (most extended length) x 20" (second longest side)
• The package must be safely packed and compliant with both Mercari and the carrier's shipping guidelines.
• The package must not be labeled as "hazardous."
• The package must not be under prohibited items and comply with Mercari's Terms of Service or Mercari's Prohibited Item Policy.
• Mercari may not return damaged items deemed as hazardous during transit.
• The package must be dropped off and scanned by the correct carrier.
• Your Mercari account must be in good standing.

Ensure you follow Mercari's current standard to ensure your package is eligible for shipping protection. Shipping protection claims may take up to 2 weeks to resolve, and the maximum refund should not exceed the worth of the item's sale profit, covering up to $200.

Avoid Shipping Hassle

We're all busy and shipping packages can be a hassle. Thankfully, there is an automation service like OneShop that you can rely upon for your listing and shipping works. OneShop offers the most polished selling experience where you can conveniently manage your orders, like requesting package pick-ups, ordering shipping boxes, and viewing pending orders.

Integrating your online and offline listing work is also made seamlessly. It allows resellers like you to efficiently work using a computer and continue your work conveniently on your smartphones, making it the fastest way to list and sell anytime, anywhere.

In addition to these excellent features, OneShop also offers a Mercari bot that lets you refresh stale listings to increase your item's exposure. OneShop's cross-listing feature also gives resellers like you the easiest way to list on many sites without doing more work to drive more sales. Plus, the delisting feature gives you peace of mind, so you don't have to worry about selling a single item on multiple marketplaces.

Become one of the thousands of resellers that already trust OneShop as their reliable automation service partner for their online business. Don't miss the chance to grow your business and enjoy a 7-day no-risk trial! Sign-up here and experience the benefits it gives to your resale business.