Mercari vs. eBay: platform overview

What is Mercari?

Mercari is a C2C marketplace based on the concept of "easy selling." No physical store is required; the app guides you through the product listing process and supports nationwide shipping, allowing your products to reach buyers worldwide. Since its founding in Japan in July 2013, Mercari has grown into Japan's largest marketplace, with monthly transaction volume exceeding $10 billion. As of the end of 2016, Mercari had over 35 million downloads in Japan and over 20 million in the United States. Its Japanese users are primarily women aged 20 to 30.  Mercari allows users to sell items without charging listing fees, instead profiting primarily from a 10% transaction fee. Mercari offers a wide variety of goods, ranging from clothing and household items to even used lipsticks and divorce certificates. Some items that have appeared on Mercari have been banned due to controversy, such as currency, computer viruses, and stolen goods.

What is eBay?

eBay is a multinational e-commerce company headquartered in San Jose, California, USA. Users can buy or browse goods through its online marketplace and website, which spans 190 markets worldwide. Sales methods include online auctions and "Buy Now," and the company charges sellers a commission. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in September 1995. The company has 132 million annual active buyers worldwide, with a transaction volume of $73 billion in 2023, 48% of which occurred in the United States. In 2023, eBay's commission rate (a percentage of revenue from transaction volume) was 13.81%. Individuals, companies, and government agencies can use eBay to buy and sell virtually any legal and uncontroversial goods. Buyers and sellers can rate and review each other after each transaction, building a reputation system. eBay services are accessible through a website and mobile applications. Software developers can create applications integrated with eBay using the eBay API. Merchants can also earn commissions through eBay's affiliate marketing program.

Selling on Mercari vs. eBay

Mercari and eBay are both popular e-commerce platforms used by both buyers and sellers. Merchants can sell virtually any product on both eBay and Mercari. Both platforms offer an online marketplace where people from all over the world can buy and sell. Both eBay and Mercari are available both on websites and on mobile devices, helping buyers and sellers reach a wider customer base. Furthermore, both platforms offer relatively low seller fees.

There are also some differences between Mercari and eBay; understanding these differences will help you choose the e-commerce platform that best suits your needs.

• Seller demographics: Mercari is best suited for temporary sellers, part-time resellers, and those reselling consumer goods such as clothing and toys. A seller might list a small number of items per week, hoping for quick sales with minimal upfront costs. eBay, on the other hand, is better suited for experienced sellers, product resellers, and serious resellers or small businesses looking to expand into international markets, utilize SEO tools, and scale their high-value or niche inventory globally.

• User demographics: Mercari boasts over 15 million users worldwide, primarily in the US and Japan, while eBay has over 182 million users globally, spanning more than 100 countries/regions.

• Usage Process: Mercari's product listing process is simpler because it requires fewer mandatory fields. You only need to take a few high-quality product photos, write a short description, and add a price to start selling. The platform's account setup is also more convenient, making it easier to get started selling. In contrast, eBay's product listing system is time-consuming and complex, requiring product photos, detailed descriptions, and information on the product category and price. You can also add product dimensions, weight, and other specifications to attract potential buyers. Therefore, sellers need more time to list products, and starting and operating a store requires more steps.

• Returns: Mercari does not offer returns; all transactions are final. However, if your item does not match the description, you can request a return within 72 hours of receipt via the order status or review page. Once you review the transaction or more than 72 hours have passed, returns will not be accepted. For items exceeding 50 pounds, the seller must provide their own return shipping label. eBay's return policy is more flexible. Sellers can set "no returns," 14-day, 30-day, or even 60-day return policies. Buyers can return items for any reason but must first inquire with the seller about return policies.

• Platform Fees: Mercari doesn't charge any listing fees but takes a 10% commission on each sale. eBay, on the other hand, allows up to 250 items to be listed for free, after which a $0.35 listing fee is charged per item, plus a 12% to 14% sales commission, depending on the product type.

Fees on Mercari vs. eBay

Mercari:

Mercari does not charge you for listing products on its website. Instead, it charges a fee after a product is sold. Mercari takes a commission of at least 10% of the product price from each transaction made by merchants on its website. In addition, Mercari charges a fee related to payment processing. For every payment made by a buyer, Mercari charges the seller a processing fee of 2.9% + $0.30. This payment processing fee is calculated based on the price of the product in the completed transaction and applies to any type of payment made by the buyer.

eBay:

eBay charges two main types of selling fees: an insertion fee when you create a listing and a final value fee when your item sells. The amount eBay charges depends on the item's price, the format and category you choose for your listing, any optional listing upgrades you add, and your seller conduct and performance.

Each seller can list a maximum of 250 products for free per month. Those with an eBay store can have more listings, but after the free quota is used up, a fee of $0.35 will be charged for each additional product listing. Listing fees are non-refundable even if the product does not sell. Fees are charged based on the number and category of product listings. A fee is charged for the first listing, and a fee is also charged for each subsequent relisting.

In addition, when your item is sold, eBay charges a final transaction fee plus an order processing fee. The percentage of the transaction fee varies depending on the item category. This fee is calculated as a percentage of the total sales amount. For orders of $10 or less, the order processing fee is $0.30; for orders over $10, the order processing fee is $0.40, with a maximum of $750.

FAQs

1. Mercari vs eBay for electronics logistics?

eBay caters to the global market and offers worldwide logistics and delivery, while Mercari, due to its fragile packaging, is suitable for rapid resale in the US and Japan. ChinaDivision reminds you that logistics directly affects your final customer satisfaction. To ensure reliable and efficient logistics, you can cooperate with professional logistics agents.

2. What are the 2025 shipping cost changes for Mercari vs. eBay?

According to documents submitted by carriers, the USPS has increased shipping costs for Mercari by 5%; eBay faces a 7% increase in shipping costs from UPS/FedEx. If you want to compare shipping costs but find comparing multiple websites cumbersome, you can use ChinaDivision's comprehensive calculator to compare shipping costs from multiple carriers and choose the cheapest shipping method.

Reference:

1. Mercari

https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/Mercari

2. eBay

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBay

3. Customer Service 

https://www.ebay.com/help/selling/fees-credits-invoices/frais-pour-les-vendeurs-particuliers?id=4822&ref=easyship.ghost.io