Online shopping has become more of the trend nowadays, putting in mind the effects of the coronavirus that forced many businesses and daily activities to go online. Let us know more about “The Online Shop: Mercari Vs eBay”.
Buyers and sellers visit different online platforms where there is an exchange of goods and commodities just like it happens in the normal physical marketplace.
If you’ve been looking for a place to sell and buy online then your search could have just ended. Online websites like Mercari and eBay can be the solutions to your search.
Mercari and eBay are amongst some of the leading online websites where buyers and sellers buy and sell their goods.
They are the biggest websites being used by buyers and sellers in online shopping. Comparing the two websites helps the buyers and sellers in choosing the best suit for them.
They are closely related in their comparisons hence this makes it somehow tricky when choosing which one to pick.
This article will make it easy for buyers and sellers when they are trying to pick on which one to take for the business.
What are Mercari and eBay?
Mercari is an online shopping platform that was formed in Japan in 2013. Sellers and buyers can sell and buy on Mercari very fast as the website is fast and serves a large population around the world.
eBay is older than Mercari as it was founded in 1995 and has been on the market since then making it more prominent than the other websites because of its age in the market because old is gold.
They both sell new and used commodities ranging from households, utensils, clothes, and even cars.
How to open up an account on eBay and Mercari
Here I explain how to sign up on eBay and Mercari. On Mercari you only need your official email address then you can use it to start up your account.
Who doesn’t know how to create a personal email account, I guess is that everyone knows how to do this? After verifying the account one can start buying and selling on, Mercari by simply posting what he/she is buying or selling.
On eBay, one can open up an account using either his or her email address or a Facebook account. eBay requires one to upload some photos and descriptions on their profiles before they can start buying and selling items.
How to trade on eBay and Mercari
Both on eBay and Mercari one will have to fill out the required information then add photos of the item then accompany them with a name, the condition whether new or used, then choose a shipping option and give the price tag for the item.
One can also use the eBay import tool to list items on his or her eBay onto his/her Mercari account.
Buyers can visit the platforms via their official accounts on google to look for, and purchase what they want. Payments are always made through PayPal accounts.
How much shipping fee does one pay on eBay and Mercari?
On Mercari the weight of the item is used to determine the cost of shipping or the delivery cost. There is also a maximum cost of 160 dollars for items that are 150 lbs and more.
Mercari offers a protection fee of up to 200 dollars if items break or get lost during shipping something which might happen in the process of shipping.
On eBay, different items have different shipping fees according to the amount set by the seller of the item.
The cost is always shown separately from the buying price of the item. There is also an option on eBay where one can use the free shipping offer and his or her item can be delivered free of charge, buyers are asked to check this offer to see goods that do not charge a delivery fee.
International shipping costs at a higher rate compared to items being delivered locally. To check all the shipping costs for all the items on eBay one can navigate to the shipping section of every eBay listing.
What are the advantages of trading with Mercari and eBay?
Selling and buying on Mercari and eBay has the following advantages:
- Their no crowds meaning there is no stress of pushing against other buyers and sellers.
- Online shopping makes it easy to reach many people around the world, making the world a small marketplace and reducing the need to travel places looking for goods.
- Easy shipping, saving on time and money.
- Low cost on some items.
What are the disadvantages of trading with Mercari and eBay?
Selling and buying on Mercari and eBay has the following disadvantages
- Threat to online scammers.
- Slower payments on goods and items.
- Complicated shipping of items.
- Cyber security.
Conclusion
Online shopping can be more advantageous when done perfectly and when following protocols. Buyers and sellers need to be careful to avoid the threats of scamming and cyber security.
Online shops/websites always work to their best to ensure that all the goods reach their buyers. eBay and Mercari offer an answer to your online shops’ questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why does PayPal hold Sellers’ money on eBay?
Yes, sometimes some sellers may get holds in their accounts after a buyer pays for an item and they may even find that access to their funds is prohibited.
Holds do not prolong for longer periods as it takes 21 days or a few for the hold to be lifted, this can happen to all the sellers on eBay.
PayPal holds these funds for risk management in the case that a buyer should be refunded, if this is not the case then the funds can be accessible.
- Can I list it on both eBay and Mercari?
The two websites do not restrict their buyers and sellers from exploring other websites.
- What Percentage does Mercari take?
Mercari charges their sellers at a rate of two-point nine percent plus 0.30 dollars for each sale.
