Creating a Listing

We’ve got you covered

Decluttering your closet? Parting from old favorites? No matter your reason for listing, we’ve got all the tips you need to get started.

Listing on Mercari is fast, easy, and free. Just take some photos, add a description, and set the price.

For some items, Mercari may recognize the item and input item details for you. You can still edit these details before listing.

Choosing what to sell

On the Mercari marketplace, you can list almost anything that can ship. Whether you’re revamping your closet or need to list spare kitchenware, Mercari is the perfect place to declutter and get a fresh start.

Items you can’t sell

Your safety is our top priority. We don’t allow these items in the marketplace.

If you're shipping items that are deemed hazardous by the shipping carrier, you cannot use a Mercari shipping label. These require special labeling and you will need to buy the label directly from the carrier.

Before you tap “List”

Here’s how to create the best listing for your item.

Adding photos

You can add up to 12 photos to your listing. We recommend taking as many photos as possible in natural lighting to capture the item’s exact color. Plain backgrounds are the best so there aren’t any distractions.

Be sure to photograph and call out any of the item’s flaws. It’s best to take photos of every side of your item.

The first photo will be the first thing shoppers see, so make it your best! You can rearrange your listing’s photos whenever you want.

Describing the item

Be sure to include as much information in your listing as possible. Shoppers want to know exactly what they’re purchasing. Telling a story about your item can help a shopper picture themselves buying and using it.

We ask that you don’t add a bunch of brand names and hashtags that aren’t associated with the item. Being as truthful as possible will increase shoppers’ confidence in your listing.

The more accurate a listing is, the higher it will appear in search results.

As we continue to update and improve our platform functionality, you may find some details included as a starting point for you to edit and update before listing.

Adding the details

Shoppers tend to search for specific brands. If you know the item’s brand, be sure to state it clearly in your listing as it improves visibility of your listing. Consider also adding a category and condition for better search-ability.

Setting a price

We recommend searching for similar sold items to get a good idea of how to price your item. You can set the price between $1 and $2,000.

For items that are eligible to be authenticated (certain designer shoes, handbags, and wallets), you can set a list price of up to $5,000. Items listed between $2,000 and $5,000 require extra identity verification for everyone's protection.

For hassle-free pricing, try Smart Pricing. All you have to do is set your listing’s price and a floor price. We’ll gradually adjust the price based on market demand, but never lower than your floor.

Not ready to list your item? Save a listing for later by tapping “Save draft”.

How to choose your shipping

When you list your item, we will first ask you to provide the weight of the item. Then, we will show you the shipping options by carrier for the weight class you entered. After selecting the shipping option, we may ask you to enter the package size to provide the dimensional weight. If the dimensional weight is greater than the weight of your item, you will be asked to update your selection.

You’ll get to choose if you want to pay for shipping yourself or have the buyer pay. When you pay, your listing shows that shipping is free with purchase.

If Mercari provides a shipping label recommendation that is incorrect, you can tap the recommendation to change the shipping option. Media Mail is only permitted for eligible books, music and movies and First-Class Envelopes are available only for Trading Cards.

As a seller, you are responsible for selecting the correct shipping label category and dimensional weight. It is the responsibility of the seller to pay for any additional surcharges incurred as a result of selecting the incorrect label category or incorrect label weight.

You can choose between shipping on your own or using Mercari’s prepaid label, which offer discounted rates and tracking through our trusted shipping partners. If you select a Mercari prepaid shipping label, we help you select the correct option for your item’s size and weight to avoid incurring any additional shipping charges. Mercari prepaid shipping labels come with up to $200 in Shipping Protection in case of loss or damage in transit and can easily be printed at home or at the carrier during drop-off using print-free QR codes.

Shipping on your own is a good alternative if you need to ship something over 50 lbs, want to insure your item for more than $200, or if the packaging is over the 34” size limit.

You will need to ship on your own if your item contains hazardous materials deemed by the shipping carrier. Refer to our Hazardous Materials FAQ for further details.

Item badges

Here's what is available by way of Item Badges on our Platform!

Mercari Authenticate

When you list an item with Authenticate, it will have a diamond badge to show it’s been authenticated by our third party team.

Price Drop

We add a price drop badge to promoted items.

More about Listing