Poshmark vs. Mercari – Which Is Better For You?

In recent times, internet retailing has grown in popularity, and several individuals have learned how and where to purchase on various digital markets. Mercari vs. Poshmark will save time by eliminating the requirement for consumers to go to shops and purchase. But it also provides numerous fantastic discounts and deals from merchants.

With several consumers turning to internet buying these days, several vendors have chosen a thrift store application to offer their wares. Several people do so as a side business; others have even converted it into a full-time profession since making money via these networks could be adequate if you fully grasp how they function. 

Whether you’re offering your stock or remarketing completely new products, understanding what sells could give you a significant benefit and increase your income. 

However, we realize that not everybody knows all internet platforms and their advantages and disadvantages, and we will answer the question- is Poshmark or Mercari better? We are below to assist you in evaluating Mercari vs. Poshmark, 2 media.

Although these 2 are comparable in certain aspects, they possess distinct variances that we shall go through in more detail. But before we delve into the details, it’s crucial to remember that marketing aims to maximize sales and, as a result, earn profit.

As a result, vendors must determine which site is most profitable for them and wherever they can make maximum money. They’ll have to realize which is better for them- selling on Mercari vs. Poshmark.

Mercari vs. Poshmark Overview

Poshmark

It is a well-known internet resale company that was founded in 2011. It is headquartered in California and has around 60 million members who use its site to purchase and trade.

They provide excellent solutions for promoting fashion items so that vendors can reach a larger audience. As a result, consumers are exposed to things they would not have discovered on their own. Unlike the time-consuming procedure used by eBay, vendors may advertise their goods and gain consumers in seconds.

This could be a good choice if you want to resell your expensive clothing, footwear, or purses. Expect to find items like Chanel and Gucci on Poshmark, known for selling affordable luxury goods.

Electronic devices such as pc systems, computer equipment, telephones, DVDs, and so on are prohibited on Poshmark, as are knock-off branded products, nail polish, fragrances, and aerosol products.

Mercari

It was a more recent network, having debuted in 2013. Mercari began in Tokyo, Japan, and has since extended to include operations in Great Britain and the United States. Scoring nearly 32 million installations, the application is becoming increasingly famous.

It, unlike Poshmark, is not restricted to apparel and cosmetics and is more like an eBay or a thrift store application. You may purchase and resell household things, collectibles, technology, and fashion items.

Apart from illicit commodities such as narcotics, firearms, counterfeits, and liquor, Mercari can take anything that could be sent.

See also: 8 Best Places to Sell Used Furniture Online and Locally

Pros

Poshmark

It’s free: Consumers and merchants can install the application and create a profile for free. Vendors get the choice of posting as many things as they want. Just take a photo, submit it to the application, and provide a summary.

Sellers retain power over the inventory: As a vendor, you maintain authority over your list, advertisements, payments, and sales. You may provide the following:

• Package deals.
• Special coupons to customers who appreciate your products.
• Direct sharing to a buyer’s changing room.

Easy shipping: Poshmark streamlines the delivery procedure for merchants by employing USPS Priority mail solely. Poshmark would print sellers a delivery tag, and they may get complimentary Priority Mail packing from the USPS portal.

Advertising on social networks: Poshmark’s application includes capabilities that enable you to publish items or your inventory on all social networking sites, including Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest, Twitter, and Reddit. One may instantly enhance their business with a single keypress and easily add a sidebar to the website’s homepage and post from there.

Payouts are simple: Poshmark promptly verifies your payments when you complete a transaction. A customer gets three days to acquire the product before Poshmark confirms it instantly, and you could pay out immediately if you wish to avoid delayed days for the payment.

Mercari

It’s free: The software is free for usage, and advertising is available, just like Poshmark.

Capacity to offer more things from other categories: Mercari can sell almost everything you own in your home as long as it can be shipped, notwithstanding its absence of glamour and flair.

Lower costs: You can expose yourself to a new type of bargain buyer because goods offer in a reduced price band. For example, they could search for a substantial discount without hunting for branded goods. 

Lesser Commission: Its charges 10%, significantly less than Poshmark and eBay, allowing you to keep most of your income.

Listing choices: Mercari’s latest improvements to the uploading/listing procedure via the application have thrilled merchants, enabling ads to be even more straightforward and quicker to post. You may submit 12 images in one go, shuffle them about, and adjust the brightness instantaneously. And select a square or rectangle image layout.

Buyers can have a private conversation: Unlike Poshmark, a semi-private chatting feature, you may talk directly with consumers within the application, making it simpler to bargain rates and design unique packages for your clients. Additionally, excellent client interaction would help you maintain good ratings.

See also: How To Get Free Clothes Online in 2024

Cons

Poshmark

More significant commission costs: Poshmark will collect a commission after the purchase, adjusted per the purchase value. Poshmark takes a fixed charge of $2.95 for purchases below $15 and 20 percent for purchases beyond $15. You will incur higher than that to advertise your clothes reselling firm, and therefore the advertising and client database is worth 20%.

Expensive shipping charges: Customers pay for delivery on Poshmark, resulting in high prices. Shipment fees for all goods were $7.11 since press time, which might discourage purchasers of smaller products.

Wholesale competition: Poshmark now has a commercial category wherein merchants may buy things in bulk and sell them at retail pricing from their inventory. But, because the wholesale items in the bulk gateway are costly, and businesses would be battling with dozens of rival boutiques carrying identical goods, profits may be below.

Minimal customer service: Client service could only access via mail, and responses could require up to 2 days. Marketers grumble about nonspecific, blanket-statement communications that provide little assistance. This is a disadvantage if you want a conflict or problem addressed fast.

Mercari

Consumer experience: The application may be more challenging to operate for specific customers, and the standard while searching for an object is to display both purchased and unsold products.

Shipping charges are a disadvantage for both the consumer and the supplier. If you decide to pay for delivery as a vendor, you might make more transactions, but your earnings suffer. Conversely, paying significant delivery rates is a drawback for the customer, as high delivery prices might prevent many consumers.

Slow payouts: You won’t get paid till the customer has received, rated, and accepted your item. It could take days, if not weeks, for money to appear in your bank. You can either wait 5 days for payments to be transferred or incur a $2 charge for an early payout.

No sharing option: There is no sharing option, so it gets scattered among the thousands of similar products on the market after you’ve posted anything. The only chance to bring your product back to the head of results is to reduce the cost of losing money.

Selling Fees

Selling expenses can decide whether you should be selling on Poshmark vs. mercury. There are only two cost schemes available while retailing on Poshmark. A fixed sales charge of $2.95 is applied to items with a $15 or lower total selling value, and a cost of 20% is charged on items that sell for more than $15.

Mercari’s revised cost model is as follows: any new postings would bear an extra 2.9 percent +$.30 transaction computing charges whenever a product sells.

Shipping fees

When comparing them, both sites make delivery simple. Unless you offer a bargain, customers on Poshmark incur a fixed delivery fee of $7.49, and the shipment charge is for goods weighing less than 5 pounds.

On Mercari, it is the vendors’ responsibility to arrange shipment. Every posting on it requires you to type out a delivery form. When you post an item, you’ll have to determine the mass and measurements of every product in this area. You could also decide to provide free delivery.

See also: 100+ Online Stores with Free Shipping and No Minimum

Ease of Listings 

Poshmark and Mercari make it simple to sell your stuff, and both posting procedures are pretty user-friendly and straightforward. As previously stated, Mercari postings demand more details than Poshmark ones. Except for the addition of a shipment column, each is almost identical. 

Poshmark enables customers to upload eight square-format pictures per posting. Users can upload up to 12 photos to Mercari. Mercari allows up to 40 letters in the name, whereas Poshmark only permits 50 letters. Poshmark’s summary section allows 500 notes, but Mercari permits 1000 characters.

Payments

You must mail a product after offering it on Poshmark, and the customer should receive it and pay you three days later. You may leave your money in the application to purchase and trade on Poshmark. 

Can transfer the funds to a Paypal wallet or an associated bank account. However, there is usually a 2 to 5 days delay for payments to share through Paypal or your account.

To make payments, Mercari uses a connected savings account or InstantPay. You’ll have to pay charges irrespective of the solution you pick. It costs $2 for each price, and InstantPay also levies $2. It pays out quicker than Poshmark, but the costs are higher.

When these concerns combine with the sales charges, answering the question- it is Mercari better than Poshmark, Mercari comes out ahead. If you add up each of your expenses, you’ll find that you’re paying less than Poshmark’s 20% fee, mainly if you include the quickness of payments.

An Overview of Online Consignment Shopping

Poshmark and Mercari are more recent than eBay (the former launched in the 2010s, while the latter did so in 1995). Yet, despite this, both websites establish themselves as formidable competitors in the online consignment market. Poshmark, a play on the phrases posh and marketplace, started as a mobile app in 2011 promising to turn women’s wardrobes into chic boutiques where they could dump their high-end things for quick cash, all from the convenience of their cellphones. Aiming to “create a society where resources circulate and where people can realize their goals,” whether those goals be to make money, reduce clutter, or concentrate on sustainability, Mercari emerged onto the online shopping scene two years later.

Poshmark and Mercari stand out among all the possibilities for online retail consignment in terms of popularity, usability, and convenience. Both are free to use for buyers and vendors. However, picking a platform might be challenging. Which one is superior for your particular needs? For you to make an informed choice, this article will compare the two platforms.

Advice: Before deciding, visit both websites, download the applications, and create an account. Both platforms are free, and you can learn more about the user experience—another crucial consideration when selecting a platform—by using it.

FAQ

Which website for purchasing—Mercari or Poshmark?

This depends on what you want to buy, as both platforms have an intuitive user interface and a large selection of merchants to satisfy their customers' needs. Poshmark is a fantastic option for those looking for designer stuff, but Mercari is a good option for anyone looking for a large selection of items. Additionally, some Mercari vendors offer to pay the buyer's shipping fees.

Do items sell more quickly on Mercari or Poshmark?

What you're selling will determine this. Because everyone has access to various products on Mercari, goods sell more quickly. On Poshmark, however, there is fierce competition and more than 60 million consumers, which might help you sell your products rapidly with the proper promotion.

Does it make sense to sell clothing on Mercari?

Only if you're selling secondhand clothing; it doesn't make sense to offer high-end or designer clothing on Mercari because most users search for inexpensive products here.

Is Mercari more affordable than Poshmark?

Poshmark offers lower commission rates than Mercari because those charges can increase depending on your sales. However, the shipping costs are scary, and Mercari is less expensive. Since Mercari isn't a platform for luxury items, selling there is far less costly.

Conclusion

Both platforms are fierce competitors in the industry and are highly fantastic at what they do.

While Poshmark dominates the branded-clothing market, Mercari excels in diversity and quantity.

The best approach is to simultaneously operate on both platforms, side by side, to use their tremendous resources and maximize their potential for your business.

Now that we are clear on how each platform functions, we can go on to some clever tactics. And ideas you can employ to make the most of your hustle and earn some serious cash for your bank accounts.