Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
The year is well underway, and now we’re approaching the start of Q2. It’s amazing how time flies when you’re focused on your goals! Anyway, I wanted to stop by and drop a few tips and tricks for Mercari so that you stay fresh and motivated. Remember, this is just one of many steps you can take towards crushing your Q2 sales in the reselling space, so hopefully, I can kick things off for you and give a couple of reminders on ways to maximize your potential on Mercari. Let’s get started on a couple of tips I’ve learned over the last few years.
Optimize your listings
Getting focused on optimizing your listings isn’t just about the often preached reselling hack of delist/relist, although it is useful. It’s more about understanding why we want to optimize and change things, so understanding something like what we have in our inventory across all marketplaces can be crucial. If we know what’s moving slowly, we can use the delisting process to refine our strategy—like finding better price points, touching up our title and description, and potentially updating our photos.
Mercari makes things really simple, so make sure to use every detail possible, and with the power of List Perfectly, making these changes within your inventory and straight to Mercari is quick and easy. With that in mind, if there’s inventory that isn’t moving on other platforms, List Perfectly makes it possible to easily test the waters so you can get a better feel for what’s selling. Remember, part of Q2 is about preparing for the future, but like most things, balance is key. Optimizing your listings is a smart move for all marketplaces, and we shouldn’t slack on this when it comes to Mercari!
Presentation matters
We’ve all heard the phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but a lot of us do, especially when it comes to spending our hard-earned money. I have to remind myself that I am just as much a consumer in the e-commerce space as anyone else, and I want to buy from someone who takes the time to run a proper store.
This is why taking quality photos is important. This is the visual awareness that gets people to click on your item. You don’t need a fancy light setup or a high-end camera. Our smartphones are capable of a lot. It just means you need to take the time to make sure you’re neat and organized, making sure to get every detail possible. Also, it helps to see that a seller utilizes a clean professional space. So remember, good photos can bring visual attention to your store, but packaging is just as important. I think this is even more important when you have a niche store where you specialize in something. Good packaging, with things like thank you notes or coupon deals, etc., really helps when it comes to customer retention; it also helps build brand aesthetics for your resale store
Niche down if you need to
Remember, the idea is to boost sales and scale your business reasonably. Sometimes, getting started in Q2 is simply that—about getting started. There is so much that you will only be able to learn with time and experience. The reason I bring this up is because we want to optimize your listings as a whole, yes, but even above that, we want to optimize your stores within the marketplace and even your sourcing, which in the end will hopefully lead to saving more money and making more sales. Just because we are on Mercari and want to grow our business doesn’t mean that we have to sell undesirables on the marketplace. Sure, we are resellers; we sell most things, and it never hurts to get a listing out, but if you find that certain items sell fast on Mercari at a price point you are okay with, then let’s double down on getting those types of items onto the marketplace.
A good example for me is that I will list anything and everything, but on Mercari, I have more success selling my collectible cards, so I prefer to keep the aesthetic of a card shop over my list-everything eBay store. That doesn’t mean we can’t test other items; remember, it’s about preparing for the future and seeing what will work, as well as putting in the extra research from other experienced sellers within the community.
Leverage Mercari’s unique features
Mercari offers a wide range of features tailored to enhance your selling experience and boost your listings’ visibility. Fully utilizing these features can significantly impact your sales success:
Use promotions wisely
Take advantage of Mercari’s promotional tools, like price drops and shipping discounts, to attract more buyers. These can be a key factor in driving sales, especially for items that have been sitting for a while.
Use smart pricing to stay competitive
Mercari’s smart pricing feature can automatically adjust your item prices based on market demand, ensuring your listings remain competitive without constant monitoring. This can be particularly useful for popular items where prices fluctuate frequently. There are some who believe you should price things based on perceived value, and I totally get that. It is an effective method that I have utilized with success, but Mercari offers price points to help you make sales faster, so if anything, these could be important price points that help you with sourcing. When I source, knowing what something goes for on a marketplace makes all the difference.
Excel in customer service
Your relationship with your buyers doesn’t end at the sale; it begins there. Excel in customer service to build a loyal customer base and a strong Mercari presence, so make sure you are doing everything possible to get customer reviews and strong ratings. Mercari makes it easy for both parties to communicate feedback.
Prompt communication
Always respond promptly to inquiries, questions, or concerns. This shows potential buyers that you are attentive and trustworthy.
Go above and beyond
As I mentioned earlier, whether it’s including a personalized thank you note, offering bundle discounts, or providing clear and honest item descriptions, these small gestures can make a big difference in customer satisfaction and repeat business.
These tips are designed to inspire you to branch out and thrive on Mercari. We want to crush it with sales, but things like establishing a brand, fostering a loyal customer base with a good buying experience, and having optimized listings really set the stage for long-term success. Let’s capitalize on this quarter to push boundaries, experiment with new strategies, and hit new goals on Mercari!
