Mercari VS Etsy: A Detailed Comparison To Help You Choose The Best! [2025]

Mercari and Etsy are popular names when it comes to selling and buying new unique and used products where you can easily declutter the vintage in your house or get a new designer piece for your collection. 

They both are reputed e-commerce companies available in a good set of countries globally, allowing buyers and sellers to negotiate on their favorite foods, and buy and sell on a big platform.

However, you can’t be using both websites at once, so, which one is a better option for you? Is it the Japanese veteran Mercari or the globally popular Etsy? Make your choice after reading our thorough comparison between Mercari VS Etsy, mentioned right below. 

Mercari VS Etsy: A Side-By-Side Comparison 

Fees, Shipping Costs, etc

Mercari 

Mercari charges 2.9% along with $0.50 for every product you sell, and the amount is according to the completed sale sum plus shipping price in case it is to be paid by the seller and not the buyer.

Also, there were reports and news of Mercari now charging processing fees to buyers, but as of now, there are no official changes. 

For the shipping cost — it entirely depends on the weight of your package, and starts from $4.30 for 4OZ, $4.99 for 8OZ and $7.90 for up to 1 pound. 

Etsy

Etsy will charge you 0.20 USD for every item you list in your shop, and a transaction fee of 6.5% is charged on your total order amount, along with other costs like gift wrap and shipping, if it is to be paid by the buyer. 

Additionally, the $0.20 you pay to list the item has an expiry date, and once the listing reaches its expiration, you will have to pay $0.20 once again to relist, you also need to note that Etsy has Etsy Plus for $10 per month, for additional benefits like discounts and customisation options. 

Along with that, you will also have to pay a transaction fee of $0.26 for every order, and as for the shipping cost, it hangs on what options your seller has in line. 

Product Selection 

Mercari 

Here is the list of main categories available on Mercari: 

• Women: Handbags shoes, jewellery accessories, athletic, apparel tops, blouses, dresses, suits, blazers, sweaters, jackets, jeans, pants, shirts, skirts, underwear, and more
• Men: Shoes, accessories, tops, hoodies, blazers, sport, coats, suits, sweaters, jeans, pants, and more
• Electronics: Cell phones, cameras, headphones, MP3 players, tablets, wearables, home audio, virtual reality, smart home, security, computers, laptops, video games, and more
• Toys and collectibles: Trading cards, action figures, hobbies, stuffed animals, dolls, building toys, and toys, games, puzzles, remote control toys, art, craft, education, toys, and more
• Home: Appliances, bedding, bar, home decor, storage, artwork, Kitchen, essentials, dinnerware, cookware, Kitchen storage utensils, dining table linen, cutlery, Kitchen gadgets, baking accessories, tea accessories, and more
• Beauty: Fragrance, make-up, skin care, tools, accessories, bath, and more
• Kids: Strollers, gears, shoes, T-shirts, coats, jackets, bottoms, dresses, accessories, nursing, feeding, car seats, and more
• Sports & Outdoors: Golf, exercise, fan shop, team sports, camping equipment, baseball equipment, fishing gear, skateboard gear, footwear, snowboarding gear, Yoga equipment, basketball equipment, and more
• Vintage & collectibles: Serving, jewellery, antique home decor, bags, purses, supplies, accessories, collectible coins, collectible paper, money, electronics, clothing, furniture, and more

Apart from the categories and subcategories mentioned above, the list has a bunch of more sections, including art, craft, pet supplies, handmade items, office tools, books, and other. 

Etsy

If you generally know Etsy, then you must be aware that it is a good option if you are into antique or handcrafted items specifically.

However, that doesn’t mean that the platform doesn’t have a big list of categories and subcategories it serves, including the following: 

• Last-minute gifts
• Jewellery & accessories: Body, jewelry, accessories, bracelets, rings, bags, purse, necklaces, and earrings.
• Women’s clothing: Tops, T-shirts, dresses, skirts, coats, jackets, trousers, capri, sweatshirts, hoodies, jeans, and more
• Women’s footwear: Trainers, slippers, flats, heels, and more
• Men’s clothing: Shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, jackets, robes, jeans, blazers, and more
• Men’s shoes: Loafers, slippers, trainers, and more
• Kids: Dresses, skirt, tops, coats, jackets, robes, neutral clothing, and more
• Home: Spice boxes, bar, cookware, lighting, office, storage, organisation, gardening, outdoor, bathroom, bedding, furniture, rugs, decorations, vases, clocks, candles, picture frames, displays, mirrors, wall decor, and more
• Bath & beauty: Make-up, cosmetics, skincare, hair care, essential oils, fragrance, soap, bath, bombs, face masks, spa essentials, and more 
• Pet Supplies: Bedding, collars, leashes, furniture, carriers, houses, clothes, and accessories.
• Craft supplies & tools: Jewellery, beauty, home, hobby, visual arts, sewing, forming, sculpting, and more
• Art and collectibles: Painting, sculpture, glass art, photography, prints, drawing illustration, mixed media, dolls miniature, and more

Apart from the categories in subcategories mentioned above, Etsy has a few more categories in line, including toys, entertainment, weddings, and more, while its main focus is on vintage, handmade, and craft supplies.

Target Audience 

Mercari 

Mercari’s target audience covers many age groups, including a wide range of individuals interested in buying and selling online.

Although it is not exclusive to a single age group, Mercari is still more popular among Gen Z and Millennials. 

What’s more is that it operates and is popular in several countries globally, including Canada, the US, and the UK.

Etsy

Although Etsy is open to all genders and age groups, the largest part acquired its demographic by the age group 25 to 34 years old. 

Additionally, women have the majority party in its user base, since they tend to understand the meaning of ethical sourcing and sustainability faster than men. 

Lastly, although it offers a wide variety of categories and options, it is popular among those seeking specific interest in vintage, personalized, and handmade items, whether we are talking about clothes and accessories or home decor and similar sections.

Seller Experience 

Mercari 

Mercari for sellers is easy to use, where you can follow a simple guide to list your items on the app or website, it has a large user base which increases the chances of your items being sold sooner, and also offers additional protection for sellers in case of any issues. 

However, compared to other similar platforms, the total fee charges for sellers are high, while there is a protection term, you can still face scams, and there is high competition, which means you will need a good amount of effort to get. 

Etsy

Compared to Mercari, Etsy has a larger audience, and millions of potential buyers from across the globe, it is easy to use, allows you to swiftly communicate with customers, list items within minutes, offers marketing tools to make promotions easier, and also has a supportive community. 

Yet, Etsy charges listing fees, transaction fees, and other kinds of fees which total up to a good sum, thousands of sellers are selling almost the same thing so that competition is at the top, the ever-changing algorithm messes with sales sometimes, while you also need a little bit of expertise in the field to get started.

Customer Service 

Mercari

We have mostly been talking about how Mercari is good at what it does, but its customer service team needs a big update. 

Thousands of customers and sellers have reported that the customer service team is super slow and sometimes they don’t respond to you at all even after multiple tries, whether you are an expert or a new user, or whether you are a seller or a buyer.

Etsy

Compared to Mercari, although Etsy might not be the best at its customer service, it is still far from the worst.

Here, the majority of the users have stated that sometimes it takes a while for the Etsy customer support team to reach out to you and reply, they still do the job and the majority of the time, you will get your issue sorted out easily.

Final Words: Which Is Better For You?

Starting with the seller fees, commission, and shipping cost, we don’t really think there’s much difference in the brands when it comes to the aforementioned terms, although we do think Etsy charges a bit more compared to Mercari.

Next comes the product categories, where, although Mercari seems to offer a bit more, do keep in mind that Etsy usually has a lot of options under subcategories, and you can often find unique and rare pieces here that you weren’t able to find anywhere else. 

Now, both Mercari and Etsy are open to all genders and age groups, so it doesn’t matter if you are a male or a female or an old lady or a teenager.

Additionally, if you are a seller, both Etsy and Mercari have their own set of pros and cons you need to have a look at, but generally, we think that Mercari is best if you know what you are doing and Etsy is a good option if you are near the starting line.

As for the customer support, we made sure it was clear that Etsy, by all means, has overpowered Mercari when it comes to a satisfactory customer service team, if not good. 

In the end, the final decision lies in your hands, whether you’re more comfortable with Mercari on the upscale or want to start with something more on the casual side like Etsy, although both work with similar professional standards. 

That is all from our side, and we hope our comparison battle between Mercari VS Etsy was able to help you make the final decision. 

Frequently Asked Questions