Title: Mercari Unfairly Withheld My Seller Payout – Beware! As a longtime seller, I trusted Mercari to handle transactions fairly, but my recent experience has been a nightmare. Mercari violated their own policies, reversed my rightful payout after awarding it to me, and issued a return label that didn't even comply with USPS regulations—all while leaving me with nothing but a $20 reimbursement on a high-value item. Here's What Happened: I sold a graded collectible card and shipped it securely using a trackable USPS label.
The buyer requested a return, and Mercari issued an invalid First-Class Envelope return label, which is not allowed for graded cards per their own policy.
Realizing this, I upgraded the label myself at my own cost, provided Mercari the updated tracking number, and they confirmed they updated the system and notified the buyer.
The return tracking was never updated within 7 days, meaning per Mercari's policy, the return should have been canceled, and I should have been awarded the sale.
Mercari initially followed their policy, paid me my earnings, but then later reversed the funds without justification and gave my item's full value back to the buyer. Mercari's Excuses Don't Add Up: First, they accepted my updated tracking and told me the system was updated. Then, they claimed they only cover $20 for First-Class Envelope shipments—but they were the ones who issued the invalid return label! Lastly, they ignored their own 7-day return tracking policy, which should have finalized the sale in my favor. The Reality for Sellers on Mercari: Even if you follow every policy, Mercari can still take your money back. They allow buyers to hold your property and get fully refunded, while you get nothing. They will issue invalid return labels and then blame you when it backfires. I am now escalating this beyond Mercari, filing a dispute with their payment processor (Hyperwallet), a BBB complaint, and a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) report for mishandling seller funds. Final Verdict: Sellers, BEWARE of Mercari. If you sell valuable items, you risk losing both your item and your money due to their contradictory policies and poor seller protection. I hope Mercari management sees this and corrects their unfair handling of seller disputes. Until then, I strongly advise against selling high-value items on their platform.