It's one thing to make a sale and another to process a return request. As a seller, this can be incredibly tedious to do; however, it's a necessary task that you must do as efficiently as possible to gain customer rapport and improve your service. Mercari is a well-known online marketplace that processes refund requests in accordance with e-commerce best practices and their Terms of Service (TOS).
How Mercari Return works
The Mercari Return Policy is designed to cover both the buyer and the seller in the transaction. As per the usual transaction, sellers are informed once a buyer reports a problem with an item they have received. The Mercari system then determines whether the item is eligible for a return or refund.
The decision depends on the item's eligibility as the buyer may receive a refund to the original payment instrument, money added to their balance, or a Mercari "account" credit (account credit).
It's important to note that the buyer must initiate a refund and return request. Buyers may encounter a variety of problems with the goods they receive. Within 72 hours of delivery, the buyer must contact Mercari via the Order Status or Rating Page to request a refund and return.
How to handle return request
As a seller, when you receive a return or refund request, the first thing to know is to determine if the buyer is eligible for a refund. Here are the following reasons that make a buyer eligible:
- The item doesn't fit the description provided
- Item is not genuine/counterfeit
- Defective or not working.
- Damaged goods
- Incomplete goods
- Incorrect item
For a return or refund to push through, the buyer must submit thorough and correct responses to particular questions about the received item and each specific photo asked, which may differ based on the type of issue. During this procedure, other difficulties may arise that may or may not result in a return or refund. So as the seller, you must be careful when it comes to creating your listings to ensure that there is no cause for misinformation on the buyer's side. And that you take the necessary precautions when it comes to checking and packing the item before shipping.
What happens after the seller receives the return
When an order is returned to the seller, Mercari assesses the situation to see if the item is as stated or if it requires a return or refund. Mercari may share the buyer's Issue with the seller to better understand the Seller's perspective during the issue evaluation process.
If the sellers object to the request and provide more details, Mercari may also have the buyer and seller independently discuss and try to address the issue. If the buyer has a complaint about an item that Mercari's Refund Policy does not cover, then the seller may accept a refund and return based on the following factors:
- The item doesn't work.
- Item smells
- The item doesn't fit the description.
- The buyer had a change of mind.
Tips on how to prevent having returns
All sellers would eventually have to deal with handling returns or refund requests, but you can minimize the occurrences by applying these standard practices:
- Avoid misleading titles or item descriptions in your listings.
- Always do your due diligence in ensuring that the item is in good condition without any incomplete pieces before shipping it out to the buyer
- Never use stock photos on your listings to avoid false advertising claims.
- Ensure that you document your item's condition before shipping to avoid possible scams
Also, take note that all sales are final if the buyer rated the order and released money to the seller, or in the following conditions, Mercari does not accept returns or grant refunds:
- The returned request was authorized. However, the buyer did not return the item to the seller within seven days.
- Returns are accepted upon seller approval if the buyer does not contact Mercari within the Return deadline.
- Items that are prohibited, harmful, or unlawful are not returnable.
Any exceptions to the All Sales Are Final policy will result in 90-day account credit.
Getting more done the easy way
Even top sellers have a tough time getting everything done, especially when dealing with return or refund requests which takes a lot out of their daily operations, and this is why they use automation tools to help get more done with ease.
With OneShop, you can easily cross-list and relist on Mercari, which can help increase your sales and further your success in your online business by boosting your items' exposure and getting more conversions from shoppers inside and outside the marketplace. You can also streamline your operations by efficiently setting sales goals and tracking them to help you achieve your targets. Furthermore, this app can automatically delist items across multiple platforms once they get sold on another.
Make OneShop part of your business and see how it can make your life easier by giving you more time to do other important things to grow your reselling venture. Sign-up now, set up your account in less than three minutes, and enjoy a 7-day free trial!