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There’s nothing quite like the sinking feeling of getting banned or suspended on a selling platform that you rely on.
However, with the rash of eBay suspensions that people have been experiencing lately many people are afraid that they will also be suspended on Mercari, Poshmark, or other selling platforms.
The main problem with getting suspended on a platform such as Mercari is that you don’t just lose your account. You are suspended indefinitely with no chance of getting back on the platform. Usually.
Judging by the number of questions we get on the topic, getting suspended indefinitely on Mercari is becoming more and more common.
If you’re here, odds are you’ve already received that email and you’re wondering what the heck just happened and what you can do about it? Well, honestly, your options are quite limited. However, we’ll walk through the whole thing and see what we can figure out.
Why Does Mercari Suspend People?
On many platforms, users are given a reason for their suspension.
For example, we had an account limited on eBay when we went on vacation and had a ton of late shipments in a row. A call to customer service let them know that we weren’t running any sort of scam and we were able to ship the items and get our account reinstated.
Unfortunately, things aren’t so clear on Mercari and many people who are suspended are left scratching their heads.
Mercari gives a few reasons publicly why you can be suspended indefinitely (although the interpretation is in their court):
- Listing or selling “Prohibited Items”
- Engaging in Prohibited Conduct (such as making threats, trying to take the transaction off-site, etc.)
- Questionable account activity or high-risk behavior
- To complete verification of identity/information requests
- Repeated Terms of Service violations
- Failure to complete verification of identity or to provide sufficient information
It’s worth noting here that Mercari doesn’t have a crack team of security that’s combing through sellers and their listings to keep the platform safe. Mercari scams are kept at bay through an algorithm (similar to how you can have Mercari messages removed by admin).
So if their software decided (based on its parameters which are unknown) that you are a threat to the community’s safety (and Mercari’s profit) then you’ll be suspended.
Most Common Reasons For A Indefinite Suspension on Mercari
Combing through all of Mercari’s articles to find out exactly what you might or might no have done to offend their algorithm is not an enjoyable task.
We’ve been selling on Mercari for more than three years and, in that time, these are the bannable offenses that come up again and again:
- Listing prohibited items. Mercari doesn’t stop you from listing many things but they’re very serious about their no-no list. If you list something that isn’t allowed you can expect that the listing will be removed by their algorithm and you’ll get a strike on your account within minutes. The most common issues happen when people list knives (such as pocket knives) or adult magazines.
- Getting reported by buyers. If enough buyers report your listings, you can be removed from Mercari. This is a major flaw that needs to be addressed as there doesn’t seem to be any human review before a suspension. If someone wants to report your listings dozens of times (maybe because you compete with them), it might be enough to remove your account.
- Trying to sell/buy off the platform. Trying to save on Mercari fees by paying off-app is not smart. Not only are you risking suspension but you open yourself up to all sorts of scams. Mercari monitors description and messages on the app/site for keywords that would suggest shenanigans such as emails, phone numbers, etc.
- I.D. or bank account problems. Many people have their account removed, even if they have a perfect 5-star-rating. For some reason, bank account problems seem to tip Mercari off that you’re being fraudulent. So you better have all our ducks in a row before you go big on Mercari!
- Having multiple accounts. Mercari allows multiple accounts for a household but no per person. If you have multiple accounts on a single device (or with the same name/bank account/email/etc.) you can be flagged and removed.
Most people who are suspended on Mercari aren’t entirely blindsided. You’ll have typically received multiple strikes on your account and a final warning. The number of strikes before a final warning and removal is not shared by Mercari and doesn’t seem to be consistent from an infraction to an infraction.
Some people report having received up to 7 warnings from Mercari without losing their account while others lose their account without any warnings. In general, 3-4 warnings seem to put you in the danger zone.
What Does Suspended Indefinitely Mean?
So you’ve got the message and your items are no longer available for sale. But what exactly does that mean?
In effect, being suspended indefinitely on Mercari means that you’ve been permanently removed from the platform. Barring a successful appeal you will no longer be able to list or sell items on the platform.
Can You Get Unbanned On Mercari?
If you’re had a couple of strikes against your account that resulted in your eventual removal, the outlook isn’t good.
There is a semi-unofficial method that exists for appealing your Mercari suspension.
Mercari customer support has the ability to reinstate your account if you contact them and explain the situation. Several people that I’ve talked to were able to explain the situation (especially if it was related to I.D. or bank accounts) and get it resolved within 48-72 hours.
Others, however, were totally ghosted by Mercari support and were unable to get any help at all.
What To Do When You’re Banned On Mercari
If you’ve lost your Mercari account, the best thing to do is to find another platform. Simply creating another account will get you flagged almost instantly and your new account will be banned too.
If you’ve been indefinitely suspended on Mercari you are still allowed to complete your transactions and withdraw your funds. Mercari may decide to hold your funds for up to 180 days depending on how severe of a risk they believe you are.
Learning how to sell on eBay or Poshmark will give you access to a much larger audience which, for most people, means more sales.
The best solution is to diversity by using a cross-posting software such as List Perfectly that automatically posts your listings on multiple platforms, allowing you to continue having sales and making money if you are suspended on a platform.
At the end of the day, receiving an indefinite suspension on Mercari (or any other platform) is not the end of the world. Write off the time you spent listing items and move on. If you want to be successful at reselling you have to overcome more than everyone else.
Good luck!
