How to use Mercari Smart Pricing to increase sales in 2025

Use Mercari Smart Pricing to transform stagnant inventory on Mercari into quick sales.

For example, if your $60 jacket remains unsold for weeks at full price, Smart Pricing could automatically reduce it to $48 within days, attracting budget-conscious buyers. Although Smart Pricing automates lowering listing prices, it sacrifices nuanced control, so it doesn’t work in every situation.

We'll discuss how to use Mercari Smart Pricing effectively while avoiding common pitfalls, and we’ll also show you when not to use it. You’ll learn how Nifty's AI automation complements Smart Pricing, enabling you to cut out manual work.

What Is Mercari Smart Pricing?

Mercari Smart Pricing is an automated Mercari feature that adjusts your listing prices based on market demand and competitor data. It helps optimize sales velocity, so sellers can avoid the guesswork of manual pricing strategies that often leave money on the table. Mercari Smart Pricing is excellent for sellers aiming to make a profit without constant price monitoring.

To activate the feature, you select an item from your listings to track and adjust with Smart Pricing. For example, if your $50 sneakers aren't getting views after two weeks, Mercari Smart Pricing might lower the price to $42 to match similar sold listings and attract buyers.

How to turn Smart Pricing on

By learning how to turn Smart Pricing on, sellers can automate price adjustments without constant manual monitoring. These step-by-step instructions illustrate how to enable this automated system correctly:

Step 1: Access your listing settings menu 

Open the Mercari app, go to your active listings, and select the item you want to enable Smart Pricing on. Tap the “Edit” button on your chosen listing to access pricing and promotion options.

Step 2: Locate Smart Pricing activation toggle 

Scroll down through the listing settings until you find the “Smart Pricing” section, which typically appears below shipping and description options. Toggle the Smart Pricing switch to “On” to activate the automated price adjustment feature for this specific listing.

Step 3: Set minimum price protection limits 

Enter your minimum price in the field to prevent Smart Pricing from lowering the price below your profit threshold. This safety net keeps the system from automatically dropping prices to levels that erase profit or cause losses.

Step 4: Review and confirm pricing rules 

Double-check your minimum price settings and Smart Pricing activation status before saving to avoid price drops. The system monitors listing performance and adjusts prices until they reach your minimum price.

Pros and cons of Smart Pricing

Smart Pricing can impact both sales velocity and profit margins depending on market conditions, so it’s important to understand the pros and cons of Smart Pricing:

Advantages

• Pricing automation saves time: Smart Pricing eliminates hours spent monitoring competitor prices and manually adjusting listings to stay aware of changing markets. 

• Stagnant inventory moves faster: Items that sit unsold for weeks automatically receive price reductions that attract budget-conscious buyers seeking deals. A seller mentioned that the Smart Pricing works for selling, but you need to be careful when setting the lowest price you’ll accept.

• Market response happens instantly: The system detects when similar items sell at lower prices and adjusts your listings accordingly without waiting for manual intervention. You can also use this during seasonal shifts or sudden market changes.

Drawbacks

• Limited pricing control: Sellers lose the ability to make nuanced pricing decisions based on item condition, rarity, or personal assessment. The algorithm operates on predetermined rules that may not account for your specific circumstances or preferences.

• Aggressive reductions hurt margins: A seller reported that Smart Pricing drops prices more quickly than necessary, especially during temporary market slowdowns, when patience could yield better results.

• Unique items get undervalued: The platform may underprice rare or high-value items with limited comparable data, not reflecting these items’ true market worth. The algorithm struggles with one-of-a-kind pieces that require specialized knowledge or patient collectors willing to pay premium prices.

When to set Smart Pricing

Strategically setting Mercari pricing can rocket your sales velocity and protect profit margins. But don’t set Smart Pricing without a plan. Follow these directions for successfully setting Smart Pricing:

When to turn on Smart Pricing: At a glance

Turn Smart Pricing on when … 

• You have items that move consistently: Mass-produced items like phone cases, basic clothing, or household goods benefit from automated pricing since they compete primarily on price. Smart Pricing helps these products stay competitive with similar listings without requiring constant manual adjustments.

• You need to clear seasonal goods: Smart Pricing can prevent seasonal inventory from becoming worthless after demand periods end.

• You have high-volume inventory: When managing many similar listings, you can’t manually adjust every price. Smart Pricing automates pricing adjustments.

Avoid Smart Pricing if …

• You’re selling limited edition or rare items: Rare items or those with restricted production runs or special releases often attract collectors willing to pay premium prices. Smart Pricing may reduce these items prematurely before the right buyer discovers them and pays full market value.

• You’re selling high-value goods: Expensive items like designer handbags, electronics, or jewelry require careful pricing consideration to avoid profit losses from automated reductions. These products justify the time investment for manual pricing management to maximize returns on valuable inventory.

3 tips and tactics to sell faster on Mercari

By following a few Mercari tips and tactics, you can move more inventory faster and increase your profit potential. Follow these points to accelerate your Mercari earnings: 

1. Use Smart Pricing strategically

Monitor Smart Pricing by comparing sales speed and profit margins before and after you activate Smart Pricing to measure actual effectiveness rather than assumed benefits. Track days-to-sale, final prices, and total profit over 30-day periods to determine if automation improves or damages your bottom line.

Test Smart Pricing on small product batches first, recording profits and time taken to sell. Then, expand Smart Pricing to other items based on the concrete performance data.

2. Optimize your listings

Optimizing your listings to appear professional and presentable reflects that you’re a serious seller. Follow these pointers to present your listings in the best possible light:

• Titles grab attention immediately: Craft titles using specific keywords that buyers search for, like brand names, sizes, colors, and condition details. Tools like Nifty use AI to generate these listings with keywords, so you only need to polish them before publishing.

• Descriptions answer buyer questions: Write detailed descriptions with measurements, flaws, and materials to pitch products to buyers. Include keywords naturally in descriptions, as search algorithms favor listings matching search intent. Nifty can also help you write keyword-optimized descriptions. 

• Post professional photos: Studies have found that buyers place more trust in sellers who use high-quality images. Use natural lighting, include multiple angles, and always have a clean background. Include close-ups of tags, textures, and any imperfections. Consider using photo editing software, like Photoroom (accessible via Nifty), to polish and perfect your pictures.

3. Relisting and offer sending

After an item hasn’t received any buyer engagement, it’s time to go back to the drawing board and relist. Relisting receives a bump from the algorithm, which brings your item to the top of the Mercari search results. This action can get your item in front of new buyers’ eyes. 

However, sellers managing multiple items might find manual relisting difficult and time-consuming. Avoid headaches and save time by using Nifty, which automates relisting on Mercari every 30 days. Nifty also allows you to adjust your relisting intervals.  

Nifty also lets you schedule automated offer sending across Mercari (and other platforms, too) whenever a buyer likes an item. The tool also allows you to configure custom discounts and even send bulk offers.

Sell more everywhere with Nifty

We’ve shown how to use Mercari Smart Pricing in tandem with Nifty to make more sales. But did you know that Nifty works on four other platforms and provides even more convenient crosslisting capabilities? Here’s what you get with Nifty:

• Generate listings from photos: Upload an image and let Nifty’s AI create SEO-optimized titles, detailed descriptions, and hashtags.

• Crosslist to five platforms: Instantly post on Poshmark, eBay, Mercari, Depop, and Etsy, while keeping inventory updated. (More marketplaces coming soon!)

• Automate routine work: Relist, share, schedule posts, and update prices in bulk without manual effort. Nifty will also auto-delist products from all other connected platforms when they sell, so you avoid double-selling. 

• Analyze sales data: Track fees, top performers, and slow movers in one dashboard to see where to focus.

Begin your 7-day free trial and see how Nifty can save time and increase sales across your preferred platforms.

FAQs

1. Can Smart Pricing increase sales?

Yes, Smart Pricing can increase sales. By automatically reducing prices, Smart Pricing attracts price-sensitive buyers who might have ignored overpriced listings. However, faster sales don't always mean higher profits, as aggressive price reductions may sacrifice margins for speed. Success depends on product type, market conditions, and proper minimum price settings.

2. Can I set a minimum price with Smart Pricing?

Yes, you can set a minimum price with Smart Pricing to protect your profit margins from excessive automated reductions. This safety threshold prevents the system from dropping prices below your break-even point or desired profit level. Setting conservative minimums at least 20% above costs provides a cushion for both automated adjustments and manual offers.

3. How does Smart Pricing compare to manual pricing?

When compared to manual pricing, Smart Pricing offers automated convenience. But it sacrifices the nuanced control that manual pricing provides. Manual pricing allows strategic decisions based on item rarity and seasonal timing, while Smart Pricing operates on algorithmic rules that may not account for specific circumstances or seller preferences.

4. Can I undo my Smart Pricing after I’ve turned it on for an item?

Yes, you can undo Mercari Smart Pricing after turning it on by going back to your listing settings and toggling the Smart Pricing switch to “Off.” This stops any further automatic price reductions but does not restore your original listing price. If Smart Pricing has already lowered the price below your preferred amount, you’ll need to manually change it back to your desired level.