A good Poshmark or Mercari listing does three things: the title matches what buyers type into search, the photos show the real item including its flaws, and the price leaves room for fees and offers above the amount you actually want to keep. Most of the effort goes into the photos and the price; the title is quick once you have a fixed order for it. Below is how we would approach each part, with the platform rules checked in October 2026.

WeartyAI is an independent tool and is not affiliated with Poshmark, Mercari or eBay. Rules and limits change, so treat the figures here as a snapshot and check the app before you publish.

Titles: brand, item, size, key detail

Buyers on both apps search the way they would describe the item to a friend: brand first, then what it is. A title order that works for most clothing is:

  1. Brand (Levi's, Lululemon, Free People)
  2. Item type and style (501 straight jeans, Align leggings, maxi dress)
  3. Size, written the way the label shows it (W30 L32, US 6, M)
  4. One detail buyers filter on: colour, material or fit (indigo, cotton, high rise)

So instead of "Cute jeans!! Must see", write "Levi's 501 Straight Jeans W30 L32 Dark Indigo". Both apps show a character counter while you type; check it rather than relying on a number you read somewhere. If you also list on eBay, eBay's seller centre (checked October 2026) advises using all 80 characters of its title, so an eBay title may need trimming before you paste it elsewhere.

Avoid stuffing. Mercari's listing guide (checked October 2026) asks sellers not to add brand names and hashtags that are not associated with the item, so leave out tags like "Not Zara Not Aritzia".

Photos: square cover, label, measurements, flaws

Mercari lets you add up to 12 photos per listing and recommends natural light, plain backgrounds, every side of the item and close-ups of any flaws, according to the same Mercari guide. Search results show the cover as a small, often cropped thumbnail, so frame the first photo with some space around the item. A set that answers most questions:

  • Cover: the whole item, front on, centred, on a plain surface or hanger.
  • Back: the full back view, same light.
  • Brand and size label: readable, in focus.
  • Care or material label: buyers check fabric content more often than you would think.
  • Measurements: a tape measure across the chest or waist, laid flat.
  • Flaws: each mark, pull or fade in its own close-up.

If you cross-list on eBay, its picture policy (checked October 2026) does not allow added borders, added text or marketing material, or watermarks, and does not allow stock photos for used items. Photos must be at least 500 pixels on the longest side. Keeping your photos clean of text from the start means one set works everywhere. For more on light and backgrounds, see our photo guide; the advice carries over from Vinted.

Descriptions buyers can act on

A description is there to answer the questions that would otherwise arrive as messages or, worse, as a return request. Keep it short and factual:

  • Condition in plain words: "worn a handful of times, small pull on left cuff (photo 6)".
  • Measurements in inches: pit to pit, length, waist, inseam.
  • Fit notes: "runs small, I'm usually a medium and this is snug".
  • Material from the label.
  • Bundle or shipping notes, if you offer them.

Mercari's guide notes that the more accurate a listing is, the higher it will appear in its search, which is one more reason not to oversell condition.

Pricing with fees and offers in mind

Start with the amount you want to keep, then work backwards. Poshmark's fee policy takes a flat $2.95 on sales under $15 and 20% above that, and Mercari's fee page lists a 10% selling fee on the item price plus buyer-paid shipping (both checked October 2026). Our US fee comparison runs the numbers for $25 and $60 items.

An example: you want $30 in hand for a Madewell sweater. On Poshmark that means listing at about $38 if you expect no offers, because 20% of $38 is $7.60. Offers are common on Poshmark, so list a little higher, say $45, and decide in advance that you accept anything that leaves you $30 or more. On Mercari, $34 covers the 10% fee before shipping; the app also has a Smart Pricing option that lowers the price gradually but never below a floor you set. Mercari's listing guide (checked October 2026) accepts list prices between $1 and $2,000 for most items.

Check what similar items have actually sold for, not what they are listed at. Listed prices on both apps include plenty of items that have sat unsold for months.

Returns and protection: what buyers can claim

Both platforms give buyers a short window, and both exclude "it doesn't fit".

  • Poshmark: under Posh Protect (checked October 2026), buyers have 72 hours after delivery to open a case. Covered reasons include undisclosed damage, an incorrect or missing item, an item not as described and an item that is not authentic. "Item does not fit / changed mind" is not covered.
  • Mercari: according to Mercari's refunds and returns policy (checked October 2026), buyers must request a return within 72 hours of delivery and before rating. An item significantly not as described is a covered reason; "doesn't fit" and "changed mind" are reasons the seller may decline.

The practical takeaway: the things buyers can claim on are the things your photos and description control. A flaw you photographed and mentioned is not undisclosed damage.

Using one draft for several platforms

Writing a fresh listing for each app is where cross-listing time goes. A faster routine is one draft that you adapt: the title order above, a description with condition, measurements and fit, and your floor price written down.

WeartyAI can produce that draft. For 1 credit it reads your photos and returns a suggested US price range from comparable listings it finds on eBay, Poshmark, Depop and Mercari, plus listing text you copy into each app and trim to fit. For another credit it can make a clean white-background product shot to add alongside your own photos of the real item, never instead of them. It does not log in to any marketplace or post for you. New accounts get 5 free credits; you can create a free account and try it on a couple of items.

Before you publish

  • Title in the order brand, item, size, detail, within the app's counter.
  • Cover photo of the whole item, plus labels, measurements and every flaw.
  • No added text or borders on photos if you cross-list on eBay.
  • Floor price written down, list price set above it to absorb fees and offers.
  • Description that covers condition, measurements, fit and material.