Mercari's new prepaid shipping prices start October 19, 2026. If you sell trading cards there, three things matter. The small USPS parcel labels cost more. The First-Class envelope for cards is $0 up to 1 oz and 49¢ for 1-3 oz until January 4, 2027. And the seller fee is still 10%.
Below: what changes, the per-sale math on a $20 card and a $50 card, how eBay's fee compares, and what to re-check before the switch. Every fee and rate here comes from Mercari's and eBay's own help pages, checked 2026-10-02. Results vary, and nothing is guaranteed.
Mercari shipping rates in October 2026: what changes
Mercari says carriers update their rates every year for inflation, operating costs and demand. So on October 19, 2026 it changes prepaid label prices for select weight categories. The new rates apply to new and existing listings, and to both buyer-paid and seller-paid Mercari Standard labels.
It isn't a blanket increase, but the small USPS Ground Advantage labels that a card in a bubble mailer or small box would use all go up. Mercari lists two prices per weight. The Best rate is for packages up to 1 cubic foot (22 inches on the longest side). The Standard rate is for anything larger.
| Label (USPS Ground Advantage) | Best rate now | Best rate Oct 19 | Standard rate now | Standard rate Oct 19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 lb (4 oz) | $4.91 | $5.39 | $5.49 | $6.49 |
| 0.5 lb | $5.66 | $5.99 | $5.99 | $7.49 |
| 0.75 lb | $6.73 | $7.39 | $6.99 | $8.49 |
| 1 lb | $7.48 | $7.99 | $7.59 | $8.99 |
"Now" is the Current 2026 table on Mercari's fee page. The Standard rate rises the most, by $1.00 at 0.25 lb and $1.50 at 0.5 lb. The Best rate rises $0.48 and $0.33. Mercari says to add your package dimensions when you list to unlock the lower Best rates.
The card envelope: $0 and 49¢ until January 4, 2027
Mercari sells a USPS First-Class envelope label for trading cards and paper collectibles. Two promotional prices are running:
- Free for single trading cards and paper collectibles up to 1 oz. It runs from September 17, 2026 until January 4, 2027 (11:59 p.m. PT).
- 49¢ for 1-3 oz. It started February 16, 2026 and is now extended to January 4, 2027 (11:59 p.m. PT).
Your envelope has to follow Mercari's rules, or it can be returned or cost extra:
- Paper envelope only. No bubble mailers, poly mailers or cardboard, and no clasps or strings.
- Size: 5 to 11½ inches long, 3½ to 6⅛ inches wide, and up to ¼ inch thick with no lumps.
- No graded cards. Mercari's packing guide says no graded cards in an envelope, and graded cards aren't eligible for Shipping Protection when sent that way.
- Top loaders are fine, one card per top loader, side by side and not stacked.
- Limited tracking and $20 of Shipping Protection. Tracking shows about 3-5 updates, only on Mercari. Delivery is generally 2-8 days but can take up to 30.
To get the promo rate, open the listing, pick the promotional shipping rate and save. Updating through Promote does not apply it. Mercari's September 17 announcement says existing listings are opted in starting September 30, but the promo terms say to open the listing, select the promo rate and save. Check each listing rather than assuming. A qualifying listing that sells before the promo ends keeps the rate even if it ships after January 4, 2027.
The envelope option shows up for the trading card categories Mercari lists, including Single Cards and Other Trading Cards alongside the sports card ones. If you sell Magic or Pokémon singles, check that your listing's category offers the First-Class envelope.
After January 4, 2027, envelope labels revert to the then-current rate. Mercari's pages don't say what that will be, so treat it as unconfirmed. Three more things to know:
- The fee page lists non-promo envelope rates of $0.74 (1 oz), $1.03 (2 oz) and $1.32 (3 oz). The envelope guide still shows $0.73, $1.01 and $1.29.
- Older Mercari text says the 49¢ rate ends December 31, 2026. The September 17 announcement and the promo terms say January 4, 2027.
- Mercari can modify, suspend or cancel the promo at any time.
Mercari's seller fee on cards
Listing is free. When a card sells, Mercari charges 10% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping on listings created or updated on or after January 6, 2025, with no separate payment processing fee. The fee page describes the base as item price plus buyer-paid shipping and doesn't list sales tax in it.
Buyers pay their own 3.6% Buyer Protection fee on the item price and buyer-paid shipping. It shows up in the price they see, not in your fee. Cashing out costs $0 by Direct Deposit, or a $3 flat fee per Instant Pay transfer, which adds up on small sales.
Sell trading cards on Mercari: the math on a $20 and a $50 card
These are example inputs, not a forecast. Assume you pay the shipping, so the buyer sees free shipping and the 10% fee applies to the item price only. Parcel labels come from Mercari's table effective October 19, 2026, and envelope labels from its promo rates. "Left" is after Mercari's fee and the label, and before what you paid for the card, sleeves, toploaders, envelopes, sales tax and income tax. Fees are rounded to the cent.
A $20 card (selling fee: $2.00)
| Shipping | Label | Left |
|---|---|---|
| First-Class envelope, up to 1 oz (promo) | $0.00 | $18.00 |
| First-Class envelope, 1-3 oz (promo) | $0.49 | $17.51 |
| Ground Advantage 0.25 lb, Best rate | $5.39 | $12.61 |
| Ground Advantage 0.25 lb, Standard rate | $6.49 | $11.51 |
A $50 card (selling fee: $5.00)
| Shipping | Label | Left |
|---|---|---|
| First-Class envelope, up to 1 oz (promo) | $0.00 | $45.00 |
| First-Class envelope, 1-3 oz (promo) | $0.49 | $44.51 |
| Ground Advantage 0.25 lb, Best rate | $5.39 | $39.61 |
| Ground Advantage 0.25 lb, Standard rate | $6.49 | $38.51 |
On the $20 card, the label decides almost everything. A $5.39 parcel label takes more than twice what the 10% fee does.
For the same $50 card sent as a 0.25 lb parcel, the October 19 change costs you $0.48 on the Best rate ($4.91 now, $5.39 after) or $1.00 on the Standard rate ($5.49 now, $6.49 after). What's left drops from $40.09 to $39.61 on the Best rate, and from $39.51 to $38.51 on the Standard rate.
The envelope has trade-offs too. Its Shipping Protection covers up to $20, less than half of a $50 sale, and tracking is limited. The parcel costs about $4.90 more at the Best rate ($5.39 vs. $0.49).
If the buyer pays shipping instead, the 10% applies to the shipping too. A $50 card with a buyer-paid $5.39 label has a fee of $5.54, and you keep $44.46 after paying for the label. The buyer pays $55.39 plus their 3.6% fee, though, which changes how your listing looks next to similar ones.
How eBay's fee compares on the same cards
eBay charges 13.25% on sports trading cards, non-sport trading cards and collectible card games, on the total amount of the sale up to $7,500 (2.35% above that). It adds a per-order fee of $0.30 on orders of $10 or less, or $0.40 above $10. The total includes the item price, shipping collected from the buyer, handling and sales tax. Same free-shipping assumption, tax left out:
| Card | eBay fee | Mercari fee | Left on eBay, before shipping | Left on Mercari, before shipping |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $20 | $3.05 ($2.65 + $0.40) | $2.00 | $16.95 | $18.00 |
| $50 | $7.03 ($6.63 + $0.40) | $5.00 | $42.97 | $45.00 |
On real orders eBay's fee is higher, because its fee base includes sales tax. The $50 row rounds $6.625 up to $6.63.
eBay's Standard Envelope costs $0.82 (1 oz), $1.11 (2 oz) or $1.40 (3 oz). It is limited to items selling for $20 or less (not including tax), no graded cards, and no more than 2 cards in top loaders. On the $20 card, that leaves $16.13, $15.84 or $15.55. Above $20 you ship another way, and we haven't priced an eBay parcel here.
That doesn't make either site the right pick for everyone. The fee gap is about $1 on the $20 card and about $2 on the $50 card. What a card sells for on each site, how fast, and how returns and disputes go can move your result more. Check sold listings on both. Our guide to how to flip sports cards has more eBay and Whatnot fee math.
Boxes and heavier parcels
The envelope promo doesn't cover sealed boxes or anything that won't fit a flat paper envelope. On October 19, the UPS and FedEx economy Best rates for 1-5 lb packages stop being a flat $7.97 and become weight-based: $8.09 at 1 lb, $8.49 at 2 lb, $8.69 at 3 lb and $9.39 at 5 lb. USPS Ground Advantage at 1 lb goes from $7.48 to $7.99 at the Best rate.
That matters if you sell sealed sports card boxes, or sealed Magic or Pokémon product (our guide to buying Pokémon cards at retail covers sourcing the Pokémon side). Weigh the packed box on a scale. Mercari says a package over the label's weight or size limits can bring extra fees.
Worth it, or not?
Mercari looks reasonable for lower-priced singles that fit a flat paper envelope, because the label can be $0.00 or $0.49. It gets harder when:
- The card needs a parcel. At $5.39 to $6.49 a label, a $20 card has much less left.
- The card is graded. Mercari's envelope guide says no graded cards, and graded cards get no Shipping Protection in an envelope.
- You're counting on the promo past January 4, 2027. Redo the math with the non-promo rate.
- The card is worth much more than $20. The envelope's Shipping Protection stops at $20.
None of the tables count the card's cost, supplies, your time, returns, lost or damaged envelopes, price drops, unsold cards or taxes. Reselling carries risk, and nothing here is a promise of profit. For the basics of pricing a flip, start with how to start reselling.
What to re-check before October 19
- The rate table on Mercari's fee page for the exact labels you use, compared with what the listing editor shows.
- Your active card listings. Open each one, confirm the promo envelope rate is selected and save.
- The promo end date (January 4, 2027, 11:59 p.m. PT) and whether Mercari has changed or extended it.
- Package dimensions on parcel listings, so you can get the Best rate.
Mercari trading card shipping FAQ
How much is shipping a trading card on Mercari?
Through January 4, 2027, a First-Class envelope label for an eligible card is $0 up to 1 oz and $0.49 for 1-3 oz. As a USPS Ground Advantage parcel (0.25 lb), the label is $5.39 at the Best rate or $6.49 at the Standard rate from October 19, 2026.
How do I sell trading cards on Mercari?
List the card in an eligible trading card category, weigh and measure the packed envelope, and pick the First-Class envelope promo rate. For a parcel, enter the package dimensions instead. Price from sold listings, not asking prices. Mercari's fee is 10% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping.
Get the sports card calls in our Discord
Fee and shipping changes are one input. The harder question is which cards and releases are worth buying in the first place. That is what our sports card Discord is for, with 2,300+ paying members and 20+ staff. You can see what each release is selling for on eBay on our releases calendar. Magic player? We have an MTG group too. Still comparing groups? Read our guide to the best reselling groups.
Sources
All checked 2026-10-02.
- Mercari — Fees on Mercari (selling fee, Buyer Protection fee, cash-out fees, current and October 19, 2026 shipping tables)
- Mercari — Shipping change announcements (September 17, 2026 announcement)
- Mercari — Limited-time shipping deals (envelope promo dates and terms)
- Mercari — First-Class Envelopes guide (envelope rules, categories, Shipping Protection, tracking)
- eBay — Selling fees
- eBay — eBay standard envelope