Example scenario · illustrative, not a real seller
An example $50 item cost $14. Four 10% offers in a row take it to $32.81. Each step looked small; together they cut the profit from $31 to $15.53.
What you’ll get
- The three Mercari promotion tools compared.
- Rules on minimum discounts and timing.
- Why offers bind you to the price.
- A discount chain worked to profit.
- A rule for where to stop.
Three buttons, three different price promises
Mercari's Promote menu gives sellers three ways to draw attention to a listing: Promote, which is a permanent price drop that boosts the item in search and notifies likers; Offer to Likers, a temporary private discount sent to people who liked the item; and a Time-limited Sale for items that have been listed for a week or more. Each one commits you to a lower price, for a different length of time and a different audience.
Pick the one that matches what you know about the item's demand, and only after checking the lowest price you can accept.
How Mercari describes each option
Mercari's help article on the Promote button, checked November 8, 2026, compares them:
| Feature | Promote | Offer to Likers | Time-limited Sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum discount | 5% or more | 10% or more | At least 10% below the historical lowest price |
| Who is notified | People who liked the item; listing boosted in search | Up to 50 most recent likers | Interested buyers; featured in Deals |
| Permanent? | Yes | No, expires after 24 hours | No, expires after 72 hours |
| Binding price | It is your new price | Yes, until it expires | Yes, until it expires |
| How often | Once every 24 hours per item | A new offer once every 72 hours per item | Item listed for 7+ days |
| Minimum price | Not less than $1 | Not less than $1 | Not less than $1 |
The article also says repeat actions must go lower each time: a repeat Promote must be an additional 5% or more below the historical lowest price, and repeat offers or sales an additional 10% or more below it. Mercari can automatically send your most recent Offer to Likers to new likers after a delay you choose in Promotion settings, or not at all if you select "Do not send."
Step 1: Know your floor before pressing anything
Because each repeat action has to go below your historical lowest price, a series of promotions only moves one way. Before your first promotion, calculate the lowest price at which the sale still covers your cost, Mercari's selling fee and shipping, plus your minimum profit. Mercari's fees page says a 10% selling fee applies to the item price plus buyer-paid shipping on listings created or updated since January 6, 2025.
In this chosen example, a jacket is listed at $50 with buyer-paid shipping. You paid $14 and want at least $15 profit. Ignoring shipping for simplicity, 10% of the price goes to Mercari.
| Price | 10% selling fee | After fee | Less cost | Profit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50.00 | $5.00 | $45.00 | $14 | $31.00 |
| $45.00 (Offer to Likers, 10%) | $4.50 | $40.50 | $14 | $26.50 |
| $40.50 (second offer, 10% lower) | $4.05 | $36.45 | $14 | $22.45 |
| $36.45 (third offer, 10% lower) | $3.65 | $32.80 | $14 | $18.80 |
| $32.81 (fourth offer, 10% lower) | $3.28 | $29.53 | $14 | $15.53 |
Four rounds of 10% offers take the price from $50 to about $32.81, close to the floor. Buyer-paid shipping would also carry the fee in practice, so your real floor is slightly higher. The price floor tool runs this with your figures.
Step 2: Choose by what the item is telling you
- Many likes, no sale: Offer to Likers targets people who already showed interest, without permanently lowering your price for everyone.
- Few views or likes: Promote lowers the price and boosts visibility to new shoppers; use it when the price itself is likely the problem.
- Listed a week or more, sitewide event coming: a Time-limited Sale puts the item in Deals for 72 hours.
Smart Pricing check: Mercari says Promote is a permanent price drop, and if you promote below the minimum price set for Smart Pricing or Smart Offers, those features stop working until you adjust the minimum.
Step 3: Space your promotions
Because Mercari limits how often each action can be repeated and requires each repeat to be lower, spacing them out keeps your options open. A deep first cut leaves little room later. Starting with the smallest allowed discount gives the market a chance to respond before you go lower.
Step 4: Review the result
After each promotion, note the date, the price and whether views, likes or offers changed. If several rounds produce no response, the issue may be the photos, title or the item's demand rather than the price. The pricing and markdowns manual and the stale inventory manual help with that decision.
Common mistakes
- Promoting without a floor and racing the price down.
- Using deep discounts first, leaving no room for later offers.
- Forgetting that Promote changes the price permanently.
- Letting automatic offers to new likers go out at a price you no longer want.
- Promoting below a Smart Pricing minimum without adjusting it.
Discount with a destination
Every Mercari promotion is a price you commit to, and each repeat must go lower. Set your floor first, start with the smallest useful discount and let the item's likes and views tell you which button to use.
Worked example · hypothetical, not a real seller
Keep the example in view
| Price | After 10% fee | Profit after $14 cost |
|---|---|---|
| $50.00 | $45.00 | $31.00 |
| $45.00 | $40.50 | $26.50 |
| $40.50 | $36.45 | $22.45 |
| $36.45 | $32.80 | $18.80 |
| $32.81 | $29.53 | $15.53 |
Chosen example · edit the numbers
Try your own floor, price and discount.
Illustrative inputs, not market benchmarks or an achieved outcome. Scratchpad values stay in tab memory, not saved by this application. Reload to reset.
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Practical questions
What is the minimum price drop for Promote?
Mercari says Promote requires a drop of 5% or more and is permanent.
How often can I send Offer to Likers?
Mercari says a new Offer to Likers can be sent once every 72 hours per item, at 10% or more off, to up to 50 likers.
What is a Time-limited Sale?
Mercari describes a sale for items listed 7 or more days, at least 10% below the lowest historical price, lasting 72 hours.
Is there a minimum price?
Mercari says the promoted price can’t be less than $1.
Do this next · one concrete move