Examined Oct 3, 2026 Paid in coupons and credit Second $10 needs $100 in sales Mercari's invitation code gives a new user $10 to shop with at once and $10 more only after $100 in sales, so a buyer who never sells gets half the $20 it advertises.
The page headline says Get $20. The line under it splits that in two, and only the first half is yours for signing up. The second $10 asks you to become a seller and complete $100 in sales, and sales to the member whose code you used do not count. If you came to Mercari to buy, count on $10.
What pays what
| You, creating your first Mercari account with a member's invitation code | $10 to shop with right away |
|---|---|
| You again, after completing your first $100 in sales | Another $10 |
| Sales between you and the member whose code you used | Do not count toward the $100 |
| You, signing up without a code, or on a second account | Nothing |
You get $10 to shop with right away. Earn another $10 by completing your first $100 in sales.
The same page says “Invitation code is required to earn rewards.” Mercari's Terms of Service add that you must reside in the United States and be at least 18, or the age of majority in your state, to have an account.
Do this, in this order
- Get the code first. Invitations are valid only to first time account creations, and Mercari's terms do not allow multiple accounts. There is no second try on a fresh account.
- Pick an item priced above $10 before the coupon arrives. New User coupons expire within 60 days of receipt, and the Disclosure says Mercari credits and New User coupons will be issued as earned.
- If you sell, count only outside sales. The Disclosure is direct: “Sales between Inviter and Invitee do not count towards the Referral Bonus calculations.” Your $100 has to come from other buyers.
- Spend the credit inside 90 days. “Referral Bonuses will be paid in the form of Mercari Credit and will expire within 90 days of receipt.” The Terms of Service say credits expire at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time 90 days after they were earned, and: “Once expired, Credits will not be reinstated.”
- Keep the account open until it is spent. The terms say “Mercari-issued credits or unused coupons become invalid and expire upon termination of your account.” Credit is worth 1 unit = 1 USD on eligible purchases, and cannot be exchanged for cash or transferred to another person.
What Mercari does not publish
The coupon terms themselves. Mercari's Coupon Terms page still reads only “User not logged in.” Its code shows why: it loads the terms of one coupon in the signed-in member's own account, so there is no public text to read. The public coupons help guide gives the general rules: “Only one coupon can be used per transaction.” Savings are rounded down to the nearest dollar, coupons cannot move between accounts, and a coupon used on a canceled order comes back with its expiry extended. Your own coupon's requirements and expiry date are under Profile, Settings, Coupons.
Which $10 is which. The Disclosure names two kinds of reward with two clocks, New User coupons at 60 days and Referral Bonus credit at 90 days, but never says which of the two $10 amounts is which. Plan on the 60-day clock for each.
How long any of it lasts. The Disclosure is dated Effective January 1, 2024 and gives no end date. It closes with: “Mercari reserves the right to update or alter these terms at any time, with or without notice.” The Terms of Service, effective February 24, 2025, also let Mercari change the credit rules and end the whole credits system without any refund, to the extent the law allows.
Is it worth your time?
For a buyer, it is $10 off something priced above $10, spent within 60 days. That is worth typing a friend's code for if you were going to shop on Mercari anyway, and worth nothing if it tempts you into a purchase you did not need.
For a seller, the second $10 arrives after $100 in sales to anyone but the member whose code you used. That is a small bonus on top of selling you meant to do. Do not start selling for it. Either way, the reward depends on a friend's code, and this page does not have one to give you.
