Marketplace photography
How to photograph clothes for Mercari
· 3 min read
Mercari allows up to 12 photos per listing, and using all of them helps a buyer trust an item they cannot touch. Shoot the actual garment in natural light, lead with a full, well lit shot against a plain background, and follow with close ups of fabric, label, and any flaw. Stock or catalog photos are against Mercari's rules and can get a listing pulled.
Сделайте это в RorlAIGhost Mannequin: Invisible mannequin, garment shape intact.What Mercari lets you upload
Mercari allows up to 12 photos per listing, more room than most resale apps give you, and its own seller guidance recommends using all of them. The first photo becomes the cover image buyers see while scrolling, so it carries the most weight: a full, sharp shot of the item against a plain background, taken in good light.
Mercari is a mobile app first and a website second, so most buyers are scrolling a feed of thumbnails on a small screen before they ever open a listing. That changes what a good cover photo looks like. A cluttered background or a garment shot at an angle can read as unclear at thumbnail size even if it looks fine full screen, so simple and centered beats artistic every time.
Twelve slots is enough to answer every question before it is asked
| Slot | What it should show |
|---|---|
| 1 | Full item, front on, plain background. This is the cover photo |
| 2 | Full item, back |
| 3 to 4 | Close ups of fabric, texture, or any pattern |
| 5 | Label, size tag, and material content |
| 6 to 7 | Any flaw, stain, or repair, shown honestly |
| 8 to 12 | Worn or hanger shot for fit, plus extra angles if the item has structure, like a bag or a jacket |
A shoot you can do with a phone in about ten minutes
- 1Shoot in natural lightMercari's own guidance recommends taking as many photos as you can in natural light. A window on an overcast day or open shade outdoors both work better than indoor bulbs, which cast a warm color tint a buyer's screen will not correct for.
- 2Start with the cover shotFull item, centered, plain background. This is the one photo every buyer sees before they decide to open the listing, so give it the most light and the steadiest hand.
- 3Work through fabric, label, and flawsThese three close ups do more to prevent a return than any amount of styling. A buyer who can see a small mark before buying rarely opens a claim over it after.
- 4Finish with fitA worn or hanger shot, plus any angle specific to the item, like the inside of a bag or the sole of a shoe.
Where RorlAI fits
A worn or on model shot is the one slot in a Mercari listing that is hardest to get right alone. RorlAI can put a flat photo of your garment on an AI model to fill that slot without a mirror selfie. It cannot generate the fabric close up, the label, or a flaw photo, and it should not try to: those three exist to build trust, and trust has to be real. The same rule applies to every marketplace in this guide, not just Mercari: the slots that prove condition and authenticity have to come from the actual item, photographed by the actual seller.
Common questions
- How many photos can I add to a Mercari listing?
- Up to 12. Mercari recommends using all of them, since buyers who see more detailed photos are more likely to buy an item they cannot touch first.
- Does Mercari allow stock or catalog photos?
- No. Mercari requires photos of the actual item being sold. Stock photos, catalog images, and pictures taken from other online sources are prohibited and can lead to a listing being removed.
- What is Mercari's seller fee?
- Mercari charges a flat 10 percent selling fee on the total sale, with no listing fee and no subscription. It applies the same way whether the item sells for $5 or $500.
- Do I need professional lighting for Mercari photos?
- No. Mercari's own advice is to shoot in natural light wherever possible. A window or open shade outdoors consistently beats indoor bulbs, which cast a color tint a phone camera does not fully correct.