Buying
Do I need an account to buy?: Yes. Payment has to be attributable to someone, and you need to be able to track your order. Creating an account takes under a minute.
Can I buy from outside the United States?: You can build the order from anywhere, but payment has to come from a US bank. Usually a family member living there pays.
Are prices in dollars?: Yes, the whole catalog is in US dollars. We never do currency conversion.
Can I buy from several merchants in one order?: You can, but the payment ends up unassigned to a merchant and our team resolves it by hand, so it takes longer. If you're in a hurry, place one order per merchant.
Paying
How do I pay?: Once you confirm the order, the page shows the exact Zelle address and the amount. You send it through Zelle from your bank and upload the screenshot right there.
Why do I have to upload a screenshot?: Because nothing is credited automatically. A member of our team confirms against the bank that the payment actually arrived and that the amount matches your order.
How long does approval take?: Usually the same day. You get a notice as soon as it's approved, and also if something doesn't add up.
Can someone else pay for me?: Yes. What matters is that the name on the paying account matches the account that placed the order, so we can verify it.
Do you take cards?: Yes. Card is the primary payment method, and we also accept Zelle from U.S. banks on orders of $200 and up. We don't accept ACH or wire transfers.
My payment wasn't approved. What now?: The notice tells you the exact reason. You can upload a new receipt from your order page, or write to us and we'll sort it out with you.
Receiving your order
Who delivers?: The merchant, in its own country, to the person you named as recipient. Mercatren does not ship or clear goods.
How long does delivery take?: It depends on the merchant and the product. The timeframe is shown on the order, and delivery starts once payment is approved.
Does the recipient get money?: Never. They receive the physical product you bought. At no point in the operation does a person receive cash.
It arrived damaged or it's not what I ordered: Write to us within 7 days of delivery, with photos. We resolve it with the merchant: replacement, exchange, or refund.
My account
I forgot my password: On the sign-in screen, tap “Forgot your password?” and you'll get an email with a link to create a new one.
Where do I see my orders?: Under “Returns and orders,” top right. It shows the status of each one and a button to pay any that are pending.
I want to close my account: Write to us from your account email and we'll close it. Records of completed transactions are kept for five years, as the privacy policy explains.
Selling on Mercatren
What do I need to open a store?: A registered business, identifiable owners, and a supplier you buy from. We verify those details before activating you.
What does Mercatren charge?: Nothing. You set the price you sell to us at; the price we resell at is ours to set and includes our markup. No monthly charge, no setup cost.
Do I have to enter my products by hand?: Not necessarily. If your catalog is already in another system, we bring it in from there and keep it synced afterward.
When do I get my money?: When the payment is approved, Mercatren LLC buys that merchandise from you and you issue your invoice. You are paid against that invoice, to a US bank account, as agreed with you in writing.