How to Choose a Plant Sales Site — Comparing Fees and Conditions of Mercari, Yahoo Auctions, and GrowerDirect (Confirmed September 2026)
For plant growers, this compares Mercari (10% sales fee), Yahoo Auctions (10% of winning bid including tax), and GrowerDirect (5% + consumption tax = 5.5% tax-inclusive, only at transaction; registration, listing, and monthly fees all zero; no minimum fee), using only publicly disclosed information from each company's official sites. Also explains four categories of costs, profit calculation examples, and plant-specific rules such as registered variety disclosure. All company information confirmed September 10, 2026.
Key Takeaways
For plant growers, this compares Mercari (10% sales fee), Yahoo Auctions (10% of winning bid including tax), and GrowerDirect (5% + consumption tax = 5.5% tax-inclusive, only at transaction; registration, listing, and monthly fees all zero; no minimum fee), using only publicly disclosed information from each company's official sites. Also explains four categories of costs, profit calculation examples, and plant-specific rules such as registered variety disclosure. All company information confirmed September 10, 2026.
This article is a plant grower's guide to choosing sales platforms, created by GrowerDirect (operated by M Assets Inc.). GrowerDirect's own fees and terms are included in the comparison. Information about other companies comes only from content publicly disclosed on their official websites; items that cannot be verified on official sites are not inferred and are marked as "not confirmed on official site."
All company information confirmed: September 10, 2026
Conclusion
- When choosing a plant sales platform, the criterion is not merely the "fee percentage," but comparing registration fees, listing fees, monthly costs, transaction fees, minimum fees, payment methods, listing rules (such as registered variety disclosure), warranty systems, and support side by side.
- General flea markets and auction sites allow plant listings, but 10% of the sale price is deducted as a fee, and when selling registered varieties, disclosure is required by the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act (each company alerts users to this in their guidelines).
- GrowerDirect has zero registration fees, listing fees, and monthly costs; charges 5% of the sale price plus consumption tax (5.5% tax-inclusive) only at transaction; and has no minimum fee. Payment is made directly between buyer and grower; GrowerDirect does not hold funds. Listings require grower certification (verification of cultivation and propagation track record and growing environment).
- Until sales are stable, zero fixed-cost services tend to be advantageous, and the more a plant's value lies in explaining its origin—such as seedlings, tissue-cultured plants, or imported stock—the more a specialized site that prominently features grower information is suitable.
Comparison Premise: Four Types of Costs
| Cost Type | When It Occurs | What to Check |
|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee / Initial Cost | Once when opening an account | Presence of review fees or account opening fees |
| Listing Fee / Monthly Charges | Monthly (regardless of sales) | Whether fees are tiered by number of listings, or if there is a free tier |
| Transaction Fee | When a sale is completed | Tax-inclusive or tax-exclusive; presence of minimum fees; whether shipping costs are included in the calculation |
| Payment Processing Fee | When payment is processed | Whether included in the transaction fee or charged separately; does not occur if payment is made directly between parties |
Monthly Cost = Monthly Fixed Fee + (Monthly Sales × Transaction Fee Rate) + (Monthly Sales × Payment Processing Fee Rate)
For example, with ¥100,000 in monthly sales, a 10% fee service costs ¥10,000, while GrowerDirect at 5% + tax costs ¥5,500. Even in early sales with ¥30,000 monthly revenue, the costs are ¥3,000 and ¥1,650 respectively; as long as there are no fixed costs, this difference scales proportionally with sales.
Comparison of Major Services (Official Site Information Only)
| Item | GrowerDirect | Mercari | Yahoo Auctions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee / Initial Cost | ¥0 | ¥0 | Individual confirmation on official site |
| Listing Fee / Monthly | ¥0 | ¥0 (no listing fee) | Individual confirmation on official site |
| Transaction Fee | 5% of sale price + consumption tax (5.5% tax-inclusive) | 10% of sale price | 10% of winning bid (tax-inclusive; flat rate as of June 4, 2024) |
| Minimum Fee | None | Not confirmed on official site | Not confirmed on official site |
| Plant Listings | Plants only (9 categories) | Possible; notice that registered varieties require disclosure per the Seed Act | Possible (some categories have different rates) |
| Payment Transfer | Direct payment from buyer to grower (bank transfer, in-person cash, etc.) | Service acts as payment intermediary | Service acts as payment intermediary |
| Seller Review | Grower certification (cultivation and propagation track record, growing environment) | Identity verification | Identity verification |
| Buyer Guarantee | Warranty terms per grower (operator is not the guarantee provider) | Service has compensation system | Service has compensation system |
Sources: Mercari, "Mercari Fees" (https://help.jp.mercari.com/guide/articles/65/); Mercari by More, "Precautions When Listing Registered Varieties (Regarding the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act)" (https://jp-news.mercari.com/articles/2023/06/20/6f42395a19/); Yahoo Auctions, "Notice of Changes to Winning Bid Fee and New Initiatives and Benefits" (https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/topic/notice/function/post_3722/). All confirmed September 10, 2026. Since each company's rates and terms may change, please confirm the latest information on each company's official website.
Service Features
Mercari
A 10% sales fee applies to the sale price, with no listing fees. Plants, seeds, and seedlings can be listed, but Mercari states in its official blog that "propagating and selling registered varieties requires permission from the rights holder" and "when listing a registered variety, you must indicate that it is a registered variety and display any restrictions on export." While the buyer base is broad and turnover is fast, growers have limited space to communicate their background and growing environment, which tends to lead to price-based competition.
Yahoo Auctions
As of June 4, 2024, the winning bid system fee is a flat 10% of the winning price (tax-inclusive) for most categories. The auction format is suited for price discovery of rare plants, and fixed-price listings are also available. Shipping costs are not included in the fee calculation.
GrowerDirect
A plants-only producer-direct sales platform. Grower registration requires verification of cultivation and propagation track record and growing environment (grower certification); buyers see only plants from verified growers. The fee is 5% of the sale price plus consumption tax (5.5% tax-inclusive), charged only at transaction, with no minimum fee. Payment is made directly from buyer to grower, and after the grower submits a transaction claim, GrowerDirect sends a fee invoice. GrowerDirect does not hold funds and is not the warranty provider (warranty terms are set by each grower). Growers can explain their growing environment, parent plants, and propagation methods in their profile and listing pages, and growth logs and practical guides for growers are also available.
Profit Comparison by Sale Price
The following shows examples of fees and net proceeds relative to sale price, calculated using publicly disclosed rates (shipping and packing costs are not included).
| Sale Price | GrowerDirect (5.5% tax-inclusive) | 10% Fee Service |
|---|---|---|
| ¥3,000 | Fee ¥165 · Net ¥2,835 | Fee ¥300 · Net ¥2,700 |
| ¥10,000 | Fee ¥550 · Net ¥9,450 | Fee ¥1,000 · Net ¥9,000 |
| ¥30,000 | Fee ¥1,650 · Net ¥28,350 | Fee ¥3,000 · Net ¥27,000 |
| ¥100,000 | Fee ¥5,500 · Net ¥94,500 | Fee ¥10,000 · Net ¥90,000 |
GrowerDirect calculations use the same formula as the fee page (sale price × 5.5%, rounded to the nearest ¥1).
Plant-Specific Rules Common to All Services
- Registered Variety Disclosure: Under the Plant Variety Protection and Seed Act, when selling or transferring plants of a registered variety, you must display that it is a "registered variety." Propagating and selling requires permission from the rights holder.
- History of Imported Stock: Plants imported from abroad must have undergone import inspection by the Plant Quarantine Service, accompanied by an inspection certificate from the country of export.
- CITES-Listed Species: Some cacti, orchids, and succulent plants require permits for import. While domestic trade does not require additional procedures, source them from suppliers that can explain their provenance.
- Designated Invasive Species: Specified plants are prohibited from being sold or transferred.
For more information, see Laws When Selling Plants.
Selection Guidelines
| Situation | Recommended Choice |
|---|---|
| Just starting out, selling a few plants per month | Zero fixed-cost service; the lower the fee rate, the higher the net proceeds |
| Want to convey the value of seedlings, tissue-cultured plants, or parent plant provenance | Specialized site that puts grower information and growing environment in the foreground |
| Want to let the market determine the price of rare plants | Auction format |
| Want to sell to a broad audience in a short time | General flea market |
If using multiple services, manage inventory carefully to avoid double-selling the same plants. On GrowerDirect, transactions with buyers met through GrowerDirect are subject to transaction claims regardless of whether they are currently listed (Terms of Use, Article 5).
Related Pages: About Fees / Grower Certification Process / Laws When Selling Plants / How to Write Plant Listings Using AI / Grower Registration (Free)