Collaboration Between Mexican Economy Secretariat, Mercado Libre, and Amazon
The Mexican consumer has transformed their shopping habits, making online purchases a convenient option. This shift presents an opportunity to encourage local consumption.
To strengthen the “Made in Mexico” campaign, the Secretaría de Economía (SE) has formed alliances with prominent e-commerce platforms, Mercado Libre and Amazon, to enhance the visibility of Mexican products.
Mercado Libre: Production and National Promotion
Mercado Libre, home to over one million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), recognized that many manufacturers, particularly in the fashion and footwear industries, struggled with digitalization.
To address this issue, Mercado Libre launched the “Polos de Desarrollo” program, offering four-month training sessions to help producers boost their sales. Currently, the program supports 200 fashion manufacturers and 250 home furnishings producers.
Mercado Libre and the SE signed an agreement to increase the presence of national products on their platform. Amelie Mossberg, leader of the Polos and “Made in Mexico” projects at Mercado Libre Mexico, stated, “Many products are already national, but they need more support and visibility within the entire ecosystem.”
This agreement allows consumers to access a section dedicated to national footwear, furniture, and other products bearing the “Made in Mexico” distinction. Mossberg added, “Our goal is to increase the presence of national products, and it has been well-received so far.”
Mossberg emphasized the importance of supporting SMEs selling products with the “Made in Mexico” label, as 45% of sellers on the platform report it as their sole source of income.
Amazon: Visibility and Training
Amazon’s objective in Mexico is to support SMEs and entrepreneurs in starting online sales, though many still perceive the process as complex.
Currently, Amazon hosts 27,000 Mexican companies (99% are SMEs) and five million products. The SE and Amazon signed an agreement to promote and increase national consumption by highlighting products with the “Made in Mexico” label.
As a result, Amazon adjusted the “Handmade” section to align with the SE’s initiatives, enabling any national product to participate.
Renata Arvizu, director of marketplace at Amazon Mexico, explained, “We started creating a ‘Handmade in Mexico’ store, and now, with the support of President Claudia Sheinbaum and the Plan Mexico, it complements our efforts to develop SMEs.”
Challenges in E-commerce
Despite helping SMEs and startups sell online, both platforms acknowledge digitalization as a primary challenge.
“This may be a generational issue, as we’ve seen examples of children taking over digital management from their parents. However, digital sales account for 70% of total sales, making it difficult to adapt operations,” Mossberg pointed out.
Both platforms hope that the alliance with the SE will encourage more businesses to engage in online sales.
