Mercado Libre & Shopify: Competitors or perfect partners?

If you sell online, you’ve probably asked yourself: Should I sell on Mercado Libre, have my own Shopify store, or both? The answer isn’t black and white. Each platform brings unique value, and the key is using them strategically to grow your business.

🏛 Mercado Libre: A powerful channel to reach more customers

✅ Massive audience: As the leading marketplace in Latin America, Mercado Libre gives you access to millions of potential buyers without the need to drive traffic yourself.
✅ Built-in customer trust: Buyers already know and trust the platform, which helps increase conversion rates.
✅ Logistics solutions: With Mercado Envíos and fulfillment centers, you can offer fast shipping without handling logistics yourself.

💡 Challenges:
🔹 High commission fees: Depending on the product category and listing type, Mercado Libre can take up to 20% of each sale.
🔹 Limited brand control: Your brand is constrained by the marketplace’s design and rules, making differentiation harder.
🔹 No direct customer relationship: You don’t have access to customer data, making retention and personalized marketing difficult.

🎩 Shopify: Your own store, your rules

✅ Full independence: You control how you sell, present your products, and engage with customers.
✅ Brand ownership: You build a unique identity without relying on marketplace restrictions.
✅ More profit per sale: You pay a fixed monthly fee, but every sale is 100% yours—no commissions.
✅ Powerful ecosystem: Shopify Apps (8,000+ tools), Shopify Flow automation, and built-in payments help optimize your business.
✅ Scalability & expansion: Shopify Markets enables international sales, while Shopify POS connects online and in-person sales.

💡 Challenges:
🔹 Driving traffic: Unlike a marketplace, with Shopify, you’re responsible for generating traffic and conversions through marketing.
🔹 Managing logistics: While Shopify integrates with shipping providers, you need to set up fulfillment according to your needs.

⚖️ What’s the best strategy? Combining both

Many businesses use Mercado Libre and Shopify together to maximize their reach:
🔹 Mercado Libre as a customer acquisition channel: It helps attract new buyers and test product demand.
🔹 Shopify for loyalty and growth: With your own store, you can retain customers, increase profitability, and sell without intermediaries.

🚀 Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

Mercado Libre is a great starting point, but if you want to build a long-term brand and grow without limits, Shopify gives you the freedom and tools to scale.

✅ Take the next step and build your own online store with Shopify.