Exporting no longer depends solely on distributors, trade offices , or large infrastructure investments. The growth of e-commerce has opened a new route for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Mexico to access international markets, especially the United States, where demand for Mexican products continues to rise.
In an interview with T21 , Tania Caldú, International Sales Leader at Amazon Mexico , explained that this change has allowed more companies to consider exporting as a natural extension of their business once they consolidate their sales in the domestic market.
“Many companies first learn to sell online in Mexico and, once they master that channel, they look to expand into other markets,” he noted.
Currently, more than three thousand Mexican companies market their products abroad through Amazon’s International Sales program , mainly to the United States, a figure that registered a growth of 12% during the last year.
The executive emphasized that exporting continues to pose a challenge for many SMEs due to regulatory, logistical, and customs compliance issues. However, she assured that Amazon is working to simplify this process through training tools, consulting, and logistics solutions.
Among them is Seller University , a platform with tutorials on regulation and international trade, as well as partnerships with logistics providers that offer preferential conditions for shipping goods to the United States.
“The first challenge is always understanding what regulatory requirements a product needs to meet to be sold in another country. Then comes international logistics, and once the seller is already operating, we support them with tools for advertising, inventory management, and business growth,” he commented.
Logistics remains a differentiator
Although e-commerce has raised consumer expectations regarding delivery speed, Caldú assured that this remains one of the main factors in purchasing decisions, along with price and product variety.
To meet this demand, Amazon promotes a scheme among international sellers whereby products are sent to logistics centers in the United States , and the company itself handles storage, distribution, and customer service.
“This allows a product manufactured in Mexico to be delivered to the consumer in the United States even on the same day. The customer continues to look for price, selection, and delivery speed, and Amazon continues to innovate to improve these three pillars,” he stated.
The company also continues to expand its global infrastructure, which currently integrates 20 international stores , making it easier for a Mexican seller to later scale into markets such as Canada, Europe, Japan, or Australia .
According to Caldú, the growth of e-commerce in Mexico has also boosted companies’ interest in exporting through digital channels.
He added that the proximity to the United States, the existence of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) , and the size of the U.S. market represent an opportunity that many Mexican companies have not yet taken advantage of.
“The United States is a market 10 times larger than Mexico. The Hispanic market alone represents around 65 million consumers who seek products that connect them to their roots, but we also see a growing interest from American consumers in quality and specialized Mexican products,” he said.
The executive invited companies to take advantage of the available tools to take the step towards internationalization.
“The seller can focus on growing their business while Amazon facilitates a large part of the logistics operation. It opens the door to a much larger market and, subsequently, to other international markets,” he emphasized.
Technology and artificial intelligence
The executive noted that technology is another factor that has helped reduce barriers to the internationalization of Mexican companies.
Amazon is incorporating generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools to optimize product listings, advertising campaigns, inventory management, and consumer recommendations.
“We are developing tools that help both sellers and customers. From improving product listings to increase conversion rates, to summarizing reviews to facilitate purchasing decisions and make advertising more efficient,” he explained.
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