Competition in e-commerce is no longer solely about price or product variety. The ability to deliver a purchase to the consumer’s doorstep in the shortest possible time, even during peak demand, has become a key differentiator for digital platforms.
In this sense, El Buen Fin represents one of the biggest operational challenges for e-commerce, and behind every purchase made during the discount days there is a chain of storage, order preparation, transportation and distribution that must respond to a considerable increase in demand.
To face this season, which will take place from November 13 to 17 , Mercado Libre is betting on automation, expanding its infrastructure and using technology to strengthen its delivery capacity in Mexico.
One of the main innovations in its strategy is the launch of its first fulfillment center with robotic technology in Hidalgo, which began operations with 240 autonomous robots and projects to reach one thousand units during 2027.
Omar Ramírez, senior director of Logistics at Mercado Libre in Mexico, explained that these machines facilitate storage and order preparation tasks by moving shelves with loads of up to 800 kilograms.
“These robots can carry up to 800 kilos on each shelf where we have the products stored and simplify the tasks that our representatives perform every day,” he said.
The facility is part of a logistics complex comprised of three distribution centers totaling approximately 290,000 square meters. With the gradual addition of robots, Mercado Libre aims to increase its monthly processing capacity in Hidalgo from 6.8 to 15 million packages .
“We are very happy to be able to share this new launch with you. We just inaugurated it two weeks ago, so we are going in with full capacity and a very robust setup to tackle Buen Fin with everything we’ve got,” commented Ramírez.
More infrastructure to absorb demand
Automation is part of the strategy, but the ability to respond to El Buen Fin also depends on the territorial distribution of its facilities and the means of transport available.
Mercado Libre currently has 140 logistics hubs in Mexico , including fulfillment centers, last-mile delivery facilities, and cross-docking centers. This infrastructure is complemented by an air network of six fixed-service aircraft, which can be expanded to eight during peak demand periods.
The company also has more than a thousand electric vehicles in circulation in different cities across the country, supported by technological systems that allow for optimizing routes, estimating demand, and improving the use of each unit.
This infrastructure has allowed us to expand same-day delivery coverage to 37 cities, representing a coverage of over 40%, according to the executive.
“You can buy today until two or three in the afternoon, depending on the location, and receive your product the same day,” he explained.
The air network also allows for connecting cities far from major distribution centers. Planes operate daily flights from Querétaro, where the movement of packages is concentrated for transport to different destinations throughout the country.
During peak trading days, the ability to increase the air fleet will be one of the resources to respond to the additional volume of orders and maintain delivery times.
The logistical preparations for El Buen Fin also include a greater diversity of merchandise. Mercado Libre has expanded its operations to incorporate heavy and bulky products, which require different storage, handling, and distribution conditions.
Ramírez explained that some of these items have dedicated facilities to facilitate their handling. Products stored in fulfillment centers have average delivery times of two days, while those collected directly from vendors and transported through cross-docking centers can take between three and four days, depending on the destination.
This capability becomes relevant during peak shopping seasons, when the increase in orders is not necessarily concentrated in small packages, but also involves household categories and other larger items.
With an announced investment of $4.6 billion for Mexico this year, Mercado Libre seeks to strengthen the various parts of its ecosystem to serve a season in which delivery speed, product availability, and payment options will be crucial.
Thus, beyond the discounts, El Buen Fin will test the ability of e-commerce platforms to convert millions of digital purchases into concrete, timely, and efficient deliveries.
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