With the goal of strengthening the national fashion and footwear industry and addressing growing Asian competition , Mercado Libre is advancing its Development Poles initiative in Latin America , announcing the consolidation of four strategic poles in Mexico this year.
According to the company’s statement, this initiative seeks to boost geographic areas with a high concentration of manufacturers by offering them personalized support to integrate into the Mercado Libre marketplace and scale their digital operations.
The strategy is based on two fronts: the incorporation of new sellers through consulting, technological tools, and commercial benefits; and the acceleration and growth of manufacturers already selling on the platform through support with visibility, audiovisual content, promotions, and consulting.
Since its launch in 2023, this model has had very positive results in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia, with 13 hubs already active and 10 more in the process of launching in the region.
These hubs have proven effective in improving the offering of on-trend products, with competitive prices and high-speed delivery, allowing Mercado Libre to gain preference over Asian brands that cannot offer quality local products with fast delivery.
In this sense, Mercado Libre will open Mixcalco in Mexico City in 2025, a location known for its affordable clothing market, which concentrates more than 1,500 merchants in an area of 15,000 m2.
The second hub will be León, Guanajuato , the center of footwear and leather goods production, with 2,500 factories and more than 10,000 merchants.
Guadalajara, Jalisco , will also be a development hub, especially in Zapotlanejo, where more than 400 manufacturers and 2,000 textile and fashion stores operate.
Finally, Moroleón, Guanajuato , one of the most important centers of the textile industry in Mexico, especially recognized for its production of high-end fabric with approximately one thousand factories.
These centers will receive support through consulting packages , bonuses, commission discounts, and visual content production to strengthen their online presence.
In addition, there are plans to expand this network with future hubs in Puebla and Yucatán , currently in the scouting stage.
So far this April, the team in charge of this initiative in Mexico has already held two key events in Moroleón and León, with the participation of more than 170 local manufacturers interested in joining the program and starting to sell on Mercado Libre.
Currently, there are more than 1,500 Mexican manufacturers active on the platform , demonstrating the potential and interest of the national ecosystem to digitize and grow.
“At Mercado Libre, we believe that the future of e-commerce in Mexico is closely tied to the development and digitalization of domestic manufacturers. With this program, we seek to support local manufacturers in Guanajuato so they can access new business opportunities by digitizing their processes and connecting with more buyers throughout the country and the region,” said Luis Pedraza, Commercial Director of Mercado Libre.
Mercado Libre’s commitment to retail hubs not only promotes local economic development but also improves the consumer experience with greater variety, better prices, and faster deliveries.
This initiative is part of a long-term vision to strengthen the fashion sector’s value chain in Mexico and the region.
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