The growth of e-commerce has ceased to be a complementary strategy for major  retail  players and has become a constant source of pressure on their supply chains. In this context, The Home Depot Mexico has had to redesign a significant portion of its logistics operations to respond to customers who now demand not only product availability, but also faster deliveries, real-time tracking, and a seamless omnichannel experience . 

Salvador Muñoz, the company’s Vice President of Supply Chain, acknowledges that Hot Sale, for example, has become one of the most complex periods for the  retailer ‘s logistics operations , even with characteristics distinct from Buen Fin. While the latter maintains a mass-market and generalist profile, Hot Sale requires a focus on technological capabilities and digital responsiveness. “Where we really need to shine is with our online customers ,” he states in an interview. 

Preparation begins long before the start of the sales campaigns. Muñoz explains that the company works up to a year in advance to define products, validate standards, packaging, and certifications, especially for imported goods. But the real challenge lies in forecasting and distribution capabilities . “We have to identify the right demand to determine where it will be available and in which stores it will be sold,” he points out. 

The logic behind The Home Depot’s operating model is based on bringing inventory closer to the customer and leveraging the extensive network of its 143 stores nationwide as  fulfillment points . This involves balancing inventory, avoiding premature stockouts, and responding accurately during peak demand seasons . In parallel, the company has strengthened its technology platforms to offer real-time order tracking and expand its delivery capabilities. 

The company has added new parcel delivery partners and opened more dispatch points to avoid bottlenecks during peak demand. The goal is to maintain increasingly aggressive delivery promises, even on weekends. “We always aim for next-day delivery,” explains the executive, detailing that the strategy already includes Saturday and Sunday deliveries through more regionalized logistics networks . 

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The rapid growth of e-commerce in Mexico continues to test the country’s logistical capacity, especially during periods of high demand such as Hot Sale and the 2026 World Cup , which this year coincide with other commercial and holiday campaigns.

According to Antonio Torres, CEO of Lievant , the national logistics infrastructure is still not progressing at the same pace as e-commerce, which maintains growth rates close to 20% annually.

“The logistics infrastructure is definitely not keeping pace with the growth of e-commerce , and it’s unlikely to ever do so. We’ve been growing at rates of 20% and above for several years now, and this year it’s estimated that we’ll be close to 20% again. So, there’s simply no infrastructure that can keep up,” he stated.

According to the executive, during Hot Sale days, last mile orders increase between 40% and 50% per day compared to a normal month, a situation that generates saturation in both fulfillment centers and delivery networks.

As a result, major marketplaces have had to extend their delivery times.

“Amazon and Mercado Libre typically double their delivery times during this season. That slightly affects user satisfaction,” he commented.

Unlike previous years, Torres pointed out that in 2026 the Hot Sale promotions are combined with the World Cup, the commercial campaigns of self-service and department stores, as well as purchases related to Father’s Day.

“We recommend that our customers view it all as one big season that could last until the end of June,” he said.

While it anticipates a moderation in order volume after the Hot Sale (which ended on June 2), it believes that demand will remain high for several weeks due to the interest generated by the World Cup.

The last mile presents the greatest challenges

For Lievant, the most pressured link in the logistics chain remains the last mile, which currently represents about 50% of the total cost of delivering a product to the end consumer.

“When you have an event like Hot Sale, there isn’t enough transportation, independent delivery drivers, and logistics companies to deliver that last mile,” he explained.

He also noted that the costs of this stage have increased by about 15% in the last 12 months due to the increase in fuel, wages and other operating factors.

“These costs have ended up being absorbed by the business, in the best-case scenario, or in the worst-case scenario the end consumer ends up paying an extra fee for the delivery of their product,” he added.

Given this scenario, the CEO of Lievant recommended that companies rely on specialized logistics centers and take advantage of the fulfillment infrastructure of large marketplaces for high-turnover products.

However, he acknowledged that keeping delivery promises has become increasingly difficult.

“I can tell you openly that it is very complicated because the logistics infrastructure of even the largest marketplaces is not keeping pace with the growth of e-commerce ,” he said.

Despite this, he considered that during promotional seasons Mexican consumers prioritize other factors over delivery speed .

“If you were to ask me what the first obstacle is for a user to buy from your online store, today it won’t be the delivery time, but the promotion you have,” he explained.

Reverse logistics also increases the pressure

Another effect of peak demand is the increase in returns and refunds.

According to Torres, in categories such as fashion, returns usually represent between 8% and 15% of sales, a percentage that can increase to 50% during high-demand campaigns.

“Reverse logistics costs three times more than initial logistics,” he warned.

Therefore, he recommended that companies consider a significant increase in these costs in their financial planning.

Domestic challenges are compounded by those related to cross-border e-commerce.

Torres indicated that during 2025 more than 30% of e-commerce sales in Mexico came from cross-border operations , mainly from China and the United States.

“When you’re talking about 30% of the product sold coming from abroad, then you have a very significant challenge at the customs level,” he stressed.

However, he explained that regulatory changes and new tariffs have begun to modify this dynamic, gradually favoring a greater share of domestic trade.

Automation advances

Regarding technological adoption, the executive acknowledged progress in automation within Mexican logistics centers , although he considered that the pace is still lower than that observed in the United States.

“Automation will help you with errors and will help you reduce costs. It’s just that in Mexico it’s a little slower,” he commented.

He attributed this difference to the lower labor costs that still exist in the country, which reduces the economic urgency to replace manual processes.

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The Hot Sale concluded its 2025 edition with a historic sales record of 42,725 million pesos (mdp) , which represented a growth of 23.7% compared to the previous year, as announced by the Mexican Online Sales Association (AMVO).

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Walmart Mexico and Central America  described the results of Hot Sale 2025 as “outstanding ,” recording a 28% increase in the total value of merchandise sold through its digital self-service channels.

According to the retailer , thanks to Walmart Fulfillment Services, they were able to deliver 95% of orders on time, while on the marketplace , 85% of orders were delivered in less than 48 hours in major cities in Mexico.

“The results of Hot Sale 2025 are a clear testament to our omnichannel market leadership. They demonstrate that seamlessly integrating the physical and digital worlds is resonating with consumers,” said Ignacio Caride , CEO of Walmart Mexico and Central America.

During the online sales campaign, which ran from May 26 to June 3, one in three customers purchased from Bodega Aurrera , both in-store and online, the company said in a statement.

In the first few hours, the “ Bodega Aurrera en Línea ” platform grew by double digits in download volume, sales on digital channels of general merchandise, extended catalog, pantry and groceries, compared to Hot Sale 2024.

As for Sam’s Club , six out of 10 members shopped at this store, achieving double-digit growth in traffic both in the club and online.

Walmart Supercenter , meanwhile, achieved sustained growth in traffic and sales across all regions of Mexico. Meanwhile, Bait , its telephone service, registered over 60% growth in new lines.

“At Walmart Mexico and Central America, we achieved outstanding results during Hot Sale 2025. Our efforts focused on driving key differentiators such as low prices, a wide range of products and services, and fast deliveries,” the company emphasized.

The company has more than 3,100 physical stores in Mexico and a supply chain with 21 distribution centers to meet consumer demand.

According to its first-quarter 2025 report, the retailer saw a  6.5% increase  in consolidated revenue, with sales of 239.161 billion pesos (mdp) during the period.

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In this context, the quality of operational data became one of the greatest challenges, even above the available technology.

During the 2024 Hot Sale, online sales in Mexico exceeded 34.5 billion pesos (mdp) , an increase of 15.3% compared to the previous year , with more than 14.4 million orders processed , according to data from the Mexican Online Sales Association (AMVO).

Up to 60% of the event’s total sales were made online , putting enormous pressure on delivery systems, especially considering that 94% of shoppers preferred home delivery .

For Jorge Jiménez, CEO of Conectamos, a Mexican startup specializing in logistics operational intelligence, the problem is not only one of capacity, but also of visibility and data fragmentation .

“Logistics is a highly reactive industry. Today, the big problem isn’t a lack of technology, but rather the failure of systems to adapt to the chaotic reality of the operating floor. At events like Hot Sale, this takes its toll,” he warned in an interview.

The avalanche of orders during Hot Sale exposes the cracks in the logistics infrastructure, as  limited capacity, low operational visibility, and disconnected processes—typically resolved with WhatsApp, Excel, or improvised emails —are the order of the day for many operators.

“Without real-time visibility, you can’t properly plan your capacity or be proactive. And that leads to high costs or delays that undermine the customer experience,” Jiménez explained.

This lack of structure not only affects peak season, as outside of Hot Sale, e-commerce in Mexico maintained a projected growth of 24% compounded annually until 2026 , making the need to modernize logistics operationswithout slowing the pace of delivery even more evident.

Faced with operational complexity, Conectamos opted for a radically different approach: an invisible technology layer that integrated with what operators were already using—such as chats, spreadsheets, and legacy ERPs—and gave them order, structure, and real-time visibility through Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“We didn’t impose a new system. We connected to what already existed, structured the data, and automated workflows. This allowed us to optimize routes, validate deliveries, and anticipate errors. All of this was frictionless and had no learning curve,” the CEO explained.

In that sense, Jiménez explained to this media outlet that in the case of unpredictable eventualities, for example, what has been happening at the port of Manzanillo due to the protest by customs workers, proactive communication is the best ally.

“Being warned in advance about a delay isn’t the same as finding out when you’re already upset. The end user is the one who pays the price. This affects both the reputation of the e-commerce and the shipping company,” Jiménez said.

In the midst of a high-demand season and facing an expanding e-commerce ecosystem, the keys to success, according to Jiménez, are organizing, visualizing, and anticipating .

“The key is having visibility into the operation. From there, we could make better decisions, allocate resources, optimize routes, and prevent the customer from finding out about problems when it was too late,” he emphasized.

Technology alone doesn’t solve the logistical challenges of Hot Sales, but when applied intelligently and focused on operational reality, it can make the difference between a successful campaign and a reputational crisis.

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Mercado Libre

The twelfth edition of Hot Sale in Mexico , which will be held from May 26 to June 3, 2025 , comes with high expectations of digital consumption, in which 7 out of 10 Internet users plan to purchase a product or service during this campaign, according to the Pulso Hot Sale 2025 report by the Mexican Online Sales Association (AMVO) .

Since 2018, purchase intent has grown by more than 22 percentage points , reflecting the increasing value this seasonality represents for consumers.

In this context , Alejandro Caballero highlighted that this year a record investment of three thousand 400 million dollars (mdd) was announced in Mexico , an increase of 34% compared to the previous year.

This commitment reinforces Meli’s leadership, which has invested more than $1 billion annually in the country over the past five years .

“Our investment has allowed us to build the most competitive logistics arm in Mexico. Today, we are the largest carrier in the country, and that allows us to offer same-day or next-day deliveries,” Caballero said.

Currently, Mexico is the company’s second-largest market , after Brazil and ahead of Argentina.

In 2024, Mercado Libre grew 37% in net revenue globally , and in the country alone it already has around 25 thousand employees , compared to the 300 it had just six years ago.

During Hot Sale 2025, they will offer discounts of up to 55% on 15 million products , within a catalog that exceeds 100 million items .

In this regard, Caballero highlighted that 50% of sales come from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) , and 75% of registered sellers are also SMEs .

“We’re further supporting SMEs. Our ecosystem greatly helps Mexican families, including with loans and campaigns designed to boost them,” he added.

For his part, Alessandro Labelli, Insurtech Director of Mercado Pago , explained that Mercado Libre will offer a 10% discount with Mercado Pago credit cards, a 10% discount with deferred payment options ( Buy Now, Pay Later ); 18 and 24 months of interest-free payments on purchases made on and off Mercado Libre; 10 to 20% coupons with seven participating banks; and 10 to 20% cashback with five financial institutions.

Logistics, the silent differentiator of e-commerce

Omar Ramírez, Senior Director of Logistics at Mercado Libre Mexico, pointed out that eight out of 10 consumers want their package delivered to their home , and there’s a significant strategic plan to make that possible, so ” logistics is just as important as discounts .”

In this regard, Ramírez explained that technology is the key to aligning processes and responding to growing demand , aligned with a distribution and storage expansion strategy.

Currently, more than 80% of the products sold use the company’s fulfillmentmodel, which already operates 12 logistics centers with almost one million square meters and 100% recycled packaging .

The logistics network includes more than 100 operational nodes , a fleet of more than 900 electric vehicles and  an air hub in Querétaro , with four aircraft operating daily, and up to six flights per day during Hot Sale , making same-day deliveries possible in 26 cities across the country.

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The eleventh edition of the Hot Sale that took place from May 15 to 20 of this year broke a sales record with a growth of 15.3% compared to the previous year’s edition, accounting for 34,539 million pesos in total sales.

According to the report from the  Mexican Association of Online Sales (AMVO) , in collaboration with NielsenIQ ,Netquest , Similarweb , Emplifi , Digimind  and  Retail Compass, the growth of the campaign continues to increase year after year, with a sustained double growth digit, so in 10 years Hot Sale has grown 57.2% in sales .

Roberto Butragueño, Retail Director of NielsenIQ, highlighted that nine out of every 10 sales are from the retail sector, that is, 88% of sales, while 12% belong to the travel and B2C services sector.

Likewise, he highlighted that the average ticket during the 2024 campaign was 2,391 pesos, and 28.1 million units were sold in 14.4 million orders, while the average number of items per order was cited as 1.9 items per order.

“It is a little less than previous years (average items on order) due to a trend in which the consumer increasingly has more alternatives, is more informed and looks for the best purchase option product by product. He no longer concentrates the purchase on a single order, but rather places different orders on different brands,” said Butragueño.

For her part, Daniela Orozco, director of Intelligence and Market Studies at AMVO, indicated that four out of every 10 Internet users bought during the Hot Sale , that is, 47%, which corresponds to 12.5 million people, of which 84 % are banked people.

Regarding sales channels, it is worth remembering that this campaign was born exclusively in the digital channel and migrated to the physical channel, however, the preference for buying online remains, which is why six out of every 10 purchases are made online .

“Due to the maturity of the companies, the campaign is beginning to extend to physical channels. The physical channel is no longer an exception, it has become an omnichannel campaign,” said the specialist.

In this sense, 59% of buyers in the campaign went to the online channel , mainly for the convenience of buying from anywhere (69%); 13% bought in physical stores; while 29% of shoppers used an omnichannel experience .

In addition, Daniela Orozco highlighted that the southeast of the country was the main purchasing area, with 28%, even surpassing the area of ​​Mexico City and the Valley of Mexico , with 24 percent.

The main payment methods were debit card (42%), credit (40%) and departmental card (12%); However, the specialist highlighted that payment on delivery grew (11%).

Regarding delivery, eight out of 10 people preferred home delivery, with 79% ; But picking up the order at some pickup point grew in this campaign, with 14% of participants.

Finally, Daniela Orozco indicated that this campaign maintained the perception of security when purchasing at the Hot Sale, since 85% of buyers say they feel safe when making a purchase .

Furthermore, Roberto Butragueño indicated that, according to what was collected by the study, 86% of the companies declared that they will participate again in the next edition of the Hot Sale, committing to understanding and improving the customer experience.

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