A recent report revealed that the Latin American ecommerce market is projected to explode this year, and is growing at an incredibly fast rate compared to the rest of the world. This rapid adoption of ecommerce in the area is primarily driven by a few countries, and the report also touches on several key insights about consumers in Latin America.
Latin American Ecommerce Set to Explode
According to a report released by Latin ecommerce giant MercadoLibre and consulting firm Endeavor, the Latin American ecommerce market is expected to reach over $215 billion this year. Not only that, but online shopping in this region is growing rapidly compared to other parts of the world.
In fact, the market is expanding about 1.5 times faster than the global average. However, the report also notes that this growth is primarily being driven by a couple of the larger parts of the region. For example, 85% of all ecommerce sales in Latin America throughout 2025 came from Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico.
Region-Specific Consumer Highlights
In addition to the headline about the massive expected growth of the market, the report also touched on some region-specific consumer preferences and behaviors that it’s a good idea for ecommerce brands to know about.
First, the report found that customers in the region primarily shop on their mobile devices, with 84% of all online shopping purchases being made on smartphones. This high rate of mobile shopping also persists in the USA and many other markets, which underscores the importance of ensuring your site is mobile-friendly and easy to use.
The report also notes that loyalty in the region isn’t very strong. In fact, nearly half of all consumers are willing to abandon a platform after a single negative experience. As a result, brands that want to retain customers in Latin American markets need to ensure they prioritize a positive customer experience, as even a single bad one may drive these consumers away.
It also identified a few of the major pain points for online shoppers in the region, which include delivery delays and problems with returns. Also, around three-quarters of all survey respondents consider things like clear pricing and policies as very important factors they consider while shopping.
Conversely, only about one-third of Latin consumers consider personalization as an important factor. So while personalization is a huge trend in ecommerce in many parts of the world, it seems as if consumers in Latin America may prioritize basic execution and straightforward policies more than things like personalization and recommendations.
Importance of the Report for Ecommerce Brands
I feel the data in this report is crucial for ecommerce companies to be aware of, especially if you’re already selling to Latin American customers or plan to in the future. It highlights that while there are similarities amongst consumers in different areas (such as primarily using phones to shop), there are also major differences (such as personalization not being as important).
Latin America is a growing market, and if you can fine-tune your approach to provide what these consumers desire, such as offering mobile-optimized stores, ensuring quick deliveries, and prioritizing execution, you’ll have a better chance of finding success.
