How to start selling in Mercado Libre in 10 steps

How to start selling in Merca do Libre? This is the question you should ask yourself if you are interested in marketing your products and services, benefiting the most from this highly relevant e-commerce in Latin America. 
 

Currently, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile and Argentina are some of the countries where electronic commerce is experiencing exponential growth.

Although online sales are also accelerating their march in other Latin American nations. Therefore, if you live on this continent, you could take a great advantage of them.

What is Free Market?

How to start selling in Mercado Libre? Before answering that question, we must explain to you what this globally recognized company does.

Specifically, it is a multinational company that is dedicated to e-commerce in Latin America and that has more than two decades of experience.

For more than 20 years it has maintained its position in the Latin American market for Internet sales.

But perhaps the most relevant aspect that you should know is that it offers you multiple opportunities to start your own business .

Is it profitable to sell in Mercado Libre?


Indeed, through this platform you can operate an online store and generate significant and recurring income. You can sell products from various categories both locally and nationally, which gives your ecommerce a great reach.

For example, if you live in Buenos Aires, you can market your products both in this city and throughout Argentina.

In fact, Mercado Libre was founded in this same country, specifically in 1999. Currently, it also operates in:
  • Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and Costa Rica.
  • Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras.
  • Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Paraguay, Venezuela, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic.
Its co-founder is Marcos Galperín , one of the Hispanic digital entrepreneurs who has managed to revolutionize the e-commerce sector in Latin America.

How to start selling in Mercado Libre: 10 Steps


According to a Hubspot report , Mercado Libre is one of the most important sales channels in the hemisphere , since it has more than 170 million registered users.

In addition, in 2009 The Nielsen Company reported that more than 50,000 people generated "all or most" of their income from their sales in this e-commerce.

As if that were not enough, that same year 181 million products were sold through this platform.
Since the numbers do not lie, there are more and more users interested in earning money online thanks to the services, resources and tools that this site offers them.

If you want to know how to start selling in Mercado Libre safely and effectively, we invite you to follow these 10 steps:

1. Create a Mercado Libre account

If you reside in one of the 18 Latin American countries where this e-commerce operates, the first thing you should do is create an account.

To do this, you must visit their website and click on "Create your account", and then you must register as a user or company.
If you choose the last option you will have to provide business data, such as:
  • Company name of your company,
  • Email and,
  • Your taxpayer registration key.
If you are already registered on the site, as a user, all you have to do is request a change of ownership by clicking on your name.

Right now you can change the ownership of your account, (from user to company), in a matter of seconds, which is practical and functional.

As you can see, completing a registration in Mercado Libre is a completely free, safe and fast process.
It literally won't take you more than five minutes to become a new member of their community.

2. Choose the products you want to sell


After registering you must complete one of the most important steps: choose your products.
To understand how to start selling in Mercado Libre you need to be clear about what you would like to sell online. The options currently available to you are:
  • Products.
  • Services.
  • Estate.
  • Vehicles.
The first one allows you to sell everything from household appliances to items for the home, industries and offices.

Actually, the list of products that you can sell from the comfort of your own home, through the Mercado Libre ecosystem, is extremely extensive.

Within the category of vehicles you can sell cars, trucks, motorcycles, nautical equipment and heavy machinery.

Offer services and generate income online

At the same time, if you dedicate yourself to providing professional services independently, you can diversify your sales channels through Mercado Libre.
Indeed, you can offer transport services, mechanics, technology, education, computing and more.

Professionals also have a place in this digital ecosystem . Thus, you can earn money as a translator , publicist, graphic designer, accountant, lawyer, doctor, and more.

Specifically, you must choose the products or services that best suit the nature of your trade, occupation or profession. So, if you have an online job , don't forget that you can use this channel to make yourself known.

In this way, it will be easier for you to boost your sales, attract customers and retain your online community.

3. Identify your products or services concisely

If you keep wondering how to start selling on Mercado Libre , this is one of the steps that you should pay more attention to.

Once you know the type of product or service you want to sell , as well as their respective categories, you must clearly and concisely identify them. Identification includes:
  • Define the name.
  • Specify the model and brand of the product.
  • Offer detailed and precise specifications of your products or services.
In fact, that is the order that you should follow when identifying them, according to Mercado Libre's own recommendations.

Suppose you will sell a pair of Nike shoes. Taking into consideration the advice of this e-commerce, you should identify them this way: “Blue Nike Air Max shoes with white logo”.

If you provide such specific details, Mercado Libre will automatically tell you the category to which your product belongs.

Consequently, the more concise and accurate you are in identifying and describing your products or services, the better chance you have of listing them in the correct category.

4. Create effective posts

At the beginning we told you that more than 100 million users are registered in this e-commerce in the Latin American region.

This means that the competition to sell products or services through this site is deeply raw and voracious.

Consequently, you will need to design an action plan that allows you to stand out from your competition.

One of the best ways to achieve this goal is by creating highly effective posts.
Without a doubt, if you want to boost the sales of your business you need to create attractive and valuable publications for your customers.

How to create effective posts

These are some important recommendations that you should follow so that your publications translate into recurring conversions:

1. Make sure you title all your posts correctly. Guide yourself by the “Product + Brand + Model” format.
You can research the keywords related to your product, as well as those used by your competition, to improve the positioning of your publications .
2. Do not duplicate data, such as the color or size of the product. This type of action harms your positioning.
3. Categorize your products correctly. To do this, you must understand how your buyers search for the products you offer.
4. Use high-quality photos. Ideally, the first photograph of your product should have a white background and no shadows. They must not have texts or watermarks either.
5. Record the inventory you have available. Let your customers know how many products you have in stock.
6. Complete the technical sheet correctly. This includes the technical details of the product (size, brand, model, color, etc.), as well as the universal code that identifies it.
7. Your prices must be competitive. Evaluate the possibility of offering discounts or attractive offers to boost the reach of your publications.
8. Offer free shipping. That way your posts will have the “Free Shipping” badge and stand out in search results.

5. Choose your publication type

At this point in the process, on how to start selling on Mercado Libre , you can choose one of these three options:
  • Free: in this case, your publication will not be charged for sale, it will last for 60 days and its exposure will be low.
  • Classic: A classic post will have a sales charge that varies by country, unlimited duration, and high exposure.
  • Premium: Also has an associated fee, unlimited duration, and maximum exposure.

6. Improve the performance of your publications


Mercado Libre puts various resources and tools at your disposal to optimize your publications and boost your sales.
One of them is the bulk editor. Thanks to it you can change the characteristics of your publications from a single screen.

For example, if you need to change the title, prices, or descriptions, you won't have to make the changes one by one. (You can do it simultaneously and from a single table).

To access this digital tool you will have to click on "My account", then on "Sales", "Publications" and finally on "Massive modification".

Also, it is important that you pay attention to the quality indicator, since it was designed to improve the performance of your publications.

The more indicators your publication meets, the higher its quality percentage will be. Therefore, its reach and attractiveness will increase.

7. Offer a great shopping experience

If you want to know how to start selling in Mercado do Libre, it is not enough to explain the technical steps.

It is also necessary that you get involved with other decisive aspects when making sales , such as the shopping experience.

There are multiple strategies to succeed with this mission. Some are more complex than others, but believe it or not, small details can make a big difference.

Consequently, we invite you to answer questions as quickly as possible, to call your customers by name, to be friendly and polite, and above all, to resolve your customers' concerns with valuable information.

If your customer service system is optimal, this could have a very positive effect on the shopping experience.

And this in turn could translate into greater customer loyalty, and eventually, in a greater number of sales or conversions.

8. Earn a place in the Mercado Libre catalog

Right now you can compete to become the most prominent seller of the product you are offering in this e-commerce.

To win first place in the list you must offer better price, sale and shopping experience conditions.

This new way of selling could dramatically increase your sales and increase your profit margin.
If you win, Mercado Libre will show the catalog products first in the list of publications. So the reach of your products will be forceful and massive.

9. Work to be MercadoLíder

If you achieve a MercadoLíder reputation , your products will enjoy an exceptional positioning.

For this, your sales experiences must be impeccable and excellent, and also, they must be constant and in quantity.

10. Take care of your reputation as a seller

The green reputation in Mercado Libre is not easy to earn, let alone maintain. But if you make sure to reach it and take care of it, your benefits as a seller will double.

Some objectives that you should consider so that your reputation does not suffer damage are:
  • Avoid claims from your customers.
  • Send the products in less than 24 hours.
  • Avoid canceling sales.

How much does Mercado Libre charge for selling?


The price of publications in Mercado Libre varies from one country to another. In the case of Argentina, the commission for making classic publications is 13% of each sale.

As long as the prices of the products are equal to or greater than 3,500 Argentine pesos (approximately $28 dollars).
If premium publications will be made, the commission is 28%, and in both cases the seller must pay a percentage of the amount for shipping. (This will depend on the color of your reputation.)

In Colombia, the percentages range between 9% and 20%, depending on some important factors, such as:
  • Post type (classic or premium).
  • Product category.
So, if you want to know the current percentages and fees that you will have to assume as a Mercado Libre seller, you should consult the information corresponding to your country.

Recommendations to increase your sales

These are some general recommendations that could help you increase your sales and improve your reputation in Mercado Libre:

1. Create engaging and effective posts.
2. Update your posts when necessary.
3. Share product photos that look aesthetic and eye-catching.
4. Avoid sales cancellations and claims.
5. Take care of your shipping times.
6. Offer competitive prices.
7. Manage your sales professionally.
8. Offer excellent customer service.
9. Improve the shopping experience.
10. Handle your customers' queries quickly and efficiently (both before and after a sale).
11. Use some of this company's own services, such as Mercado Envíos Full, or Mercado Ads (the latter will boost your publications with paid ads).
12. Manage an online store ( Mercado Shops ) to increase your sales.

Manage your own business in Mercado Libre :

In just 10 steps we explain how to start selling on Mercado Libre in an organized and effective way.
But perhaps what you should remember the most is that this e-commerce offers you the possibility of starting your own, scalable and successful business.

In summary, if you live in Latin America and are interested in benefiting from the rise of e-commerce, you should join their community of sellers as soon as possible.
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