This report analyzes H1 2021 retail ecommerce sales figures for seven companies in Latin America, including Mercado Libre, Magazine Luiza, and Falabella. It also explores key trends that are helping to fuel ecommerce growth at each of these companies.

Retail media advertising sits at the intersection of two major digital disruptions unfolding in Latin America: the meteoric rise of ecommerce and reallocation of ad dollars toward digital formats. While still nascent, retail media will play a larger part of brands’ marketing strategies in 2022.

In Latin America, ad buys on ecommerce channels consist of lower-funnel actions like sponsored product ads. Although brands are shifting spending to more upper-funnel formats, such as sponsored display and video, these performance-driven formats will remain the cornerstone of marketers’ retail media strategies in the near term.

In Latin America in 2022, digital payments will make gains, consumer expectations around ecommerce will shift, corporate sustainability and social issues will come to the fore, SMBs will bank on social commerce, and retail media networks will make their presence felt.

In H1 2021, Mercado Libre scooped up more than $13 billion in digital sales across Latin America, making it the region’s biggest ecommerce company.

This report explores the pandemic’s impact on total retail, ecommerce, and mcommerce sales in Latin America, with breakouts for Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. It also examines key drivers fueling regional market movements in 2021 and beyond.

Over the past two years, retail ecommerce in Latin America has experienced unprecedented growth. Now, although people are returning to physical stores, consumers have fully embraced buying online, paving the way for long-term growth in the region.

Contractual issues have reportedly stalled its plans to let users send money to businesses via WhatsApp.

Retail media advertising poised to grow in Latin America: The region’s marketers and retailers are awakening to opportunities to help drive consumer purchases with media networks.