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Marketplace focus: Linio

4 April 2017

As part of our ongoing marketplace focus series, we are taking a look at one of the Latin America’s largest marketplaces, Linio. Linio has been in operation for over four years and is currently present in eight Latin American countries, including Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile and Argentina.

With a combined revenue of US$33.153m in 2017, Latin America is one of the fastest-growing ecommerce regions worldwide, just behind the Asia-Pacific region. And this growth is expected to continue, as the number of ecommerce customers is predicted to climb to 163 million by 2021, as a result of the increased internet penetration in the region.

 

THE MEXICAN OPPPORTUNITY

Mexican hat for LINIO

Mexico ranks 38th in the World Bank Group Index, a list of 189 countries based on the ease of doing business, and is one of the most promising ecommerce countries in Latin American. It has taken the lead in the ecommerce market, and today it is the second-largest market for ecommerce growth in the area (second only to Brazil). Mexico also currently accounts for about 12% of the entire region’s ecommerce revenue, a figure which is predicted to increase to 16% by 2019.

By 2018, the country is forecast to reach US$11bn in ecommerce sales — or just under 2.5% of total retail sales of the country.

WHY LINIO?

Latin America offers great potential for ecommerce ventures, since the online market is still a recent innovation, creating an opening for those looking to expand into the region. Additionally, due to the current political climate in the United States, Mexican marketplaces are looking to diversify their commercial channel, leading to greater integration with European retailers.

Ecommerce is not going to replace traditional retail any time soon, but over the next few years it will take an increasingly larger share of the market and will be a fundamental part of most retailers’ strategies.

And what better way to get started than on one of the region’s leading online platforms.

Launched in 2012, Linio operates its own warehouses and gives international sellers access to over 140 million internet users, who are looking to indulge in their passion for quality brands from around the globe.

The Mexico-City based company, with offices in China and North America, allows international sellers to enter different markets with greater ease, as it requires neither up-front investment nor a monthly fee: Linio only charges vendors after their first sales have been made.

Lino’s eight native websites have around 50 million visits per month and display more than 3 million products to theirs 6 million newsletter subscribers. The company states that almost anything can be sold on the platform although the most popular categories are electronic devices, domestic goods, apparel, cosmetics, and products designed for children and babies.

Linio also prides itself on having over 5 million fans on its Facebook page and more than 37 thousand followers on Twitter, with a #YoComproEnLinio hashtag specific just to Mexico.

LINIO’S SERVICES FOR A LARGER WORLD

To maintain its position as the premier online shopping destination for Latin American customers, Linio takes care of its seller base, offering a wide range of dedicated services for sellers who wish to broaden their business horizons:

Multiple language offerings: the full platform is available in English and there is a Chinese and English speaking dedicated staff for international sellers. The company also provides the ability to advertise products directly on the platform.

Stock and pricing all in one place: Linio equips their sellers with technical resources like Seller Center, the platform where international sellers can manage inventory, prices and update their listings. Linio ensures that “with just a few easy steps, you can start selling your products risk-free in the world’s fastest growing region for ecommerce.”

Payment in US dollars: as well as permitting payment by wire transfer, Linio is also integrated with Payoneer, a cross-border payment service that offers local currency payments around the world and is part of MasterCard International’s Member Service Provider scheme.

START SELLING ON LINIO NOW

Opening your business to a broader market has never been so easy. As the leading experts in global online marketplaces, Pentagon can accelerate your international expansion by setting up and directly managing your store on Linio.

We offer technical advisors to facilitate the integration between your stock and Linio, with proactive account managers to oversee all the activity in your branded store. We can also provide optimisation services for your product listings, translate names and product descriptions to match the local language and habits, and manage your customer support to ensure a premium user experience.

Don’t miss out on the opportunities provided by Linio: talk to a member of our team today to find out how we can increase your international sales. Email: hello@wearepentagon.com, call: +44 (0)20 8940 5392 or visit us at: wearepentagon.com.

 

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