In this guide
Dropshipping on Mercado Libre means you list products you don't have in stock and buy them only after a customer buys from you. With CBT Labs, the platform from the Automeli group, you list products that already sell on Amazon in Mercado Libre Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Argentina, and you buy them on Amazon only when they sell. It works for companies and for people just starting out: you need no inventory, no warehouse and no previous sales.
What is dropshipping on Mercado Libre?
Amazon in the United States carries millions of products that cost more, or are hard to find, in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia or Argentina. Your opportunity is to offer them on Mercado Libre, the largest marketplace in Latin America, with your profit margin on top.
The difference from a regular store: you don't buy inventory up front. You list the product, and you buy it on Amazon only after someone buys it from you. Your company ties up no capital in stock, and you can test a wide catalog without the risk of products sitting unsold.
How does a sale work, step by step?
- You pick a product from Amazon. CBT Labs lists it on Mercado Libre in all five countries, with the title and description adapted to each one.
- A customer buys it on Mercado Libre, for example in Mexico.
- You buy it on Amazon, with a delivery address in the United States. There, your team or a fulfillment warehouse repacks it, sticks on the Mercado Libre label and hands it over at an authorized drop-off point. From there, Mercado Libre carries it to your customer.
- Mercado Libre pays you in US dollars for the product cost, your expenses and your profit.
How much can you earn with dropshipping on Mercado Libre?
You decide how much you want to earn. CBT Labs adds up everything the product costs you, applies your margin and tells Mercado Libre how much you want to receive per sale. Mercado Libre adds its commission and shipping, and from that it calculates the price your customer sees.
An example with a 30% margin:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Product price on Amazon | USD 40.00 |
| Purchase tax (per your settings) | USD 2.80 |
| Your cost | USD 42.80 |
| Your margin (30%) | USD 12.84 |
| What you receive for the sale | USD 55.64 |
These are sample figures. You set the tax and the margin in CBT Labs, and the margin can differ by country and by price range. As in any business, what you earn depends on the products you choose and how many you sell.
What does CBT Labs do for your business?
- Lists your catalog in 5 countries from a single screen, with text adapted to each market and in Portuguese for Brazil.
- Calculates the price for each country from your cost, your expenses and your margin.
- Updates your listings every day. It keeps price, stock and availability in sync with Amazon. If the cost changes, it adjusts your price to protect your margin. If the product runs out, it pauses the listing so you don't sell what you can't ship.
- Suggests AI replies to buyer questions.
- Shows every sale with what Mercado Libre charged you and your real profit.
What do you need to get started?
A Mercado Libre Global Selling seller account, the Mercado Libre program that lets you sell in all five countries from one account and get paid in US dollars, and a company formed in the United States. If you already run a business, you can add this channel without changing what you do today. You don't need to sell on Amazon or to have sold on Mercado Libre before.
In the next guide, we cover the requirements to sell on Mercado Libre International and how to open your account faster.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do dropshipping on Mercado Libre without stock?
Yes. You list products that already sell on Amazon and buy them only when someone buys from you on Mercado Libre. You need no inventory and no warehouse.
Which countries can I sell in with Mercado Libre dropshipping?
With a Mercado Libre Global Selling account, you sell in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Argentina from a single account, and you get paid in US dollars.
Can I sell on Mercado Libre from the USA or from another country?
Yes. You can use CBT Labs from any country. Global Selling requires a company formed in the United States, for example an LLC.
Is CBT Labs for companies or only for individuals?
It works for both. A company can add Mercado Libre International as one more channel and list a large catalog without buying inventory; it also works for someone starting alone. Global Selling requires a company formed in the United States.
Do I need to sell on Amazon to use CBT Labs?
No. You don't need to sell on Amazon or to have sold on Mercado Libre before. You only buy on Amazon the product you already sold.
How much can you earn with dropshipping on Mercado Libre?
It depends on the margin you choose and how much you sell. For example, with a 30% margin on a cost of USD 42.80, you receive USD 55.64 for the sale. You set the margin yourself.
