Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Size & Forecast by Value and Volume Across 80+ KPIs - Databook Q4 2025 Update

Key Trends and Drivers

Deepen marketplace ecosystems as the default retail infrastructure

• Argentina's ecommerce is increasingly structured around a small number of dominant ecosystems, with Mercado Libre positioned as the central retail and fintech platform. Mercado Libre's most recent quarterly disclosures show Argentina regaining a leading role in the company's revenue mix, supported by stronger consumer activity.
• The company announced a major new investment program focused on logistics expansion and technology hiring in the country. Retail chains such as Carrefour Argentina, Coto, and Día continue scaling their own ecommerce operations while also relying on marketplace integrations to broaden their reach. Local ecommerce associations report growing habitual online buying, with marketplaces and integrated platforms acting as the primary points of discovery.
• Macroeconomic stabilization: Recent signs of lower inflation and interest rate adjustments have supported consumption and credit, which platform operators directly link to transaction recovery. Domestic platform maturity: U.S. trade guidance highlights that Argentina's ecommerce sector is led by local platforms rather than foreign players, reinforcing the dominance of Mercado Libre, Tiendanube-powered stores, and supermarket marketplaces.
• SME digitalization: Thousands of SMEs favor plug-and-play commerce platforms that offer logistics, payments, and marketing in one place, shifting competition away from independent websites.
• Marketplace ecosystems will become embedded as retail infrastructure, making them essential distribution and data partners for brands and SMEs. Control over payments, logistics, and traffic will strengthen the platform's bargaining power. Regulatory attention is likely to increase around competition, data access, and platform service standards.

Use interoperable digital wallets and QR payments to rewire checkout and credit

• Digital wallets and interoperable QR payments are replacing traditional payment methods at checkout, both online and offline. The Central Bank's Transfers 3.0 initiative provides open, real-time payment rails and standardized QR functionality across all wallets and banks.
• Credit-card QR interoperability deadlines have been adjusted multiple times, reflecting the system's growing importance. Mercado Pago and MODO (the bank-backed wallet) are competing for primary position in digital commerce, with payment flows increasingly routed through wallets rather than directly through cards.
• Inflation-driven behavior: High inflation has historically prompted consumers to actively manage cash flow. Real-time payments and digital wallets enable faster money movement and better promotion use. Banking digitization: Banks and fintech players have invested heavily in mobile experiences, which now anchor everyday transactions, including ecommerce and delivery orders.
• Platform competition: Payments are becoming a strategic battleground, as evidenced by disputes such as MercadoLibre's complaints about MODO's QR code practices.
• Digital wallets will likely become the primary front-end payment method for ecommerce, with cards functioning mainly as funding sources. Wallet-linked credit, embedded instalments, and loyalty integrations will become more prominent in online transactions.
• Increased regulatory scrutiny around QR interoperability and credit risks is expected, but broader wallet usage will continue to grow.

Leverage a more open import regime as cross-border ecommerce accelerates

• Cross-border ecommerce activity is rising rapidly following policy changes introduced in late 2024. The Milei administration eased import rules, raised purchase limits for couriers, and reduced tariffs on several product categories, including apparel and electronics.
• Platforms like Shein, Temu, and Amazon have seen notable increases in Argentine orders, particularly in urban centers. Domestic ecommerce associations note growing interest in international purchases, alongside strong domestic platform usage.
• Price and variety gaps: Longstanding domestic price pressures and limited product availability encourage consumers to explore international options when regulatory barriers fall. Government policy direction: The government positions import liberalization as a way to expand competition and consumer options, which is driving short-term momentum for cross-border activity.
• Logistics readiness: Courier and postal networks already had cross-border capacities; regulatory easing unlocked volume by reducing friction on lower-value shipments.
• Cross-border activity will grow fastest in categories where domestic supply is limited or priced above global levels. Local retailers will face more direct comparisons with overseas sellers, requiring stronger differentiation through service, returns, delivery speed, and localized assortments.
• Trade policy may evolve if local industries experience pressure, but the environment is expected to remain more open than before 2024.

Embed grocery, quick commerce and on-demand delivery into everyday consumption

• Grocery, essential items, and delivery-led purchasing have become core drivers of online activity. Food, beverages, and home products consistently appear among the most purchased online categories in Argentina.
• Consumers often use delivery apps PedidosYa, Rappi, Mercado Libre deliveries, rather than supermarket sites for convenience and integrated payments. Quick-commerce models like PedidosYa Market and Rappi's dark stores have expanded, targeting "top-up" shopping missions and rapid delivery windows.
• Habit formation: Consumers developed strong routines around online grocery and on-demand delivery during the pandemic, and these habits have persisted.
• Platform economics: High-frequency categories enable denser courier routes and better utilization, encouraging investment in dark stores and supermarket integrations.
• Payments and promotions: Wallet-driven promotions, QR payments, and bank-linked incentives support frequent small-basket orders.
• Grocery and everyday essentials will become central to user engagement and retention strategies for platforms. Delivery apps and marketplaces will likely consolidate their roles as the primary digital grocery channels in large cities.
• Supermarkets will refine their strategies either deepening partnerships with delivery platforms or strengthening direct channels supported by better inventory, loyalty, and data systems.

Competitive landscape

Current State of the Market

• Ecommerce in Argentina is increasingly a structured, high-growth segment of the retail industry. Domestic online sales continue to dominate, with about 92 % of total ecommerce transactions still conducted via Argentine merchants. The largest player, Mercado Libre, reported a sharp year-on-year uplift in Argentina: for example, its commerce business in the country delivered FX-neutral GMV growth of around 126 % in Q1 2025. The adoption of digital payments, wallets, and mobile-first shopping is supported by changes in consumer behaviour, stronger logistics investments, and increased smartphone and internet connectivity penetration.

Key Players and New Entrants

• Mercado Libre continues to lead, offering both marketplace and fintech/payment services. Alongside it, Tiendanube (also known as Nuvemshop) is gaining traction as the preferred store platform for Argentine SMEs and brands. Traditional retailers such as Carrefour Argentina, Coto Retail, and Grupo Día are evolving their ecommerce capabilities while increasingly collaborating with marketplace and delivery app ecosystems. On the delivery side, quick-commerce and on-demand platforms such as PedidosYa and Rappi are becoming entry points for broader retail ecommerce.

Recent Launches, Mergers, and Acquisitions

• In September 2025, Mercado Libre launched "Negocios," its new B2B ecommerce unit in Argentina and the region, listing over 2.6 million products for wholesale buyers. Argentina's overall M&A environment is heating: a broad review of corporate deals suggests 2024 recorded 99 deals worth US$8 billion, and deal volumes may surpass historic peaks. While not all deals are ecommerce-specific, the regulatory backdrop (including updated merger-control legislation) is shaping how digital commerce consolidation will unfold in Argentina.

Report Scope

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Size and Growth Dynamics

• Gross Merchandise Value
• Gross Merchandise Volume
• Average Value per Transaction

Argentina Social Commerce Market Size and Growth Dynamics

• Gross Merchandise Value
• Gross Merchandise Volume
• Average Value per Transaction

Argentina Quick Commerce Market Size and Growth Dynamics

• Gross Merchandise Value
• Gross Merchandise Volume
• Average Value per Transaction

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Ecommerce Vertical

• Retail Shopping
• Travel & Hospitality
• Online Food Service
• Media & Entertainment
• Healthcare & Wellness
• Technology Products & Services
• Other

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Retail Shopping Category

• Clothing, Footwear & Accessories
• Health, Beauty & Personal Care
• Food & Beverage
• Appliances & Electronics
• Home Improvement
• Books, Music & Video
• Toys & Hobby
• Auto Parts & Accessories
• Other

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Retail Shopping Sales Channel

• Platform-to-Consumer
• Direct-to-Consumer
• Consumer-to-Consumer

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Travel & Hospitality Category

• Air Travel
• Train & Bus
• Taxi & Ride-Hailing
• Hotels & Resorts
• Other

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Travel and Hospitality Sales Channel

• Air Travel- Aggregator App
• Air Travel- Direct-to-Consumer
• Train & Bus- Aggregator App
• Train & Bus- Direct-to-Consumer
• Taxi & Ride-Hailing- Aggregator App
• Taxi & Ride-Hailing- Direct-to-Consumer
• Hotels & Resorts- Aggregator App
• Hotels & Resorts- Direct-to-Consumer
• Other- Aggregator App
• Other- Direct-to-Consumer

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Online Food Service Sales Channel

• Aggregator App
• Direct-to-Consumer

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Media & Entertainment Sales Channel

• Streaming Services
• Movies & Events
• Theme Parks & Gaming
• Other

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Engagement Model

• Website-Based
• Live Streaming

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Location

• Cross-Border
• Domestic

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Device

• Mobile
• Desktop

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Operating System

• iOS / macOS
• Android
• Other Operating Systems

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by City Tier

• Tier 1
• Tier 2
• Tier 3

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Market Segmentation by Payment Instrument

• Credit Card
• Debit Card
• Bank Transfer
• Prepaid Card
• Digital & Mobile Wallet
• Other Digital Payment
• Cash

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Consumer Demographics & Behaviour

• Market Share by Age Group
• Market Share by Income Level
• Market Share by Gender

Argentina B2C Ecommerce User Statistics & Ratios

• Internet Users
• Ecommerce Users
• Social Media Users
• Smartphone Penetration
• Banked Population
• Ecommerce Per Capita
• GDP Per Capita
• Ecommerce as % of GDP
• Cart Abandonment Rate
• Product Retun Rate

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Operational Metrics by Ecommerce Segment

• Gross Merchandise Value by Segment

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Operational Metrics by Retail Shopping Category

• Gross Merchandise Value by Category

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Operational Metrics by Sales Channel

• Gross Merchandise Value by Channel

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Operational Metrics by Location

• Gross Merchandise Value by Location

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Operational Metrics by Device

• Gross Merchandise Value by Device

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Operational Metrics by Operating System

• Gross Merchandise Value by Operating System

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Operational Metrics by City Tier

• Gross Merchandise Value by City Tier

Argentina B2C Ecommerce Operational Metrics by Payment Instrument

• Gross Merchandise Value by Payment Instrument

Reasons to Buy

• Comprehensive Market Intelligence: Develop a complete understanding of the B2C ecommerce landscape in Argentina with fundamental ecommerce metrics such as gross merchandise value, gross merchandise volume, and average value per transaction across all major ecommerce segments.
• Granular Segmentation and Cross-Analysis: Analyse the online retail ecosystem through detailed segmentation covering ecommerce segments, retail product categories, travel and hospitality verticals, media and entertainment services, sales channels, devices, operating systems, cities, and payment instruments, enabling deep insight into evolving consumer shopping patterns.
• Operational and Performance Benchmarking: Benchmark marketplaces, direct-to-consumer platforms, aggregators, and category-focused players using KPIs such as GMV share, category-level performance, channel efficiency, device contribution, and payment mode penetration, supporting comparative assessment of platform strengths and competitive positioning.
• Consumer Behavior and Ecosystem Readiness: Understand how demographics, income groups, gender mix, device usage, and payment preferences shape online purchasing decisions, influencing category demand, cart abandonment behavior, product return tendencies, and the shift toward digital-first commerce.
• Data-Driven Forecasts and KPI Tracking: Access a structured dataset of 80+ ecommerce KPIs with historical and forecast values up to 2029, providing clarity on growth drivers, category expansion, sales-channel transitions, and payment-instrument evolution across the B2C ecommerce value chain.
• Decision-Ready Databook Format: Delivered in a standardized, analytics-friendly databook format aligned with financial modeling requirements, enabling ecommerce companies, consumer brands, payment providers, technology firms, and investors to conduct evidence-based market assessment and strategic planning.