Comparing E-commerce Giants: Analyzing SKU Volume on Shopee and Mercado Libre in Brazil
Introduction
E-commerce in Brazil has witnessed rapid growth, with platforms like Shopee and Mercado Libre emerging as dominant marketplaces. Each platform caters to millions of users, offering a diverse range of products. However, a critical question arises: which platform offers a wider variety of SKUs? To determine this, Retail Scrape conducted a comprehensive data scraping analysis to extract and compare the total SKU count on Shopee and Mercado Libre in Brazil.
Overview of Shopee and Mercado Libre in Brazil
Shopee Brazil
Shopee, a Singapore-based e-commerce giant, has aggressively expanded into Brazil, targeting price-sensitive consumers with competitive pricing and an extensive seller network. The platform offers a mix of local and international products, with an emphasis on affordability.
Mercado Libre Brazil
Mercado Libre, a Latin American e-commerce leader, has a strong foothold in Brazil. It provides a marketplace for businesses and individuals, offering a vast range of products across various categories. Unlike Shopee, Mercado Libre also integrates financial services and logistics solutions to enhance user experience.
Methodology: Web Scraping for SKU Volume Analysis
To analyze SKU volume on both platforms, Retail Scrape deployed advanced web scraping techniques to extract structured product listing data. The scraping process included:
- Data Collection: Extracting product listings across multiple categories.
- Data Cleaning & Processing: Removing duplicates, inactive listings, and unavailable products.
- SKU Counting: Identifying the total number of unique SKUs per platform.
Findings: SKU Volume Comparison
Total SKU Count on Shopee Brazil
Shopee displayed an extensive SKU catalog, primarily driven by:
- A vast network of small-scale sellers.
- Import-friendly policies encouraging overseas product listings.
- Frequent promotions and flash sales boosting SKU availability.
Total SKU Count on Mercado Libre Brazil
Mercado Libre also exhibited a significant SKU volume, influenced by:
- A structured and seller-regulated listing approach.
- A higher proportion of business-to-business (B2B) and brand-specific listings.
- Advanced AI-driven recommendations optimizing product variety.
Category-wise SKU Distribution
The SKU distribution varied across different categories:
| Category | Shopee SKU Count | Mercado Libre SKU Count |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics | 850,000+ | 1,200,000+ |
| Fashion | 1,500,000+ | 1,000,000+ |
| Home & Living | 1,200,000+ | 1,500,000+ |
| Beauty & Health | 700,000+ | 850,000+ |
| Automobiles | 400,000+ | 600,000+ |
Platform Strengths & Weaknesses in SKU Volume
Shopee’s Advantages
- Higher SKU variety in Fashion and Beauty & Health categories.
- More sellers contribute to product diversity.
- Attractive pricing strategies increase SKU turnover.
Shopee’s Challenges
- More unverified sellers lead to duplicate SKUs.
- Higher proportion of low-quality or counterfeit items.
Mercado Libre’s Advantages
- Strong SKU presence in Electronics, Home & Living, and Automobiles.
- More structured and reliable seller base.
- Integrated fulfillment services ensure product availability and quality.
Mercado Libre’s Challenges
- More regulated listings limit SKU variety in some categories.
- Higher pricing due to business-centric seller policies.
Conclusion: Which Platform Has More SKUs in Brazil?
From the analysis, Retail Scrape found that SKU volumes are comparable across both platforms, with Shopee excelling in fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and fashion, while Mercado Libre leads in high-value categories like electronics and automobiles.
Future Insights: How Web Scraping Helps E-commerce Businesses
By leveraging data extraction services, businesses can:
- Track competitor SKU counts and pricing trends.
- Identify high-demand product categories.
- Optimize inventory management strategies.
If you are looking to gain deeper Insights Into E-commerce Data, Retail Scrape offers scalable and customized web scraping solutions for businesses worldwide.
Contact Retail Scrape today to unlock actionable e-commerce insights!