Brazil’s largest web merchant B2W Digital Inc., which operates the country’s three major mass merchant web retailers, Submarino.com.br, Americanas.com.br, and Shoptime.com.br, grew its online sales 30.7% last year.
That outpaced the overall Brazilian e-commerce market, which grew 24% in 2014 according to eBit, a Brazilian e-commerce and information technology research firm.
The top-ranked merchant in Internet Retailer’s 2014 Latin America 500 expanded its private label products in 2014. It plans to continue that push this year, as it has already launched a baby apparel and accessories line in January.
The retailer’s increased sales stemmed, in part, from greater traffic coming to its sites; the retailer’s traffic grew 24% last year.
The retailer is also investing in its fulfillment operations. The retailer built four new distribution centers in Brazil last year, bringing its total count to nine distribution centers spread throughout the country.
For the year ended Dec. 31, B2W Digital reported:
- Sales grew 30.6% to $2.99 billion ($7.96 billion Reais) from $2.29 billion ($6.09 billion Reais) in 2014.
- A net loss, which B2W calls net financial result, of $244.5 million ($650.4 million Reais) compared with $192.8 million ($512.9 million Reais), a 26.8% increase.
- Fourth quarter sales grew 31.8% to $1.03 billion ($2.74 billion Reais) from $781.7 million ($2.08 billion Reais).
- A fourth quarter net loss of $54.1 million ($143.9 million Reais) compared with $51.8 million ($137.8 million Reais), a decrease of 4.4%.