Deerfield, Illinois-based Essendant Inc. is expanding its international market reach with an initial foray into Latin America in partnership with Mercado Libre Inc., an online marketplace company offering more than 30 million products across 18 Latin American countries.

David Boone, interim CEO, Essendant Inc.

“Mercado Libre has immense reach internationally, so this is a critical expansion for Essendant’s Connected Commerce program,” says David Boone, Essendant’s interim CEO, who spoke about Essendant’s growth strategy in a keynote presentation at EnvisionB2B in September. “It not only gives us a foothold into 18 Latin American countries but offers huge potential for us to help brands sell their products to a broader audience of consumers.”

Essendant expands digital commerce with Mercado Libre

Essendant’s Connected Commerce program brings together the distribution company’s commerce and fulfillment capabilities across B2B, B2C and B2B2C markets, connecting client companies, including other distributors, wholesalers and resellers, to major online marketplaces, B2B commerce platforms, web stores and large retailers. Essendant’s online operations are based in Pasadena, California, where Essendant, then known as United Stationers, acquired the CPO Commerce ecommerce company in 2014.

Essendant notes that Mercado Libre is the largest online marketplace serving Mexico and Central and South America. In addition to Mexico, it operates in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Essendant says it went live on Mercado Libre’s online platforms in the first week of October, following months of developing the partnership and curating a selection of brands and products for the Latin American market. An Essendant spokeswoman says Essendant is operating as a third-party seller on Mercado Libre, offering a selection of hand and power tools and outdoor equipment from major brands to both B2B and B2C customers.

Essendant collaborates with Mercado Libre on distribution and shipping

“All of our products are shipped into Mercado’s U.S. distribution center in Texas,” she says. “Mercado handles all related import and shipping into Mexico on our behalf.”

She adds, “Essendant’s digital services and fulfillment program can sell brands through multiple channels, nationally and internationally. We currently provide export wholesale services in our core categories, global shipping through our fulfillment program and digital services in the U.S.A. and now Latin America.

“We will grow as our brand partners choose to expand.”

Essendant, which does over $5 billion in annual net sales, declined to comment on the volume of initial sales activity through Mercado Libre.

Paul Demery is a Digital Commerce 360 contributing editor covering B2B digital commerce technology and strategy. [email protected].

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