Why Is E-commerce Not Making Any Sense Right Now?

If you've closely followed the growth of e-commerce for at least a decade, you'll recall the constant emergence of new stores, never-before-seen categories, and extremely competitive prices capable of challenging the established norms of traditional retail. Today, the reality is strange: on the one hand, the growth of e-commerce in Mexico continues to rise, but on the other, there's a feeling that everything is too expensive, and people's trust in online sales hangs by a thread. 

It's important to mention that e-commerce couldn't be in a better place in Mexico: recent data from AMVO indicates a 20% increase in 2024 compared to 2023. However, consumers are not behaving as the traditional model would expect, where they could conveniently and directly purchase products through the digital channel. On the contrary, we can interpret that their trust is fragile, their ability to acquire goods is limited, and external economic factors are affecting their confidence when buying online. 

Let's review the different points. Inflation, which for years was a determining factor, is stabilizing even though the impression might be completely the opposite: Banxico data placed inflation at 3.67% in March 2025, right within the established target. But this data might mean nothing when everything continues to be too expensive. What do I mean by this? For the average consumer, the "cost of living" and the "cost to live" are two completely different issues, and e-commerce finds itself right in the middle; if we consider the tariff measures recently announced in recent days, we can say that it all boils down to a matter of perception. 

A term that perfectly reflects what we're experiencing is what I call “perception inflation.” This is the idea that everything is more expensive and tends to weigh more than the actual data. Prices don't need to rise for people to feel that way; it's enough for them to hear or read it on social media for their shopping habits to change completely. 

But let's delve deeper. E-commerce exploded in Mexico due to its wide and accessible offering, sometimes even larger than that of a traditional shopping mall. And for most buyers, this industry is not a luxury, it's an alternative to paying for things with a very high margin. That's why, the moment prices rose, people went directly to the informal market as an alternative capable of meeting their needs.

In a market as relevant to e-commerce as Mexico, it's necessary to create an environment of stability that allows for balanced competition among all members of the ecosystem. The more players there are, the better the offer for the consumer, who can choose the best option depending on what they're looking for. Thus, we could seek to improve perception, increase people's average spending, and encourage foreign investment in the country. 

It's time to take advantage of the push of e-commerce in Mexico, not only with competitive prices or a greater supply of products, but by contributing to making it a fairer, clearer, and more reliable ecosystem for everyone. For e-commerce to continue to rise in favor of Mexico, it's necessary for people to have access to more and better options, as well as to continue promoting companies and technology for the country's development.