Alibaba.com is intensifying its operations in Mexico to bolster the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and local suppliers, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, according to a statement released February 28th by the Chinese e-commerce platform.
The renewed focus includes offering free national shipping and delivery, aiming to provide greater operational certainty to the more than 5 million businesses in Mexico, Bill Ding, CEO of Alibaba in Mexico, stated. The company’s strategy centers on strengthening procurement through a “Local-to-Local” model within its platform, supported by AI tools. This approach allows SMEs to reduce delivery times compared to traditional imports, which can be delayed by customs processes, and expand their distribution reach.
According to Diego Alcántar, Alibaba’s commercial director, the Local-to-Local model addresses a key challenge for businesses in large cities like Mexico City, where product availability can be limited, leading to wasted time and money searching for new suppliers. “The advantage is that you can source both to sell and to buy,” Alcántar explained.
Alibaba is similarly implementing buyer protection measures, including an “easy return” label for products delivered with substandard quality or defects. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to attract more Mexican SMEs to its ecosystem through AI-driven automation, which can streamline the purchasing process by up to 70%, according to recent announcements.
The move comes as Alibaba invests in infrastructure within Mexico. In September 2025, Alibaba Cloud announced plans to build a new data center in the country, alongside similar facilities in Brazil, France, and the Netherlands, as part of a global expansion designed to meet the increasing demand for AI infrastructure. The company currently operates 91 availability zones across 29 regions worldwide.