Small businesses see a 1,240% jump in digital commerce

The growth potential of e-commerce in Latin American countries and its impact on the socioeconomic development of these nations was the central theme of the webinar “E-commerce as a Driver of Development: Economy, Jobs and Inclusion in Latin America ”.

Promoted by the Latin American Internet Association (ALAI), the online meeting, held this Tuesday (15), featured the participation of Sebrae president Décio Lima as a guest speaker. Experts and representatives from other Latin American countries from the public and private sectors also participated.

Lima highlighted the positive moment of the Brazilian economy, which contributes to the increase in the number of small businesses in the country, generating employment and income.

"Brazil has resumed inclusion policies, and as a result, we are dispersing the small economy to unimaginable proportions. Last year, of the 1.7 million new formal jobs registered, 1.3 million originated in the micro and small economy. 76% of entrepreneurs now use computers for their activities. Furthermore, small businesses saw a jump in online sales revenue from R$5 billion in 2019 to R$67 billion in 2024," he stated.

According to him, the biggest challenge is to include the small economy in the world of innovation and technology.

"The economic models of large platforms must become increasingly commercially integrated so that they can create a favorable environment that is fundamental to globalization. We realize that when small economies enter the innovation and digitalization landscape, they no longer become ephemeral in the market," the president assesses.

Size of the small ones

Among the webinar's guests was Mercado Livre's Director of Investor Relations, Richard Cathcart. He took the opportunity to highlight the platform's growth in Latin American countries, including Brazil.

According to Richard, the majority of the platform's sales in the region last year—which exceeded US$50 billion—were made by small and medium-sized businesses. "The more the flow of buyers on the site grows, the greater the growth rate for these companies, which also generate jobs and income," he explained.

The webinar was broadcast on ALAI's YouTube channel , moderated by its Executive Director, Raúl Echeberría. Also participating were Sebastián Cabello, CEO of SmC+ Digital Public Affairs and Technology Policy specialist, and Renato Jardim, Executive Director of the Sports Industry and Commerce Association (Ápice).