Mercado Libre Enters B2B eCommerce With SAP Ariba

SAP Ariba wants to disrupt corporate commerce and has tapped Mercado Libre to help.

An announcement this week said SAP Ariba and Mercado Libre are teaming up to bring SAP Ariba’s Spot Buy solution to Latin America, just days after the company said it is bringing the tool to Australia.

Spot Buy enables businesses to make one-off purchases while ensuring the right suppliers are used and more competitive prices are offered.

“Ad hoc purchases in general are difficult because they are extremely time-sensitive and most companies lack the resources to manage them,” said SAP Ariba Spot Buy General Manager Tony Alvarez in a statement. “Add to this the price swings that naturally occur in high inflationary environments, and they become even more challenging.”

According to SAP Ariba, more than 17,000 corporate buyers across Latin America are already using the Ariba Network to procure goods. Collaborating with Mercado Libre, which the firms said is Latin America’s largest eCommerce technology firm, will enable Spot Buy to source suppliers and products for these corporate buyers in the region.

This collaboration will deploy Mercado Libre’s existing product catalogues, used by Spot Buy to identify the best suppliers and prices for corporate buyers when making these ad hoc purchases. The solution means businesses can find items not already in corporate catalogues or in the Spot Buy catalogue, the firms explained, while still ensuring the purchases are compliant with corporate policy.

“We are excited to partner with SAP Ariba to provide the most extensive product supply in Latin America and an exceptional experience for corporate buyers,” said Mercado Libre Corporate Sales Director Karen Bruck in another statement. “Mercado Libre, as the eCommerce leader in Latin America, is launching its first B2B experience. We are confident that it will be a great success.”