How to expand a US brand to Amazon Mexico and Mercado Libre

Can you sell on Amazon Mexico and Mercado Libre from the USA?

Yes, and neither route needs a Mexican company.

Amazon.com.mx. A US seller on the Professional plan adds Mexico through a North America and Brazil unified account, at USD 39.99 a month for Mexico, the US and Canada together. Build International Listings copies US offers across and can translate new listings into Spanish. Referral fees run from 8% to 20% by category, with a MXN 8 minimum per item in most categories. The posted rates include IVA; check how your fee invoices are billed.

Mercado Libre. Global Selling, Mercado Libre's cross-border program, lists to Mexico and four other countries. Buyers pay in pesos and you are paid in USD. Listing is free; the Mexico selling fee is set by category, plus MXN 33 per unit on items up to MXN 299. See our Mercado Libre guide.

Which fulfillment route fits a first Mexico launch?

Route	Where stock sits	Customs on your side
Remote Fulfillment with FBA	US FBA	None: the customer imports, Amazon collects duties and taxes
FBA in Mexico	Amazon Mexico warehouses	An importer of record with an RFC, never Amazon
Amazon seller-fulfilled	Your US warehouse	You are the importer and pay duties, taxes and clearance
Mercado Libre direct	Your US warehouse	Taxes set from listed size and weight; carrier handover in 3 business days
Mercado Envios Full	Mercado Libre warehouses in Mexico	Each bulk inbound needs an importer of record with an RFC
Mercado Libre Texas	Mercado Libre's Texas warehouse	Mercado Libre does not say who imports; it runs delivery end to end, quoted at 2 to 3 days

Remote Fulfillment is the lightest way to test demand. It needs FBA Export and excludes some product types; the ASIN Eligibility Report shows what qualifies. Stock inside Mexico delivers faster but adds customs to every inbound, so it needs its own replenishment plan.

Do you need an RFC, and what will platforms withhold?

Plan on one. The RFC is Mexico's tax ID, and with your residency and payout account it sets how much tax a marketplace keeps.

Since June 1, 2020, Amazon has withheld Mexican income tax (ISR) from sellers with Mexico indicators, such as stock stored or orders fulfilled there. It reviews RFC status weekly. With none validated, it holds 20% of month-to-date gross sales, remits it early the next month and cannot refund it afterwards.

The rules tightened on January 1, 2026. Per Mercado Pago's summary:

• ISR withholding is 2.5% of gross sales with an RFC, now for companies as well as individuals.
• IVA withholding is 50% of the 16% rate when the seller has registered an RFC with the platform.
• 100% of IVA is withheld when the seller is resident abroad with no permanent establishment in Mexico, or is paid into a foreign bank account. A US brand with stock in Mexico and a US payout account should plan for it; ask an adviser how it treats orders shipped from the US, which clear customs.
• 20% ISR applies when a company's RFC is missing or invalid.

Withheld amounts can be credited only if you file in Mexico. Amazon's ISR help page still shows its pre-2026 schedule, so check what each platform applies to your account.

What does it take to import stock into Mexico?

Amazon will not act as importer of record for FBA inventory, and naming Amazon or no one can cost you selling privileges. Amazon lists three routes for non-residents: the end customer where appropriate, an authorized third-party importer, or your own Mexican entity. Only the last two fit bulk FBA stock, and since January 1, 2025 every import declaration must carry the importer's RFC.

• Padrón de Importadores. Importers must be registered, and 400+ product types, textiles, chemicals and electronics among them, need a sector registry too.
• Pedimento. The import declaration, usually filed by a broker, with the commercial invoice and transport documents. Customs collects IVA on entry.
• Classification. An eight-digit tariff code plus a two-digit NICO, which can differ from the US code.
• Value declaration. A Manifestación de Valor backs the declared value, and Mexico is moving it to electronic filing; ask your broker what applies today.

Parcels differ. Per ITA, US-origin courier shipments that meet the conditions pay no tax up to USD 50 and no duty up to USD 117, and the simplified lane needs the recipient's RFC. Since August 15, 2025, that lane charges a 19% global rate on qualifying USMCA-origin parcels over USD 117 and 33.5% on non-USMCA goods.

Which labels and standards apply?

Mexico's official standards (NOMs) cover most retail goods, Spanish labels included, and compliance is checked at the border. Common labeling NOMs are NOM-050 for general consumer goods, NOM-004 for textiles, NOM-024 for electrical and electronic products and NOM-051 for food. A product under a safety NOM needs certification before import, and the importer shows the certificate to customs.

Whoever answers for labels and NOM compliance is nearly always Mexican: your importer, or another party with an RFC. Settle that before you print packaging.

How does Growth OS run Mexico next to the US?

Ecomsellertool Growth OS runs on your own accounts and adds Mexico as two more stores on one catalog. The base modules are built to:

1. Listings. Push one catalog to both Mexico stores with per-channel rules, prices and stock kept in sync, and AI listing agents to rewrite copy.
2. Replenishment. Set reorder points from real lead times, customs included, for Remote Fulfillment, FBA Mexico and Full.
3. Orders. Queue orders from both stores and route self-fulfilled ones to the right warehouse and carrier.
4. Reporting. Show contribution margin per SKU, channel and country.

Mexico needs more, so we build it on top: NOM and importer fields per SKU checked before a shipment is booked, MXN prices from landed cost, and reconciliation for Mercado Libre withholding that only shows in Seller Central. You own that code at handover.

We have built on Amazon's seller APIs since 2017. Mercado Libre is among the 20+ marketplace connectors we built for Ecom Global, a platform built for 100M+ products.

Where should you start?

The free Quick Scan in the Ops Gap Diagnostic finds your top three Amazon operations gaps from reports you upload. The paid Deep Diagnostic covers every channel, plus marketplace and country opportunities such as Mexico. Or start with Growth OS.