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Is Coupang the Next MercadoLibre? A Playbook for Global Dominance
MarketBeat· 2025-09-11 20:00
Core Insights - Coupang is executing a successful business model similar to MercadoLibre, focusing on dominating its home market before pursuing international expansion [2][14] - The company has built a strong e-commerce presence in South Korea, achieving significant customer growth and profitability [3][4] Group 1: Market Position and Strategy - Coupang has established itself as the e-commerce leader in South Korea, with 23.9 million active customers, reflecting a 10% year-over-year increase [3] - The Product Commerce segment generated $7.3 billion in revenue with an adjusted EBITDA of $663 million, indicating a healthy 9% margin [4] - The company’s strategy is not solely focused on growth but emphasizes profitability, providing a stable foundation for future expansion [5] Group 2: Logistics and Competitive Advantage - Coupang's proprietary logistics network, Rocket Delivery, serves as a competitive moat, enabling efficient last-mile delivery [6][7] - The volume of same-day and next-morning deliveries grew by over 40% year-over-year, enhancing customer loyalty [8] - The Fulfillment and Logistics by Coupang (FLC) service allows third-party sellers to utilize its logistics network, creating a flywheel effect that attracts more customers [9] Group 3: Growth and Ecosystem Expansion - Coupang's Developing Offerings segment saw a 33% year-over-year revenue increase to $1.2 billion, driving the company's growth strategy [10] - The ecosystem includes high-growth ventures like Coupang Eats and Coupang Play, supported by a subscription model similar to Amazon Prime [11] - The company has successfully expanded into Taiwan, achieving triple-digit year-over-year revenue growth and a 54% surge in a single quarter [12][13]