---
title: "The MELI effect: the tool thousands of entrepreneurs use to compete with large companies — Marsanne Studio AI watch"
description: "Nearly half of Argentine SMEs selling on Mercado Libre used AI for the first time in 2025, according to the Efecto MELI study."
url: "https://marsanne.studio/en/ai-watch/the-meli-effect-the-tool-thousands-of-entrepreneurs-use-to-compete-with-1fb055/"
lang: "en"
---

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Data study · 18 September 2026

# The MELI effect: the tool thousands of entrepreneurs use to compete with large companies

Original title, in Spanish: “Efecto MELI: la herramienta que miles de emprendedores usan para competir con las grandes empresas”

**Publication**

El Cronista (Argentina)

**Author**

Unsigned

**Published on**

18 September 2026 · read in the page structured data · updated on 28 September 2026

## Summary

The article presents the findings of the "Efecto MELI" study on AI adoption by small businesses selling on Mercado Libre in Argentina. According to the study, nearly half of these businesses used AI tools for the first time in 2025, mainly to improve product images (70%), create videos (20%) or analyse reviews and complaints (14%). One third of SMEs believe these tools have improved how they manage their business, 27% have developed new products using AI, and 22% have improved the stability of their sales. The article stresses that these technologies, previously reserved for large companies, are becoming accessible to small retailers through digital platforms, without significant technology investment.

Summary based on the full text of the article.

[Read the article on El Cronista →](https://www.cronista.com/finanzas-mercados/efecto-meli-la-herramienta-que-miles-de-emprendedores-usan-para-competir-con-las-grandes-empresas/)

## Figures cited

-   50 %
    
    share of businesses selling on Mercado Libre that used AI for the first time in 2025
    
    Businesses selling on Mercado Libre, Argentina, 2025
    
    > « casi la mitad de las empresas que venden en Mercado Libre utilizó herramientas de inteligencia artificial por primera vez durante 2025. »
    
    Source: Informe Efecto MELI
    
-   70 %
    
    share of new AI users who improved their product images
    
    New AI users among Mercado Libre sellers, Argentina, 2025
    
    > « cerca del 70% las utilizó para mejorar las imágenes de sus productos »
    
    Source: Informe Efecto MELI
    
-   20 %
    
    share of new AI users who created clips and videos
    
    New AI users among Mercado Libre sellers, Argentina, 2025
    
    > « el 20% las usó para crear clips y videos »
    
    Source: Informe Efecto MELI
    
-   14 %
    
    share of new AI users who used it to analyse reviews, complaints and cancellations
    
    New AI users among Mercado Libre sellers, Argentina, 2025
    
    > « Otro 14% recurrió a la inteligencia artificial para analizar reseñas, reclamos y cancelaciones. »
    
    Source: Informe Efecto MELI
    
-   33 %
    
    share of SMEs selling on Mercado Libre that believe AI has improved how they manage their business
    
    SMEs selling on Mercado Libre, Argentina
    
    > « un tercio de las PyMEs que venden en Mercado Libre considera que estas herramientas mejoraron la gestión de su negocio »
    
    Source: Informe Efecto MELI
    
-   27 %
    
    share of SMEs that developed or introduced new products using AI
    
    SMEs selling on Mercado Libre, Argentina
    
    > « el 27% de las PyMEs que venden en la plataforma desarrolló o incorporó nuevos productos gracias a esa experiencia »
    
    Source: Informe Efecto MELI
    
-   22 %
    
    share of SMEs that improved the stability of their sales and their ability to respond to demand
    
    SMEs selling on Mercado Libre, Argentina
    
    > « un 22% afirma haber mejorado la estabilidad de sus ventas y su capacidad para responder a cambios en la demanda »
    
    Source: Informe Efecto MELI
    

## Classification

**Country**

Argentina

**Company size**

SMEs, Micro-businesses

**Industries**

Retail and distribution, e-commerce

**Companies**

Mercado Libre (study author)

**Keywords**

smes, e-commerce, generative artificial intelligence, mercado libre, productivity, product images

Entry written by Marsanne Studio from the cited article, with the help of an AI model (claude-sonnet-5). The rights to the article and its illustrations belong to El Cronista. Entry translated from French by Claude Sonnet 5.5.