YouTube Shopping arrives in Argentina alongside Mercado Libre

YouTube announced the arrival of YouTube Shopping in Argentina through an exclusive partnership with Mercado Libre. The new tool will allow content creators to monetize their product recommendations and generate income through sales commissions.

The feature will be available for channels that have at least 500 subscribers and aims to transform the way users discover and purchase products within the platform.

What is YouTube Shopping and how does it work

The proposal combines content, entertainment, and e-commerce into a single experience. When an enabled creator tags a product in their videos, Shorts, or live streams, viewers will be able to access the post directly within Mercado Libre without interrupting playback.

This way, it will no longer be necessary to search for links in the description or comments. In the case of Shorts, for example, products will appear through interactive stickers visible on screen.

Additionally, any user will be able to purchase through this integration without needing a subscription to YouTube Premium.

Who can sell products and earn commissions

Creators who meet the requirements will be able to activate the feature from the Revenue section of YouTube Studio.

If they also create content on other platforms, they will need to register in the Mercado Libre Content and Affiliates Program.

The monetization system works through commissions on sales made through the creators' recommendations.

• Commissions of up to 15%, depending on the product category.

Why YouTube is betting on e-commerce

The company explained that the consumption of content related to purchases continues to grow worldwide. During 2025, users accumulated more than 40 billion hours watching commerce-related videos.

In Argentina, a survey by Ipsos showed that 87% of consumers who use Google or YouTube during the purchasing process are likely to choose the same brand again.

Moreover, views of shopping content on YouTube grew by 30% in the country even before the official launch of this tool.

What YouTube and Mercado Libre said about the partnership

Daniela Guerra, Head of Creators and Responsibility for YouTube Latin America, emphasized that the integration aims to turn trusted recommendations into real business opportunities for creators.

As she explained, the new experience simplifies the purchasing journey and allows users to complete the process without leaving the content they are watching.

For her part, Renata Hermida Gerez, Director of Social Commerce at Mercado Libre, stated that the partnership combines YouTube's discovery capability with the infrastructure and trust of Mercado Libre's e-commerce ecosystem.