Don't bet on Mexico.
Choose how much risk we carry.
If your product passes our underwriting, we share the risk: you consign inventory and fund the test, we put our Mexican operating infrastructure behind it and split contribution margin 50/50. Or build your own Mexican entity from kickoff and keep more of the economics. Two honest structures, priced by who absorbs the risk.
Market size, pricing, top competitors, absent US brands, regulatory paths, and search demand for 50 Mexico categories. Plus the Opportunity Scanner: live marketplace data for your product in seconds.
Invite only, for products that pass Datahooks underwriting. You consign 2-3 SKUs (title stays with you until each unit sells) and fund the test; our Mexican operating entity imports and sells on Amazon MX and MercadoLibre, and we split contribution margin 50/50. Every dollar of the media budget goes to testing Mexican demand; it is not a Datahooks fee. The reserve covers the fixed cost of standing up our infrastructure; our upside comes from selling your product.
Your own Mexican operating entity from kickoff: you own the company, the listings, and the economics from the first commercial sale. Datahooks runs the market-entry and growth layer across marketplaces, D2C, and WhatsApp commerce. Regulatory, incorporation, import, and other third-party costs are pass-through. Best for brands already convinced Mexico belongs in their roadmap.
All prices in USD. In the pilot, Net Contribution = retail minus marketplace commission, payment processing, fulfillment, allocable import duties, and allocated advertising; IVA is excluded. Title to consigned inventory remains with the brand until each unit is sold; unsold inventory is returned or otherwise settled upon termination under the pilot agreement. Either party may exit on fifteen days written notice.
A distributor rents you Mexico.
The test hands you the keys.
The real comparison is not Datahooks vs nothing. It is a test paid from sales vs a distributor margin you pay forever vs a DIY path where 80% of brands stall before the first sale.
| Factor | Datahooks 90-Day Mexico Launch | Hiring a distributor | Doing it yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to start | Pilot: $5K media + $5K reserve, 50/50 CM · Launch: $15K + 15% | $10K-50K first order + 35-45% margin forever | $25K-50K+ before the first sale |
| Time to first sale | 90 days | 3-6 months to find and onboard | 6-12 months |
| Who owns the entity and the revenue | You, from kickoff: set up for you, in your name | The distributor owns the channel | You, after months of setup on your own |
| Your own D2C + WhatsApp channel | Built and operated for you | No — marketplace or retail only | You build it |
| Who owns pricing and positioning | You | The distributor | You |
| Data you get | Full marketplace analytics, SKU-level margin | Monthly sell-through reports, maybe | Everything, eventually |
| Regulatory compliance | Included, via partner network | Sometimes | You figure it out |
| Exit option | Stop after 90 days, keep the data | 6-12 months to unwind contracts | Sunk cost |
Pricing questions
How does the shared-risk pilot work?
You provide 2-3 SKUs on consignment (title remains with you until each unit is sold to an end customer) and fund a $5,000 media budget plus a $5,000 operating reserve. Our Mexican operating entity acts as Importer and Seller of Record on Amazon MX and MercadoLibre, absorbing regulatory notices, label adaptation, customs, marketplace operation, fulfillment, and reporting. For each unit sold, Net Contribution (retail minus variable costs and allocated advertising, IVA excluded) splits 50/50, settled monthly with a line-by-line statement. The 90-day clock starts when the first product is live.
Is the $5K media budget a Datahooks fee?
No. Every dollar of the media budget goes to testing Mexican demand for your product, and it appears line by line in the monthly statement. The operating reserve covers the fixed cost of standing up our infrastructure for your test. Our economic upside comes from the 50/50 split, which we only earn when your product sells.
Who qualifies for the shared-risk pilot?
It is invite only: available only for products that pass Datahooks underwriting. Start with the free Mexico Test Plan at /start; we run your catalog through our regulatory engine and live marketplace data, and if we believe your SKUs can sell, we offer to share the risk. If we don't, we tell you that too.
Who owns what in the Own Mexico launch?
You do, from day one. The $15K launch sets up your own Mexican operating entity as Merchant of Record: company, listings, permits, and revenue in your name from the first commercial sale, with regulatory, incorporation, and import costs passed through at cost. Datahooks runs the market-entry and growth layer for 15% of operated net sales. Nothing needs to transfer to you later, because it was always yours.
How does this compare to hiring a Mexico distributor?
A traditional distributor takes 35-45% margin, requires $10K-50K minimum first orders, controls your pricing and positioning, and takes 3-6 months to onboard. The shared-risk pilot caps your commitment at consigned inventory plus $10K, protects your margin with a floor price you set, and has us selling within 90 days of go-live, with an exit on fifteen days written notice.
Is there a free way to evaluate Mexico first?
Yes, and it is also the application: the 50 category reports at /market-intelligence are free and public, the Mexico Opportunity Scanner checks your product against live marketplace data, and the Mexico Test Plan at /start is a free 24-hour assessment that doubles as the underwriting for the shared-risk pilot.
Don't bet on Mexico. Test it.
Start with the free Mexico Test Plan: we review your brand and reply within 24 hours with landed cost, competitors, and a go/no-go read.
Get your free Mexico Test Plan