There are two main direct ways $MercadoLibre(MELI)$ monetizes the e-commerce marketplace: - First-party sales (1P) - Third-party sales (3P) When MELI sells products that it owns and holds in inventory to customers, it acts as a first-party seller. In this scenario, MELI sources goods directly from the manufacturer or the distributor and handles the transportation and storage. Most crucially, the company is in full control of pricing and recognizes the entire sale as revenue. So, if they sell a blender for $60, they recognize the whole $60 as revenue. Meanwhile, 3P is when a product purchased by the customer is sold by an independent merchant, not by Mercado Libre itself. MELI charges the merchant fees for using the platform and recognizes said fee