Captive user base, catalog automation, and diversification: Totalplay's evolution toward e-commerce
Totalplay diversified its business model by evolving from a connectivity and entertainment service provider into an e-commerce operator through Totalplay Shop. The company leveraged the daily penetration it maintains in connected homes to integrate retail sales into its digital ecosystem.
E-commerce context in Mexico and business model
According to the 2026 Online Sales Study by AMVO, retail e-commerce in Mexico reached 941 billion pesos (+19.2% annual growth in 2025), representing 17.7% of total retail sales in the country. In this environment of 77.2 million digital buyers, online-only competitors grew at a rate of 23.7%.
Faced with margin compression in the traditional telecommunications sector, Totalplay structured an expanded commercial offering:
- Omnichannel channels: The store operates in an integrated manner across the web portal, the mobile application, and users' television interface.
- Integrated categories: It brings together third-party sellers to market products across electronics, home, grocery, and pharmacy.
- Monetization of captive traffic: Unlike new e-commerce ventures that must invest intensive capital in customer acquisition, Totalplay capitalizes on a recurring audience that already interacts with the brand for service payments and content consumption.
Technology architecture and strategic alliance with Mirakl
After attempting to develop the e-commerce infrastructure internally, the company decided to partner with specialized SaaS platform Mirakl to automate operational management:
- Process standardization: Automation of seller onboarding, third-party catalog unification, billing, and payment disbursements.
- Technology adoption: Totalplay is one of the 39 global companies that launched their marketplace using Mirakl's technology suite during 2024.
Details regarding the execution of this strategy and the project's lessons learned will be shared in a live webinar on October 28 at 11:00 a.m. (CDMX), featuring Cristina Taboada Acevedo (Head of Marketplace at Totalplay) and Cédric Vialle (Head of Customer Success at Mirakl).
From the editorial perspective of next+, Totalplay's move exemplifies the transition from providing basic infrastructure to creating convergent digital ecosystems. For recurring service companies (such as banking, insurance, and telecommunications), the primary commercial asset is not just the contracted service, but the continuous touchpoint and transactional trust built with the user. By integrating a marketplace on top of its own customer base and delegating operational complexity to a specialized technology partner, Totalplay increases customer lifetime value (LTV) and generates a new high-margin revenue stream without taking on inventory risks.