By centralizing fulfillment, distribution, and operational visibility in a single infrastructure, Hawkers optimized inventory, reduced delivery times, and gained greater control over its regional expansion.
Fulfillment in 16 hours and national delivery in 1.3 days for PlatanoMelón with Cubbo
PlatanoMelón is an intimate well-being eCommerce born in Barcelona in 2014, which arrived in Mexico in 2020 to transform the way sex toys are marketed. With more than 200 thousand people in their community, they are market leaders in Spain and Mexico, combining product sales with sexual education through creative content on social networks, sexologists andsex experts en todos sus canales.
Ecommerce/DTC
+50
Spain (Barcelona) · Mexico (CDMX)
Entering the Mexican market meant facing a context marked by strong taboos around sexuality, which required developing subtle communication and differential positioning based on sexual education instead of conventional advertising.
At an operational level, the low level of banking in Mexico limited the payment options available, the nature of the product prevented digital marketing and remarketing, and international shipments from Spain generated times and costs that slowed down scalability in LATAM.
PlatanoMelón found in Cubbo the logistical muscle necessary to operate from Mexico with real efficiency: fulfillment in 16 hours on average from purchase to shipping, with nationwide delivery in 1.3 days on average and same-day delivery throughout the CDMX and Metropolitan Area.
Cubbo also guaranteed total discretion in the delivery process, aligned with the brand values, and facilitated LATAM's expansion to 9 countries—Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Guatemala, Ecuador and Puerto Rico—operating entirely from Mexico.
- 16 hours of average fulfillment (assortment, packaging and shipping)
- 1.3 days average delivery nationwide
- Same day delivery in CDMX and Metropolitan Area
- Active expansion to 9 countries of LATAM from Mexico
Sex toys are becoming an increasingly relevant market in Mexico. On average, people in the country spend close to 80 million pesos a year purchasing these products.
Today, in Cubbo’s success stories, we have PlátanoMelón, an ecommerce brand that arrived in Mexico to transform the way these products are marketed, while educating people and breaking down prejudices around sexuality.
To learn more about this innovative business proposal, we interviewed Lourdes Albín, Country Manager of PlátanoMelón Mexico.
How did PlátanoMelón start, how has it evolved, and where does it stand today?
“PlátanoMelón was born in Barcelona, Spain, in 2014 with the goal of promoting people’s happiness and wellbeing by encouraging self-esteem and improving intimacy with their partners.
The brand arrived in Mexico in mid-2020 with the objective of opening the ecommerce market and reaching a broader audience, especially people who had never experimented with toys before.
Thanks to our differentiated business model, we are currently market leaders in Spain and Mexico, and we continue working to position ourselves as a leading social movement in the erotic toy sector.
We want to challenge the stereotypes that still exist around sexuality in Mexico and break taboos, making sure people have access to new forms of pleasure in a way that is accessible to everyone. Today, we are already a community of more than 200,000 people.
During 2020, PlátanoMelón Mexico’s first year, we billed the same amount that PlátanoMelón Spain billed in its third year of operation. This was thanks to accelerated market growth and the know-how we already had in the sector.”
What makes PlátanoMelón different from other ecommerce brands in its field?
“Without a doubt, our biggest differentiator is that we are not a company that only sells products. We also create sexual education through creative content. Whether on social media or on our website, we want the fun experience to start there.
Our sexologists and sex experts answer questions about sexuality and our product catalog across all our channels and social networks. We want you to find your ideal toy, but above all, we want to help you live a happier, healthier, and more informed sexuality.
Fun is part of our brand DNA. We want people to learn to enjoy sexuality, leaving behind taboos, prejudices, and machismo, and living their sexuality to the fullest.
Finally, navigating our website is simple and intuitive, with friendly products. You will never find realistic products there. We even have a quiz that helps you find your ideal toy, depending on what you like or what you want to discover.”
Why did you decide to open an ecommerce operation in Mexico instead of another LATAM country?
“We were already receiving many orders from Mexico, and since they were international shipments, sending orders from Spain took more time and was more expensive.
We also saw strong interest from the Mexican market on social media. From Spain, we already had many followers there, and when we analyzed the sector in Mexico, we saw that there were still many taboos around sex toys.
That is why we decided to open PlátanoMelón in Mexico, where the market is clearly becoming more open, especially around topics related to sexuality and female sexuality. However, there are still many prejudices to break, and we want to be part of that revolution.
We want people to enjoy themselves freely, alone or as a couple, with just one click, without having to physically go to sex shops where they often find neon-lit environments full of taboos and realistic, unfriendly products.
Launching ecommerce from scratch in Mexico has also opened the market for us across the rest of LATAM. Today, we ship our products from Mexico to several countries, including Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Puerto Rico.
We are also working on reaching other major markets such as Brazil, a strategy we will be able to carry out with our fulfillment partner, Cubbo, because they are part of our expansion plans.”
What were the main challenges of opening a sex toy ecommerce business in Mexico?
“The most important thing we took into account when opening the market in Mexico was the strong taboo that still exists around sexuality.
That is why we focused on positioning ourselves with more subtle communication that responds to the needs of our followers and customers. We are constantly asking them about their concerns.
Today, many people in Mexico do not have anyone to talk to about these topics. Having a safe space with quality sexological information, where they can clarify their main doubts, is one of our differentiators. We do not only want to inform through our content. We also want to educate our audience.
Another challenge we found in the country was access to banking. Not everyone has access to credit or debit cards, which led us to consider different payment alternatives.
Designing strategies to reach new audiences without relying on digital marketing or remarketing was another challenge, since the nature of the product does not allow us to do so.
Finally, another major challenge was helping people see sexuality as something normal and positive for their wellbeing.”
Why are sex toys ideal products for ecommerce? Have you considered physical sales?
“So far in Mexico, we have not sold our products physically. The main benefit of selling online is that there are no intermediaries involved. We offer the products we manufacture directly, which allows us to sell premium toys made with high-quality materials at affordable prices for all budgets.
We believe cost should not be an obstacle for people who want to experiment with this type of sexual wellness product.
The main advantage of selling through ecommerce is that it allows for greater discretion, both when purchasing the product and when receiving it. Nobody finds out what you ordered. In addition, our shipments are ultra-discreet, making sure the person does not feel afraid or embarrassed when receiving the product.
We take maximum care of our customers’ privacy and carry out the entire delivery process safely. Our buyers can feel completely confident from start to finish.”
How has Cubbo contributed to PlátanoMelón’s ecommerce growth? What aspects have been most relevant?
“Cubbo has helped us build a robust logistics operation, which is reflected in two key indicators:
Fulfillment time: 16 hours on average, including picking, packaging, and shipping the order. This means only 16 hours pass from the moment the customer buys the sex toy on the website until they have it in their hands. It is a really efficient experience.
Nationwide delivery time: 1.3 days on average, with same-day delivery across Mexico City and the metropolitan area.
When people buy a sex toy, they want it now. Being able to deliver in 1.3 days on average makes a real difference compared to our competition and, above all, in terms of customer satisfaction.”
Do you have future expansion plans? If so, how do you plan to carry them out?
“Yes. We are evaluating growth into several countries. Just as we saw in Mexico, we have interest from buyers in both Latin America and the US and Canada.”
Would you recommend fulfillment services to other ecommerce businesses, and Cubbo as a provider?
“Yes. One of the things we like about Cubbo is that they are always willing to try new things to find efficiencies and improve the user experience. They have a very open and accessible team, which makes day-to-day work flow wonderfully.
They are always available to provide us with solutions.
Working with Cubbo has opened the doors to the LATAM market, helping us reduce delivery times and save on shipping. Initially, everything was shipped from Spain, and delivery times to Latin America, specifically Mexico, were long. Now, shipping from Mexico, those times have been shortened.”
What would you recommend to other ecommerce companies that want to distribute their products in other countries without having a physical presence?
“To other ecommerce companies that want to open markets in other countries without bringing their operational team, I would recommend looking for a strategic partner that provides efficient fulfillment solutions.
I would also recommend getting advice on legal issues and costs, being very clear with customers, and being prepared to provide timely support for any questions or issues buyers may have.”
Are you looking for an ally to help you improve your delivery process, strengthen your compliance, and increase customer satisfaction?
Contact us. Cubbo is a fulfillment center for ecommerce brands in Mexico and Colombia. Now, from Mexico, delivery times can be shortened thanks to our shipping platform in Mexico.
