BRAZIL - Magazine Luiza S.A., acquired the technology startup Integra Commerce (“Integra”), an e-commerce startup of Itajubá (MG). With the acquisition, web stores wishing to participate in Magazine Luiza’s marketplace will not need a intermediary platforms from third parties.

In addition to the reduction of fees, partners will have features such as price, inventory and logistics management, such as product tracking. The startup is a reference in software as a service (SaaS), allowing partners, in addition to marketplaces integration, to manage and optimize their everyday lives.

The acquisition accelerates the main strategy of Magazine Luiza for 2017: the development of an open digital platform with the lowest market costs for partners wishing to be part of it. "With Integra, we shortcut the way in developing the best platform on the market," says Frederico Trajano, CEO of Magazine Luiza. "With our marketplace, we want to exponentially expand our product offering to our millions of customers and enable our partners - the sellers - to grow sustainably."

Magazine Luiza's marketplace was created in 2016. In a few months, more than 220 thousand items - from diapers to tires, from beverages to cosmetics - were integrated into the portfolio and the development of the marketplace is a central point in the company's strategy.

Retailer Magazine Luiza was founded on November 16, 1957 and today includes 787 stores, a website and nine distribution centers strategically located in sixteen Brazilian states. The main product categories sold by Magazine Luiza are electronics & technology, home appliances, furniture, gifts and toys. Last year, Magazine Luiza earned 11.5 billion reais. In the last quarter, the digital channels - site, sales app and marketplace - accounted for 26% of total sales and grew 41% compared to the same period previous year.