Alkosto faces up to Amazon in Colombia's e-commerce market

With a network of stores, its own brand of electronic goods, and a fledgling e-commerce business, Alkosto has had an impressive rate of growth since its founding in 1987 and is now the 16th-largest retailer in Colombia. With the imminent arrival of the e-commerce giant Amazon to its homeland, however, it faces a new and formidable challenge: Upgrading its marketing, strategy, and operations to ensure that it remains competitive in the digital arena. To prepare for this task, Alkosto's leaders examined the e-commerce techniques and strategies used by their competitors in Latin America. Ultimately, they adopted a plan that focused on the creation of a new digital platform and enhanced the skills of the firm's human resources.