AI UGC for marketplace sellers: sell more on Shopee and Mercado Livre

Selling on marketplaces in Brazil, whether on Shopee or Mercado Livre, has become more competitive. The same product appears in dozens of different listings, with minimal price differences and practically identical photos. In this setting, the video creative became the main differentiator for sellers, both inside the platform and in the external traffic that brings the buyer to the listing.

UGC, video that looks like a recommendation from a real person, is the format that converts best in this context because it answers exactly what the product photo cannot show: real size, texture, packaging, assembly, how it works. With AI-generated UGC, marketplace sellers can produce this creative with no camera, no recording and no outside creator.

Why video changed the logic of marketplace ads

Shopee expanded its Videos tab by copying TikTok's logic: short vertical video, infinite scroll and an algorithm that learns what keeps the user watching. Mercado Livre, for its part, reported advertising revenue growth above 70% a year in dollars in the first quarter of 2026, with investment in AI tools for campaign setup, targeting and measurement.

This means the platforms are betting on video as the central format for product discovery, not as an optional add-on. Sellers who still advertise with photos alone lose ground to those who produce video regularly.

The problem most sellers face is not a lack of interest in video. It is a lack of capacity to produce it at volume. Recording a product video takes a camera, lighting, a script, editing and, in the case of UGC, a creator who records the content credibly. For anyone with dozens of SKUs, the math does not work with traditional production.

What UGC solves for marketplace sellers

UGC video solves four problems specific to the marketplace environment.

Visual differentiation in catalogs with identical products. When two listings show the same product at a similar price, the influencer video is what tips the purchase decision. The shopper is not just buying the product, they are buying the confidence that they will get what they saw.

Answers to questions the description does not cover. Real size next to a hand. How the color looks in natural light. How long assembly takes. What sound it makes when you open the package. Only video conveys this information effectively. Sellers who put these answers in the UGC script reduce complaints and returns.

A creative for external paid traffic. Many sellers use Meta Ads and TikTok Ads to send qualified traffic straight to the marketplace listing. UGC video is the creative that works best in this funnel because it looks organic in the feed and does not sound like a store ad.

Volume of variations for A/B testing. Finding the right hook is the hardest part of a marketplace ad. With AI-generated UGC, the seller can create 3, 5 or 10 script variations for the same product and test which converts best before scaling the budget.

The 4 UGC formats that work on marketplaces

1. Unboxing and first impressions

The influencer opens the package on camera and reacts to the product for the first time. This format works because it mirrors buyer behavior: they want to know what will arrive at the door, in what condition, with what packaging. The hook is in opening the box, not in presenting benefits.

It works especially well for electronics, accessories, home goods and any product where the packaging or presentation is part of the purchase argument.

2. Demo in a context of use

The influencer shows the product working in an everyday situation. For a pot, cooking. For an accessory, wearing it. For a tool, installing it. The context of use reduces the uncertainty of someone buying online without being able to touch the product.

The hook opens with a question the audience has: "Will it really fit in a small apartment?" or "Will this color look good on darker skin?". The demo answers visually.

3. Before-and-after comparison

The influencer shows a familiar problem, then presents the product as the solution. This format performs well for beauty products, home organization and any item that promises transformation: a closet organizer, a skincare item, a cleaning solution.

The hook starts from the problem: "My closet was a mess and I couldn't find anything." The product comes in as the turning point, not as a feature rundown.

4. Answer to the main objection

The influencer anticipates the main doubt holding back the purchase and answers it head-on. For imported products: "Did it arrive on time and undamaged?" For clothing: "Does the size match the chart?" For electronics: "Does it work with a standard outlet in Brazil?"

This format is effective in remarketing, for people who have seen the product but have not bought. The objection answered directly is the push that was missing.

How to write a UGC script for a marketplace product

A UGC script for a marketplace has a structure that respects the shopper's attention span and delivers the information they need to buy.

Hook (0 to 3s): a question the buyer has or a situation they recognize. It does not open with the product name. It opens with what the audience is thinking before they click.

Context (3 to 8s): who the influencer is and why they bought or used this product. The more specific, the more identification. "I bought it to see if it would fit in my compact car" is more effective than "I tested this product."

Demo (8 to 25s): the product in use, with the information the photo does not show. Size, real color, packaging, how it works, assembly. This is the core of the script and what sets UGC apart from the photo.

Result (25 to 35s): what the influencer thought after using it. It can be a short review, a pleasant surprise or the answer to the question that opened the video.

CTA (35 to 45s): straight to the link. "The link is in the bio" or "just tap the ad" works better than a generic call.

Channel strategy: where to run marketplace UGC

AvataReel generates video as an HD 9:16 MP4, which works on all three channels with no cropping or aspect-ratio adjustment. The script is the only element that changes depending on the channel and campaign goal.

How to scale creatives for a catalog with many SKUs

Sellers with dozens or hundreds of products face a volume problem: how to create UGC for each product without production cost making the strategy unworkable?

The answer is prioritizing by margin and volume potential. You do not need to create UGC for every SKU at once. The most efficient strategy is:

Map the 10 products with the highest margin or search volume and create UGC for those first. These are the products where a conversion gain has the biggest impact on results.

Create 3 script variations per product: one demo, one before-and-after comparison, one objection answer. Run them as an A/B test with a controlled budget and scale the format that converts best.

Reuse the learning for new SKUs. Once the winning script for a category is identified, the same angle can be adapted to similar products. An unboxing script that worked for an organization kit may work for other products in the same line with few changes.

Fitting into the seller's workflow

One practical point that makes adoption easier: AvataReel does not require the seller to ship the product to a creator, wait for the recording, approve the content and wait for final delivery. The flow is internal and controlled.

The seller picks the influencer from the catalog, writes the script based on the real product (the specifications and main purchase arguments), generates the video and receives the finished MP4. From script to final video, with no camera, no model and no production company.

For anyone managing a large catalog, this means the video creative stops being a one-off project that happens once a quarter and becomes part of the weekly ad management routine.

Where to start

If you sell on Shopee or Mercado Livre and do not have UGC video in your creatives yet, the most direct path is to take the product with the highest organic search volume inside the marketplace, the one that already gets visits but is not converting as well as it should, and create the first UGC for it.

Write the script around the most common questions that show up in the listing's Q&A or reviews. If buyers ask about size, put the answer in the script. If negative reviews mention a different color than expected, show the real color in the video.

To understand the structure of scripts that convert in short videos, the guide to UGC scripts that convert for 9:16 videos covers the 5 ready-made structures to adapt to the marketplace context. If you already have ads running and want to scale the volume of creatives, the guide to how to scale AI UGC creatives shows the step-by-step for building a catalog of variations per product. And for the complete UGC strategy for e-commerce, the guide to AI UGC for e-commerce gives the overview of the format for shops that sell both on their own site and on marketplaces.