Weslaco Chamber Panel Discusess Catering to the Mexican Market

The flow of Mexican Shoppers who choose to shop in the Rio Grande Valley is a significant trend business professionals in the Mid Valley area are keeping an eye on. The Weslaco Area Chamber of Commerce hosted a luncheon on Wednesday, Nov. 28, to discuss the Mexican market and how local businesses can cater to their needs.

Providing the audience with first hand experience were Juan Carlos Hinojosa, Assistant General Manager of the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlet Mall in Mercedes; Joe Alejandro, Co-Manager of the Wal-Mart Store in Weslaco; and Rene Garza, Equipment Sales Manager of Burton Auto Supply.

Professionals who attended the luncheon were interested in knowing who the Mexican shopper is and where they are coming from.

The Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets opened its doors in November 2006 and has since then received visitors from the states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, including the cities of Reynosa and Monterrey. Of the total number of visitors to the stores, an estimated 75% are from Mexico.

The Premium Outlets are able to track where their shoppers are coming from by collecting data from customers who visit their stores in tour groups and rent items such as strollers within the complex. Customers are consistently encouraged to join the online shopping club which prompts them to provide their location.  

The characteristics of the Mexican shopper vary from store to store. “Our typical Mexican shoppers are brand conscious and will spend more than the domestic shopper on a ratio of 3 to 1,” stated Juan Hinojosa.

As for the Weslaco Wal-Mart, their typical Mexican shopper travels from Reynosa and Monterrey and is very family oriented. “They usually visit our stores on Fridays and Saturdays after 7 pm and will spend five minutes to two hours in the store,” stated Joe Alejandro, Wal-Mart Stores. “They try to maximize their time in the store by coming in with a list of things they need.”

The Mexican shopper Burton Auto Supply receives typically comes to them for parts that are hard to find in Mexico. How much money they spend depends on their needs, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

During a discussion of who has the buying power in the Mexican family, the consensus of the panel identified the male or father figure who generally distributes money to other family members.

Effectively reaching the Mexican market is a challenge Mid Valley businesses continually face. Juan Hinojosa explained how the Premium Outlets have created a strong advertising presence in Monterrey.  Their marketing strategy entails a large number of billboards and ads in El Norte, the largest newspaper network in Mexico. They have also established twelve billboards across the Rio Grande Valley to reach both locals and the Mexican market. Nonetheless, word of mouth continues to be the best method of advertising that has driven sales to their stores.

Overall the panel agreed that Mexican shoppers visit the United States to shop and dine and have high expectations of the products and services found in the U.S. It is obvious that Mexican shoppers are visiting the Mid Valley and that other types of industries besides these giant retailers can cater to the Mexican shopper.

 “We need to sell the Mid Valley as an entire package,” stated Juan Hinojosa. According to the panel, Mexican shoppers spend their money on apparel, electronics, and dining experiences. The discussion revealed that the Mid Valley could improve by offering some form of entertainment.

The panel applauded several festivals in the valley that are providing a unique type of entertainment that the Mexican consumer cannot find at home. Joe Alejandro suggested that the Mid Valley consider an annual celebration in honor of our Mexican shoppers similar to how Nuevo Progreso hosts Dia de Tourista for its tourists annually on March 21.

The Weslaco Chamber is actively looking for opportunities to drive traffic into the Mid Valley area. It recently signed a one year contract to advertise in El Norte newspaper during holidays when Mexican shoppers are expected to travel to the United States.

This luncheon was part of the Weslaco Chamber Lunch & Learn Series hosted once a month. For additional information, call 968-2102.