Magalu brings fresh sparkle and record sales to the year’s biggest shopping week

The goal: Stay one step ahead of the shopping rush

Meet Lu do Magalu, Brazil’s favorite virtual personality and the friendly face of retail giant Magazine Luiza, widely known as Magalu. What started as a 3D shopping assistant back in 2003 has grown into a cultural icon with millions of followers and a mission to make digital shopping feel human. Lu’s cheerful tone captures everything Magalu stands for: innovation with heart, and a promise to always put people first.

That same spirit drives how the Magalu team approaches business. With more than 1,480 stores and one of Brazil’s largest e-commerce operations, the company needed a faster way to keep every product visible and accurate during the most intense retail moment of the year—Black Friday. Millions of SKUs, sellers, and prices were changing daily, and the team wanted to make sure customers could find the right deals at the right time without missing a beat.

The solution: Updates that move at the speed of Black Friday

Working with Microsoft Advertising and agency partner Monks, Magalu built a new way to keep its vast product catalog humming. Together, the teams developed a custom API integration with Microsoft Merchant Center, allowing Magalu to sync prices, products, and inventory data automatically.

Here’s what made it work:

• A faster pipeline: The new API cut manual updates, letting Magalu adjust listings in near real time as inventory and prices changed.
• Room to grow: The integration opened the door for more SKUs and sellers, expanding selection just in time for the shopping rush.
• Tuned-in timing: Hourly reporting and seasonality adjustments helped Magalu stay agile, so top categories remained visible when demand peaked.
• Hands-on partnership: Microsoft Advertising and Monks maintained close alignment with Magalu’s team through Black Friday, ensuring campaigns reflected live catalog updates.

The result was a system that moved as quickly as the customers it served, keeping energy high and carts full.

The results: Record sales and a season that shines

The payoff was as bright as Lu’s smile. During Black Friday 2024, Magalu saw standout results across Microsoft Shopping campaigns:

• 42% increase in gross merchandise value (GMV) year-over-year (first- and third-party combined)
• 23% increase in average ticket value
• 101% increase in GMV growth for third-party sellers during Black Friday week
• 33% increase in orders and 51% increase in average ticket value for third-party campaigns

The momentum didn’t stop there. January’s Fantastic Sale delivered a 91% GMV lift and 20% ROAS increase compared with the previous year.

How you can achieve similar success

Here’s how to bring a little Magalu magic to your own campaigns:

• Build your foundation with API integration: Connect your catalog to Microsoft Merchant Center to keep listings fresh and accurate.
• Use automated bidding and budget tools: Stay competitive during peak shopping periods with responsive tweaks.
• Pair data with timing: Use seasonal adjustments and performance insights to catch demand as it rises.
• Apply audience targeting: Reach customers most likely to engage and convert.
• Collaborate closely: Adapt fast when traffic surges by working in lockstep with your agency or platform partners.

Want to keep your campaigns shining through every shopping season? Talk to a Microsoft Advertising expert to learn how.