Buying internationally from Amazon or Alibaba

[antipodean]

In the small print of Aduanas and these door to door sites, you are allowed to make I think 4 annual purchases of US$50 or less abroad and sent here without duty. After either amount, the 50% of value duty applies which can kill the deal.

 

[EL_TIGRE_de_Tigre]

In the small print of Aduanas and these door to door sites, you are allowed to make I think 4 annual purchases of US$50 or less abroad and sent here without duty. After either amount, the 50% of value duty applies which can kill the deal.

Anti,

It will only "kill the deal" for the person who does not have the means.

If you are buying a $300 USD item and the tax is another $150 USD, the total cost is about $450 USD. From my point of view, it is worth it all day long.

You don't have to deprive yourself of what you want or need in the near term. You don't become a mule the next time you travel. And you don't feel the need to travel because you want to buy something that could be big and bulky.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't have more money than brains! It makes perfect sense to save that iPhone and Mac Book Pro purchase for the next time you travel These are purchases that could represent meaningful savings, plus they travel real well in a carry on.

For something like a coffee pot or I don't know what else it may be??? Buy it online, let it get shipped and focus on the next thing.

 

[lunar]

the video is not very clear. so she paid more in import taxes on her phone than the european value of the phone? and then 30% on top of that ?

This particular phone is 47,000 pesos on mercadolibre now.
If you would be able to buy it on amazon.es for an official exchange rate without any duties and taxes, it costed you 18,400 pesos. That's 2.5 times less.

I guess even after adding duties and taxes the price still ends up cheaper than the local price.

 

[lunar]

It will only "kill the deal" for the person who does not have the means.

People who have means buy yachts. Phone is more like a basic need.

 

[EL_TIGRE_de_Tigre]

People who have means buy yachts. Phone is more like a basic need.

Hi Lunar,

Yes, a handset is a basic need today. We agree on that.

And I get your point about higher net worth people being able to afford dream possessions.

 

[expat0tree]

Anti,

It will only "kill the deal" for the person who does not have the means.

If you are buying a $300 USD item and the tax is another $150 USD, the total cost is about $450 USD. From my point of view, it is worth it all day long.

You don't have to deprive yourself of what you want or need in the near term. You don't become a mule the next time you travel. And you don't feel the need to travel because you want to buy something that could be big and bulky.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't have more money than brains! It makes perfect sense to save that iPhone and Mac Book Pro purchase for the next time you travel These are purchases that could represent meaningful savings, plus they travel real well in a carry on.

For something like a coffee pot or I don't know what else it may be??? Buy it online, let it get shipped and focus on the next thing.

i'm a carpenter and thinking about some hand tools that don't exist here, as well as good replacement blades for tools and eventually even an actual bulky power tool. i wish i knew someone who ordered something big from amazon and it went for them.

 

[Redpossum]

are you suggesting crossing into paraguay via misiones? i see no point in flying. too costly. too much of a pain in the ass.

Why not just take the Buquebus across the river to Colonia? Grab some dollars from the ATM, pick up your package from the DHL office there, take it out of the box and throw away the packaging, smear a little shoe polish on the item to make it look used, smoke some legal weed, (for medicinal purposes only, of course!), have a leisurely lunch, and come back the same evening, taking advantage of the duty-free shop onboard the ferry.

 

[jlynch]

Why not just take the Buquebus across the river to Colonia? Grab some dollars from the ATM, pick up your package from the DHL office there, take it out of the box and throw away the packaging, smear a little shoe polish on the item to make it look used, smoke some legal weed, (for medicinal purposes only, of course!), have a leisurely lunch, and come back the same evening, taking advantage of the duty-free shop onboard the ferry.

what about the customs taxes in Uruguay for receiving the packages?

 

[Redpossum]

what about the customs taxes in Uruguay for receiving the packages?

I honestly have no idea. I haven't made the Colonia run since late 2014. For all I know, the Buquebus may have sunk at its moorings or been hijacked by the river pirates. The last time I was down at the waterfront was just to score some bacon from the bacon smugglers.

 

[UK Man]

I honestly have no idea. I haven't made the Colonia run since late 2014. For all I know, the Buquebus may have sunk at its moorings or been hijacked by the river pirates. The last time I was down at the waterfront was just to score some bacon from the bacon smugglers.

What's the difference between the smuggled bacon and the bacon you get here?