online purchases from outside Argentina

[Flay]

Hi,
I'm hoping someone who has bought products online from outside Argentina can help me with this query. If I buy a product, from Amazon for example, with my UK credit card and have it delivered to an address in Buenos Aires, will it be delivered with no problems or will there be customs issues, ie: I will have to go and collect it from aduana and pay an import tax/VAT etc?
Thanks

 

[bseabrooke]

I'm not sure about ALL items, but Amazon won't deliver the majority of items to Argentina unfortunately

 

[el_expatriado]

You will pay 50% import tax unless it is a book with an ISBN number.

 

[Flay]

hmm, I feared as much.

Any idea what would happen if I had a product sent to a friend/family member back at home, and then had them repackage it send it to Argentina by courier? At that case, the product would be a gift. Do they charge import taxes on gifts as well?! It would be pretty harsh if my grandma sent me a Christmas present in December and I had to go to the aduana and pay to collect it.

 

[el_expatriado]

hmm, I feared as much.

Any idea what would happen if I had a product sent to a friend/family member back at home, and then had them repackage it send it to Argentina by courier? At that case, the product would be a gift. Do they charge import taxes on gifts as well?! It would be pretty harsh if my grandma sent me a Christmas present in December and I had to go to the aduana and pay to collect it.

I sent a birthday gift to a friend once (camera) and she had to pay the 50% in order to receive it. Aduanas doesn't care who paid for it and they don't care about your grandma. If you want to receive it, you need to pay the tax.

 

[French jurist]

hmm, I feared as much.

Any idea what would happen if I had a product sent to a friend/family member back at home, and then had them repackage it send it to Argentina by courier? At that case, the product would be a gift. Do they charge import taxes on gifts as well?! It would be pretty harsh if my grandma sent me a Christmas present in December and I had to go to the aduana and pay to collect it.

If you ask it to be sent by courier, you'll likely have to go to Ezeiza airport to pick it up. Better opt for priority/registered airmail (you have to go to Retiro in the worst case).

If you go to Retiro, better go 10 minutes before the office closes (5 pm if I recall): they give the packages quicker then (time to go home, he!).

Also, I'm not sure if it's still possible to "negotiate" at Retiro (there has been a crackdown on Customs agents in Ezeiza with hidden cameras and such = they seized 1000s of dollars, just for one day of work...).

 

[GeorgeAus]

Iv sent a ton of things while I was in AUS to my Girlfriend here, each time she had to go collect and pay a tax. Then when I arrived I bought a few things online sent them to my brother he repacked it sent it as a gift and I paid a tax again. Good luck

 

[PhilipDT]

I got a replacement part for one of my kitchen aid accessories slipped in an envelope with some other documents and such and had it shipped via fedEx international priority and it was delivered right to my door.

 

[jeff1234]

I recently bought sneakers through Amazon with my USA credit card and had them delivered to me in La Plata. They arrived quickly and without problem.
However, the Amazon vendor charged me a hefty shipping fee which I agreed to before placing the final order. Some vendor told me that they didnt ship to Argentina for several others did.
When the sneakers arrived the delivery man asked me for a customs fee that was 100% equal to the cost of the sneakers.
In total I paid about 2 1/2 the Amazon advertised price of the sneakers.
I was still happy with the purchase because I felt that I got much better quality sneakers this way than what I saw in the stores here and in-total paid less.
Another issue was that I wear 8 1/2 size and the stores here did not carry half sizes so I would have had to pay more for sneakers that felt poor quality and were either a half size too small or too big for me.
Note: When you are playing a sport you certainly dont want your foot wear to be too big or too small!!!!
I wrote to Amazon and the vendor saying that I would have liked them to tell me the final cost at the beginning and not leave it up to the delivery man.
They responded that they are unable to figure out what the customs fees will be in Argentina and next time I should research that before ordering.
I would definitely use Amazon again when I can't find a product that I need locally.

 

[Farenheit]

I receive small packages at the door from my mum in UK containing t-shirts and books. She uses plain padded envelopes and the weight is usually under 500g, she marks the customs slip as gift. No problems this year, have received 4 or 5.