Shipping a small electronic device

[Moe]

I would like to have someone from the States ship a small electronic device (Amazon Kindle) to me in Argentina. I understand the shipping will be pricey but what kind of customs fees should I expect? What is the fastest, most cost effective way to ship something like this?

 

[Neil]

I would like to have someone from the States ship a small electronic device (Amazon Kindle) to me in Argentina. I understand the shipping will be pricey but what kind of customs fees should I expect? What is the fastest, most cost effective way to ship something like this?

The best advice is to forget the shipping here you will probably end up paying double for it *if* it arrives..buy it local......

 

[D.B. Cooper]

You'll want to avoid the local postal service if possible. Specially when importing something from the US or EU.
Try the local Mercado Libre site. It's the eBay equivalent in Argentina. They have lots of models there.

 

[Caribbean Cool]

no........use grabr I use it

 

[Moe]

You'll want to avoid the local postal service if possible. Specially when importing something from the US or EU.
Try the local Mercado Libre site. It's the eBay equivalent in Argentina. They have lots of models there.

I looked there first but they don't stock the model I want. They actually don't have anything close to ebay or Amazon's selection.

 

[Moe]

The best advice is to forget the shipping here you will probably end up paying double for it *if* it arrives..buy it local......

Not an option for the model I want. Anyone actually shipped a device to Argentina and received it? I don't mind paying double.

 

[Quilombo]

Not an option for the model I want. Anyone actually shipped a device to Argentina and received it? I don't mind paying double.

Yup, I've done this a few times, and you actually have a couple options:

Tiendamia - I've used it, they let you buy 90% of the stuff advertised on Amazon/Walmart/eBay's US sites. You can pay in ARS or USD, and it will come to your door directly. To see the final price you must proceed to the checkout's final step before paying.

Aerobox - I've used them too, they're a mail forwarding company, you get a PO Box basically in Miami and have whatever you want from any company sent to it, and they consolidate the packages when you ask them to and bring them here. You'll need a CUIT/L and an AFIP level 3 access enabled, but they're cheaper than Tiendamia, and all their prices in USD will be paid at the BCRA exchange rate at the time they clear Aduana here via CBU/CVU.

For these two companies, and others like them, you have to remember you a franchise limit of 3 of the same type of item, i.e. 3 shirts (doesn't matter if two are T shirts and 1 is a dress shirt) 3 pants, 3 phones, 3 tablets (i.e. you can't buy 3 Apple iPads and 3 Samsung Galaxy tabs). Also, the government issued a DNU this week to further restrict these kinds of purchases, items must not weigh more than 50KG, and the FOB has a max value of $1,000 USD when entering the country.

There's also buying directly from Amazon, I've never done it, but heard people say it works similar to the above, but it's all in dollars. You use your AR address and filter for Amazon Global eligible items and they'll send it via courier to you.

Then there's also the cheapest way, the Puerta a Puerta scheme, but it's the slowest. You can receive 12 packages a year via this method, and your first $50 is tax free, and then it's 50% after, i.e a $75 kindle would be $12.50 in taxes at the official exchange rate. You have to do it via the Correo Argentino website, pay the duty, give them the tracking number, etc. and you may have to go in person to their massive distro center in Retiro, but most people don't need to. It takes at least 30 business days once arriving in the country though, so it's also the slowest.

Finally, there's Grabr as Caribbean said; I've never used it, and it's technically illegal, but it's also the fastest and cheapest as people bring stuff with them when on vacation visiting Argentina.

Hope this helps!

 

[Caribbean Cool]

I used Grabr to get Metamucil....which is relativily heavy....would have cost $200 using Mercadolibre....$95 using grabr.....people make comments and they don't know what they are talking about. I would buy an Iphone if I needed it.

 

[Quilombo]

I used Grabr to get Metamucil....which is relativily heavy....would have cost $200 using Mercadolibre....$95 using grabr.....people make comments and they don't know what they are talking about. I would buy an Iphone if I needed it.

I'm not saying don't use it or it doesn't work, I'd use it myself too if I only needed 1 thing, what I'm just saying that much like how the dollar blue is technically illegal, so is using Grabr to "import" things since it operates outside of officially sanctioned channels by AFIP and Aduana for importing goods in to the country.

Is Moe going to get arrested if he uses it to get a $75 tablet? No, of course not, but Aduana can legally seize it if the Grabr person was dumb enough to say "This tablet? Oh yeah, I'm being paid by a local to bring it here" but the odds of that are extremely low, plus I'm pretty sure they have a reimbursement process for items not delivered. Is your favorite cueva going to be raided? Probably not, but it could be, but again, you're not the one they're after even if you buying/selling dollars there is illegal.

 

[Caribbean Cool]

In case anyone has such a dull life as to read what Quilombo said....Grabr is paid by credit card (to Grabr)...and the payment to the person bringing the merchandise is not made until the recepient certifies the merchandise has been delivered. Any problems are the responibility of the the currior. Next problem.