Job Discussion Forums

[junkyak]

Just wondering if its a hassle to order things online from US based websites when in Mexico.

I ask because I work out and take protein supplements. I dont want to bring in jars of "white powder" into mexico.

[notamiss]

There are plenty of powdered protein supplements for sale in Mexico.

[El Gallo]

I would never do this because many things get stolen or destroyed in shipmant. There are also long delivery delays. I had a very bad experience with a company called MultiPack that Fed Ex uses to deliver their shipments here. You may get lucky or it may work in other parts of Mexico but as for the southeast, most people wouldn't trust the delivery system.

[M@tt]

you are much better off taking it in with you, if you have space in your luggage. every time i go to mexico i carry little vials or jars or bags of creatine, glutamine, protein, etc. and have never had a problem. nobody cares. the one time a US agent got suspicious i told him what it was and he tasted some creatine and then smiled.
secondly, as everyone will tell you, the postal service is not to be trusted. the last package i sent to someone never made it. you stand a good chance of whatever you send being stolen or destroyed.

[junkyak]

[lozwich]

Living in the land of white powder, I often bring in pancake mix, cornbread mix, and various other white powders for cooking and no-one has ever even looked at these. But like Matt points out, all they have to do is taste it and they'll know what it isn't.

Depending on where you are, you can do border runs, or as was mentioned the 'naturista' or health food shops in Mexico sell enormous vats of body building stuff, even in the smaller towns. It might not be the brand you prefer, but just get the names of the ingredients in Spanish and you should be fine. I get my osteoarthritis protein supplements at the pharmacy. They cost a little more, but I can trust that I'm getting what I pay for.

[MELEE]

Don't know about nutritional supplements, but I and people I work with order things off of Amazon.com all the time. It comes by fedex and has always gotten here--they shipping is usually equal or more than the value of 1 book, so it's got to be something you really want.
I've also recently had a problem with a different online store not accepting my Mexican credit card. Though with Amazon that's not a problem.

[Phil_K]

I tried on two occasions to move goods between the USA and Mexico. I wanted a DVD from Amazon but the shipping was more than the DVD and the same thing was true when I wanted to sell something on eBay. It's incredible as the countries are neighbors!

[Samantha]

Have you thought to try Mercado Libre here in Mexico?

[danielita]

I had a package sent to me by a friend from Canada. Around here, most people recommend having it sent to your place of work rather than your home. It seems that stuff sent to our university gets more respect than stuff sent to your house. I am not sure how true it is, but I did get my package (although the box did look like it had been dragged through the desert by a rabid donkey)

[notamiss]

I checked the prices of some protein supplements today: different kinds of Weider powders were selling at roughly 200 pesos per kg. These were prices in small shops in Xochimilco; I can't say how they'd compare to other places and other types of stores.

On another note, namely ordering stuff from el norte, my copy of Deathly Hallows from the Chapters-Indigo bookstore in Canada arrived yesterday. It was sent by regular mail & the mailman brought it & rang the doorbell because it was too big for the mailbox.

[MELEE]

Great News!

Amate Books, probably my favorite bookstore in the whole world, especially in Mexico, has expanded into the online world! You can now order books from them and they will ship them anywhere in Mexico.

http://www.amatebooks.com/aparador.php

They have also opened a new physical location in Merida for our friends in the Yucatan!!!!

[Gary Denness]

I've ordered books from Amazon before and had no problem....except the tax that I had to pay when receiving the delivery. Adds to the cost a bit...

[seanie]

[Gary Denness]