Job Discussion Forums

FreddyM · Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 180 Location: Mexico

Anybody have experience with customs trying to get stuff shipped here from the U.S.? I know they can impose some hefty tariffs but I don't know how they determine what the fee will be.

I'm trying to determine if it would be cheaper for me to have a $1,000 dollar refurbished laptop shipped to me (something that would cost over $24,000 pesos new if bought here in Mexico) and just pay the aduana (and shipping) fees, or just buy a plane ticket and go pick it up in person? I'm assuming a plane ticket would cost upwards of $3,000 or $4,000 pesos, and I don't really have the time to make a long bus trip right now.

thelmadatter · Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 7:28 pm Post subject: shipping

FWIW

I shipped a desktop to myself in Toluca about 3 years ago. At the time it was about 2 years old. I only declared the value of it to be $250 USD. Maybe the reality was more like $400 or $500

I was charged 500 pesos in aduana.

I suspect the aduana fee would be less than a plane ticket.

YMMV

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

It must be a pretty spiffy laptop if it costs $1000 US refurbished!

One of the teachers here found that for the price of a new laptop in Mexico, she could fly return HUX to Houston, visit her parents for a long weekend, and buy the same model new in Texas. She brought it back in her carry-on bag.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

I know of a person here in DF who late late year had relatively new laptop shipped from the US. Cost of shipping was 90 dollars, and then aduana tacked on a 1,500 peso duty. Nasty little charge, but he needed the equipment.

M@tt · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 473 Location: here and there

i'd do the plane. in addition to breaking even, it's a chance to bring back two suitcases of stuff you left behind, if you have stuff you still want to bring from the US. in addition, you could bring back a stack of ipods or like items and recuperate the cost of the ticket.
and for the love of the virgin of guadalupe, if you buy tickets get them online!

MamaOaxaca · Joined: 03 Jan 2007 Posts: 201 Location: Mixteca, Oaxaca

Or get M@tt to bring it in to you?

Here in my town there is this great little company called PaisaPak. A couple of guys with US visa, racking up frequent flyer miles, carrying mole and such to the US, and bring packages from Oaxacans for their families here back with them.

The last duty I paid was on a double jogging stroller that I bought closeout on-line for 150 US dollars, I had to pay more than 2000 pesos in duty on it!!!! Totally unfair, as there was no way I could have bought it here. I should have waited until my parents came down and had them bring it in, but I took pitty on my 63 year old dad and didn't want to ask him to lug it to the airport.

I used to by a new laptop every time I went to the US, I bought them refurbished and also paid about 1000 for them, each year selling last years for the same price, but what you could buy for a 1000 got nicer every year so I enjoyed the "free" upgrade. But I stopped going and now have a 4-year-old computer. Confused