Amazon Now Delivers .. to Ecuador

I ordered a book from Amazon.com on November 3rd and received it on December 28th  The shipping was 10 dollars and there were no additional tariffs imposed, since books are excluded.  I wouldn't have bought it if there was a Kindle format.

Nards Barley wrote:

I ordered a book from Amazon.com on November 3rd and received it on December 28th  The shipping was 10 dollars and there were no additional tariffs imposed, since books are excluded.  I wouldn't have bought it if there was a Kindle format.

Even with the eight-weeks shipping time, that's a success story.

cccmedia in Quito

Thanks cccmedia for the info about Amazon. As you clarify the picture please keep us informed. Much appreciated,
Russell

Amazon is weird, I tried to order 2 books, and the shipping for one was $10 (same as Nards quoted) and when I selected to combine them the price for both was $15. All good but they stated it would take 18-32 days with no tracking. So I elected to pay more for quicker shipping and the total was $25 for shipping but when checking out, the total cost increased by more than $100 for a imported fee deposit, which I assumed was in place to pay for duty fees.

I understand that no duty incurs when shipping regular mail and price is less than $400, but duty incurs when using courier mail (ex: DHL), BUT these are books, and based on the information I have, books have a 0% duty rate.

So hypothetically despite the choice of shipping there should be no duty on books. So why would Amazon ask for a security deposit? Is it just procedural and refunded or do custom authorities here charge duty on books that are sent via DHL/Fedex/UPS even though the law stipulates that books don't incur duty?

vsimple wrote:

Amazon is weird....

hypothetically ... there should be no duty on books. So why would Amazon ask for a security deposit? Is it just procedural and refunded or do custom authorities here charge duty on books that are sent via DHL/Fedex/UPS even though the law stipulates that books don't incur duty?

Amazon is rightly protecting itself from the dogs of SENAE, Ecuador's law-unto-itself customs agency that works with EC's postal service and other delivery methods.

There apparently is no tax due on books, but if correct paperwork -- correct in SENAE's view or the EC postal service's opinion, etc. -- is not filed by the buyer and/or Amazon, SENAE may collect its pound of flesh.

Also, since the laws and regulations and enforcement here are subject to change and interpretation, IMO Amazon can't rely on a consistent tariff/tax scenario when sending product to Ecuador.

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In my tortured experience ordering shipments to Ecuador (2013-14), Amazon was the only hero.  Ecuador's mail service and the now-defunct Club Correos and the Club Correos ESL shipping partner in Miami get below-average grades.  Amazon demonstrated outstanding customer service along the way.

cccmedia in Quito

If you try to order any kind of electronic device, e.g. laptop, Amazon gives you the following message with regard to shipping to Ecuador:
"Sorry, this item can't be shipped to your selected address". I currently don't know of any reliable way to order from the USA for delivery to Ecuador without using an import agent.

russelleaton wrote:

If you try to order any kind of electronic device, e.g. laptop, Amazon gives you the following message with regard to shipping to Ecuador:
"Sorry, this item can't be shipped to your selected address". I currently don't know of any reliable way to order from the USA for delivery to Ecuador without using an import agent.

You can order some laptops and electronics from Amazon. Follow these steps:

1. Google: Amazon Global and click on the first link it should state - AmazonGlobal-International Shipping Made Easy

2.The above will take you to your Amazon account

3. In the Amazon search bar, the left side will read "international Shipping", and what ever you search do so only under International Shipping. For example if you type laptops, it will give you an option to search for "laptops in international shipping"

It will give you choices of laptops that are available for international shipping, afterwards proceed as you normally would, you will have to pay an additional import deposit fee.

I know the above doesn't seem straightforward but as far as I know it's the only way to access products (other than books) that are available for international shipping.


To give you an idea a $750 laptop comes out to be about $950 including expedited shipping 7-11 days and import fees deposit.

Note: I haven't ordered a laptop from Amazon so don't blame me if you are charged more duty than Amazon's import fees. My point is that it's possible to order some laptops from Amazon and have them shipped directly here.

I think those estimated import fees are based on the fact the package does not fall within the 4x4 (under 4 kg and $400) shipping category.  If it were, you would incur shipping charges plus a $42 fixed duty fee for using a courier service such as UPS to get it to Ecuador.

If I am going to buy a laptop, I would possibly buy it off of Ebay from a seller that offers U.S.P.S international priority mail shipping to Ecuador, or I would buy it off of Amazon and have it mailed to my p.o. box at EconExpressBox and then pay theircorresponding fees.  They would send it using USPS priority International mail and there would be nothing more to pay except for the $5 at the post office's window.

Interesting about econExpressBox. I will look into it. Thanks Nards.

russelleaton wrote:

Interesting about econExpressBox. I will look into it. Thanks Nards.

I share in detail the shipping of some stuff using this service in the following thread:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=445817

It appears to me, that Amazon.com is applying Category F when calculating import duties for electronics and computers.



http://www.aduana.gob.ec/pro/courier.action

How about prescription medications ---any company you know of that will ship to Quito --back Home

dodd sheikh

Dodd Sheikh wrote:

How about prescription medications ---any company you know of that will ship to Quito?

Dear Dodd,

According to your avatar profile, you are married and living in metro Quito.

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Relying on ongoing meds shipments from overseas is not your best option.

Your first option is to be under the supervision of a doctor in Ecuador .. and have him or her prescribe the medicine you need based on your current state of health and the meds available.  This might require an adjustment in your current prescriptions.

Bone up on the Spanish terms relevant to your case .. or have your wife or family member accompany you to the doctor if the doc is not adept at speaking English.

cccmedia