| Author | Message | ||
     Zander New member Username: Xanpatagon Post Number: 10 Registered: 12-2007 |
Hello all, I live in the Bariloche area and sometimes need to get personal items from the USA into Argentina, but don't want to pay the large shipping fee and then the import tax at the Post Office when it gets here. If it is shipped by UPS or DHL, it may get stuck in Buenos Aires, in Customs. And then it can cost a fortune to get released, and I live 1,000 miles from Buenos Aires. Shipments that go by the post go to the Post Office in Bariloche where the box (each box coming in from outside the country) is opened and inspected by the Customs officers and assessed a duty. The import duty I believe is 50% of the value of the item, plus 50% of the international shipping costs. Some things have no tax, like books. But things like electronics and clothes are taxed. For example, I have an old but high quality stereo receiver in the USA. It weighs about 15 pounds and is worth only $40. But shipping it here via the Post Office (so it clears customs when you pick it up), plus the tax, is several times more than the unit is worth. There is something basic in me that does not want to pay tax on something I already own, and especially don't want to pay tax on the shipping costs! However, if this was brought in luggage on the airplane when coming into Argentina, it is likely to never be checked, and if it is, there is (I believe) a $300 exclusion to bring things into the country and this would be far less than that. I was wondering if there was some way to form a barter matching system with people who are traveling from the US to BA, perhaps from this blog, who when coming back into Argentina have extra room in their luggage? Sometimes friends or family visiting might have extra room, and sometimes I have received things this way. In my example, living outside of BA, I could then pay to have it shipped to me via bus (Via Bariloche), or OCA, or the Correo. It would be up to the person carrying the (in this case) stereo and the person receiving it (me) to negotiate a price or fee, or some type of exchange for this service. Well, any ideas? Comments? And, is is possible to implement it on this blog...perhaps with a new category? | ||
| Living in Patagonia Member Username: Soulskier Post Number: 87 Registered: 9-2008 |
Hola Vencino, you forgot to mention you have to wait in a long line to get your package, and that is only Mon-Wed-Fri, 9-11am. I'll let you know if we have friends coming to visit. We have them bring us salad dressings and thai spices. | ||
| Zander New member Username: Xanpatagon Post Number: 11 Registered: 12-2007 |
That's right....Customs office is only open, at the Bariloche correo, a few hours a week. Great idea about the Thai spices....I love the parrillas here but sometimes really want some good Asian food....impossible to find. Thanks for the offer! | ||
| VGB Donna New member Username: Ixchel Post Number: 2 Registered: 11-2007 |
I hope there will be a new category on this subject. We are moving to Villa General Belgrano later this year and will also need things we miss from home occasionally. We are taking an extra suitcase each this March to bring things down for our casita to use while waiting for the containers to ariive! | ||
| Ana New member Username: Elvislover Post Number: 11 Registered: 5-2008 |
This would be great. We've actually done it with 4 people we know in town that travel to Argentina. We've asked them to take items for my husband's family and when they get there they ship them through mail. A couple others go to the same town so items get delivered in person. The only thing with this is that valuable items have to be carried on. The first time we sent things, out items were stolen from the checked-in luggage. My son's godfather (husband's cousin) flew from Monterrey, Mexico to Mexico City to Santiago/or Buenos Aires ( I can't remember), by the time he got home and opened the luggage, a watch, a digital camera and I believe a car stereo (only some connecting wires were left) and some colognes/perfumes were gone. Only the boxes and cases were left. We are guessing they were taken in Mexico, but who knows. Anyway, after that expensive and small items are taken in a backpack that we keep with us. | ||
| movingtoargentina.typepad.com Intermediate Member Username: Sapphos Post Number: 129 Registered: 2-2006 |
We have had great success getting a pricey car seat, special baby items, foods, dvds, books, etc through the "friends" system. I think it's just important to remember that people still have their own things to carry so we can't be too over the top, but it definately works! Laura Ebook Moving to and Living in Buenos Aires, Argentina http://movingtoargentina.typepad.com | ||
| Wizo New member Username: Wizo Post Number: 17 Registered: 6-2006 |
Though it sounds like a nice idea I can't see it working in practice. It's a huge risk carrying things for strangers over international borders - imagine if there were drugs or something planted somewhere in the package... | ||
| movingtoargentina.typepad.com Intermediate Member Username: Sapphos Post Number: 134 Registered: 2-2006 |
For us we never carried anything or had anything carried by strangers. It's always a good thing to make friends with other people where you live anyway both Argentines and people who live outside of Argentina. I guess I was fortuitous because my blog has allowed me to meet so many people and out of their good hearts brought many many things to me - even down to a box of detergent because I was allergic to the fragrances during my pregnancy. We traveled in with a 26" lcd packed into it's own suitcase, never got stopped in customs nor had it tampered with. But, we had a direct flight from Miami to Buenos Aires so if you have any transfers that's where it definitely adds an additional risk. | ||
| Bill Howard Member Username: Veritas01 Post Number: 60 Registered: 5-2006 |
In probably 20 or more trips to Argentina from New York over the past 9 years I never had my luggage checked once by Argentine customs. A few times in the early years when they had the button system (you pushed a button on the wall...if you got a green light you could go through without being inspected...if you got a red light you had to go into a line for luggage inspection)...I got red a few times but when they realized I was an American tourist they would waive me through. Every Christmas we bring a bunch of gifts with us for my wife's family and friends and so far no problems. On the other hand I have read about people who are bringing in their personal laptop and they have to go through hoops to get it into the country. I always bring my laptop and again...no problems. |
