Buying from Amazon or similar

14POSTS

5 years ago

Hello fellow expats!

I just moved to Belize 2 weeks ago and found out that houses have no street numbers and cities don't have postal codes, amazing!
They just go about naming buildings and hoping everyone else eventually find out about them, at least in San Pedro.

Anyhow, it seems like belizeans don't get much mail or packages delivered and customs are a pain to import stuff.

Anyone has experience buying from US and getting goods delivered?

I found several couriers but they all look a bit shady and have delivery times of over a month.
There's also belize.desertcart.com which looks too good to be true so I'm convinced it's a scam.

Please help, I need to buy stuff like electronics, kids toys, etc... I'm in San Pedro.

Thanks!

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WendyBelize New member

8POSTS

5 years ago

I'm on Caye Caulker, I found best route is to buy from companies that ship using mail...not UPS or Fedex.
For mail I use General Delivery, Caye Caulker, Belize 00000 for shipping
You would use聽 General Delivery, San Pedro, Belize 00000
Your package will arrive at your post office in San Pedro...u would go in, show ID, and pay whatever duty is assessed.

maddes Member

14POSTS

5 years ago

How do you know when it arrived? Sender traking?

Are duties too arbitrary? I saw there's no duty for laptops for example, but also heard they just improvise and charge you anyway whatever they see fit.

WendyBelize New member

8POSTS

5 years ago

for tracking...that depends on the shipping type...some packages have tracking numbers and you will kno when it reaches belize...otherwise...just call your post office n ask them if they have received anything in your name. there is a chart of duties they follow...it should be posted on the wall in your post office. a majority of duties charged are 30% plus 12% GST...some are more...like jewelry is 70%...u can ask your post office what duty is charged on items...they will tell you. keep in mind duty is also charged on the shipping rate.

maddes Member

14POSTS

5 years ago

Thanks Wendy!

Cody9 New member

5POSTS

5 years ago

US mail has gone to hell in a hand basket. You don't know if what you mail will be delivered or not. I have experienced it, and know others that have also. Who knows what will happen if you mail out of country.

2 members reacted to this post

Ali.Gray Member

20POSTS

5 years ago

uS mail is a total crap shoot on a good week! Go with a courier, I鈥檝e used DHL to San Ignacio, expensive, not sure out to the Cayes. Could have it shipped air freight to Belize City, have someone pick it up & put it on the boat. I would NOT use the US Postal system. Customs is random. Dependent on who鈥檚 working, how many they need to process & how they are feeling about you. I recently paid BZE$1.17 on a US$20 item.

JudyStewart New member

3POSTS

5 years ago

Find a friend that鈥檚 coming to visit and ask them to bring extra stuff. Agree to pay for the extra charges. We take things for our friends all the time to Caye Caulker.聽 Good luck! Have you already taken all your USA stuff?聽 You could take extra stuff that people need. If you can still take stuff- boat motors resell great!, security cameras, fishing gear, cell phones.

JudyStewart New member

3POSTS

5 years ago

Items will leave the US with a few days, but once it leaves this country it could take weeks and people will have to pay tax on items they receive.聽 I send stuff to Argentina often. Even a birthday card will take a month. Don鈥檛 blame the USPS. It鈥檚 so much better than other countries!!

maddes Member

14POSTS

5 years ago

#10

So, FYI to all that kindly replied, I was recommended "Belize Queen Freight" by a guy that imports used mac's and resells them in Belmop谩n (contact available if you're interested).

They have a simple system, you just download their app, register, and then buy your stuff online adding their Texas warehouse address. They'll take a picture of the package when arrived to the warehouse and you'll receive it on your account section on the app. Their next shipment departs from USA on March 22 and arrives on April 5. They normally set sales around end of month apparently.

They deliver to your door (unless you're on an island), I'll keep you posted on April when my stuff arrives (or not, touching wood).

3 members reacted to this post

leighsbees Member

2POSTS

4 years ago

#11

Hello!

How did your items arrive? What was the duty situation? Thanks!

maddes Member

14POSTS

4 years ago

#12

I got it perfectly and paid no duties.
I only paid $50 bzd for the service, which for a $2000 product was totally worth it.

2 members reacted to this post

leighsbees Member

2POSTS

4 years ago

#13

That's so interesting!
Was the container household items and furniture? I am surprised they didn't inspect the container in Belize City and charge you duty on your items.

I'm definitely going to look into this company. My husband and I just bought a place in San Pedro and need to start thinking about getting our things down there as well as new furniture and household items.

helenhmja Active member

53POSTS

4 years ago

#14

ok people聽聽there is nothing聽 that amazon has聽聽for sale聽 that you can not purchase at sams club.....there is a sams club聽 in聽 chetumal mexico just over the northern border in the corozal district聽聽so聽 just drive over the border and purchase what ever you need聽聽...even here is the states i would not/will not purchase anything from amazon....my card was hacked聽 amazon did nothing聽 had to go聽 to my bank had card turned off and bank refunded money.......here is聽 the kicker聽聽i still get emails from amazon聽 saying that i needed聽 to up date payment information if i wanted to purchase聽 the item in my cart???????????????聽聽 have not even tried to purchase聽 anything from amazon in聽 two years聽 amazon聽 does not keep聽 accounts private聽 like they should聽聽so be careful聽 of purchase聽聽made on amazon

helenhmja Active member

53POSTS

4 years ago

#15

if you want to say in touch聽聽instead of snail mail..... how about e mail聽 or texting????聽聽i hardly use snail mail聽 here in usa聽聽 doubt i will ever use it聽 in聽 belze

Phillyman Active member

49POSTS

3 years ago

#16

@maddes

Hi!

I鈥檓 trying out an Amazon order to Belize via a shipping service. I shipped to Texas and from there it goes to Belize. I will keep you posted. All very shady but hopefully it works.

Aerodex Serial expat

259POSTS

3 years ago

#17

@maddes

Hi!

I鈥檓 trying out an Amazon order to Belize via a shipping service. I shipped to Texas and from there it goes to Belize. I will keep you posted. All very shady but hopefully it works.
- @Phillyman

It will be interesting to hear the progress and costs.

I have an acquaintance here in Placencia that has used a service located in Houston TX such as you described聽 and was happy with it. If I recall correctly they gathered orders until they had enough for at least half a shipping container load, then shipped it out, included聽 the customs import service. This was all pre-covid.聽聽聽

Brigitte B Serial expat

331POSTS

3 years ago

#18

Phillyman - We get our orders from Amazon and others shipped via a freight forwarder. Nothing shady. Totally legit.

It鈥檚 easy, freight is very reasonable and duties are about the same, or a little less

than at the airport or at the land border.

helenhmja Active member

53POSTS

3 years ago

#19

@maddes聽聽 people聽聽just north of corozal聽 7 miles to be exact聽 is chetuma mexico..聽 .聽聽聽In chetuma mexico聽 there is聽聽a sams club聽聽and a walmart聽聽 you did not need to worry about amazon聽聽as far as i am concerned聽聽is the聽 worst company ever聽聽so what ever you want or need you do not have to pay outrageous聽 prices to have something聽 shipped聽 from the聽聽usa

Aerodex Serial expat

259POSTS

3 years ago

#20

Occasionally one needs to send something quickly to another country. Example: Legal papers....

Tropical Air has FedEx boxes and envelopes at all their terminals. Your package is sent via Tropic to an agent at BZE Airport that puts it on an AA flight to Miami where it is put into the Fedex system.

I have done this twice with legal papers that needed rapid service via non electronic means. Three days from drop off to delivery in Dallas TX. Not bad when considers others methods. Cost was about a third more than doing the same thing from Miami to Dallas.

I understand DHL has a simular service through an agent in Belize City, but never used it.

1 member reacted to this post