# Package Delivery in Mexico



## PatrickMurtha

I moved to Culiacan in July, to teach at a university here. I'm loving Mexico and plan to stay "for the duration." I was planning on retiring to this country anyway, and since I'm 53 and only have a dozen years left in my teaching career, it makes sense to just plant myself here if everything works out. I'm single and an animal-lover, so I adopted two kittens after I arrived (my longtime companion cat died a few months ago). They are delightful, and really my whole situation is: nice job, good money, pleasant city (despite its reputation), nice apartment. 

My question involves package delivery in Mexico. I receive my mail at the university's address, not at home. I have noticed that the sort of deliveries I usually get, from Amazon, other Internet retailers, and Ebay sellers in the U.S., and from the Book Depository in the U.K., are taking a good deal longer to arrive here than they did in Korea, where I taught last year. This seems counter-intuitive, but it is true. A couple of shipments are now six weeks out from their send dates, and I worry that they have vanished into the ether. So,

1) Are slow deliveries of packages from abroad something of a norm here in Mexico (unless you pay for expedited or trackable shipping, which I have done in some cases but is quite expensive)? 

2) If any of my packages were in some kind of "customs hell," how would I find out about that?

Any insights from experienced hands are greatly appreciated!


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## pappabee

PatrickMurtha said:


> I moved to Culiacan in July, to teach at a university here. I'm loving Mexico and plan to stay "for the duration." I was planning on retiring to this country anyway, and since I'm 53 and only have a dozen years left in my teaching career, it makes sense to just plant myself here if everything works out. I'm single and an animal-lover, so I adopted two kittens after I arrived (my longtime companion cat died a few months ago). They are delightful, and really my whole situation is: nice job, good money, pleasant city (despite its reputation), nice apartment.
> 
> My question involves package delivery in Mexico. I receive my mail at the university's address, not at home. I have noticed that the sort of deliveries I usually get, from Amazon, other Internet retailers, and Ebay sellers in the U.S., and from the Book Depository in the U.K., are taking a good deal longer to arrive here than they did in Korea, where I taught last year. This seems counter-intuitive, but it is true. A couple of shipments are now six weeks out from their send dates, and I worry that they have vanished into the ether. So,
> 
> 1) Are slow deliveries of packages from abroad something of a norm here in Mexico (unless you pay for expedited or trackable shipping, which I have done in some cases but is quite expensive)?
> 
> 2) If any of my packages were in some kind of "customs hell," how would I find out about that?
> 
> Any insights from experienced hands are greatly appreciated!


I bring in quite a few packages, mostly from the states. I use a mail drop in Texas so things seem to work better. While I was in the states I sent a package to my brother-in-law that took over 8 weeks to deliver. It is true that in some cases packages fall into the customs abyss but that is usually when they have a problem deciding if it can be imported or what the VAT should be. 

The first thing to find out is how you are shipping. Fed EX and United Parcel are fairly good but the US Postal service stinks. (now I know that there are some people who get US Postal in a few days and Fed EX and UPS take weeks but that's not my case). 

You mentioned Amazon and the usually ship FedEx. My Amazon shipments usually arrive at Laredo within two weeks of order. 

I would say that 4-8 weeks is typical.


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## Guest

When I first came to MX, I used express delivery for Amazon shipments. Amazon and their shipping charges killed that idea. I took someone's advice here and started buying books through BetterWorldBooks, sent through the postal system with no additional shipping costs. Some of their vendors shipments do take 6 or 7 weeks to get to my home.

Anything that is not time sensitive, use the postal system. On average, they do take 3 to 4 weeks to deliver to me at home, on occasion 6 or 7 weeks, but my packages have always arrived sooner or later. Typically, a young man on a bicycle will deliver a notice that they have a package. You need to take the delivery slip and ID to the local post office and claim the package. Neighbors will know where it is if you don't already.

I would have more concerns about something "disappearing" into sticky hands in the university than at the postal system. Why don't you use your home address?


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## MJB5293

i use e-box with mailbox ect it works fine and they only take a week 

cost is low and service at there locations is great


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## FHBOY

*Moving Towards Acceptance...and loving it!*

What is e-box?

How do you get the packages from Laredo? Do you drive there to pick them up? Isn't Ajijic about 15 hours from Laredo?

I sent a greeting card from here to Ajijic - it took about 4-5 weeks to be received (USPS). _Bienvenidos a Mexico!_

 I'm smiling because I know that I will need _paciencia_, and some how I am looking forward to that, even if it will take my American mind to slow down and _accept....accept....accept._


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## FHBOY

*MailBoxes Etc*

*...so that what e-box is! * And there is one on the carraterra in Chapala. Does it also help in expediting mail from, like, regular people, not just from online shopping?


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## RVGRINGO

MBE is horribly expensive and the one in the Chapala area (San Antonio Tlayacapan) seems to gouge on package handling and duty, but never provides Aduana (customs) receipts. Then, they'll just keep your stuff and sell it. We dropped them for another local provider with a Laredo address, long ago. Now, we pay 1/3 the price, share the box and get better service, including e-mail notice when we have mail.
Note that most things valued under $50 USD do NOT incur duty if delivered to your home by UPS, FedEx, etc. So, break up shipments, if possible.
So, if mail delivery to your home is possible, make that your priority. Also note that some shippers just won't ship to Mexico because things do go missing on occasion and they don't want the hassle. Once it leaves the USPS, they can't trace a package, and neither can you if it is mailed. Another advantage of the courier services mentioned above.


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## PatrickMurtha

Thanks for all the kind replies. I have my mail sent to the university address because I'm there all day, and I'm doubtful that anything left at my apartment door would be safe (although the front area of the building is locked). I trust the staff at the uni; they are helpful. I got a few packages today, as it happens. The Amazon and Book Depository shipments that I received were about 35 days out from the shipment date. (I've got one order I'm worried about that is 45 days out, but I will be patient.) The Ebay shipment was only 2 weeks out, comparable to my experiences in Korea.


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## doctormerida

*Mail deliverys*

I have lived in Mexico for 7 years and get many packages and the olny way that works from another country is ship from the USA is by express mail ups it will take 7 days and if not a restricted item will arrive 7 days, if it has taken 4 weeks it is stuck in customs and you need to call them to see if it is held up and my packages sometiomes get stuck there for rutine security check if you send anything please use a tracking number, never use amazon they are cheaters and where they get those prices for sending somthing I will never know, anything under 500 dollars will not cost you anything after that will be a charge of 16 percent tax unless they consider it medial wich needs saluds clearence, good luck.


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## tdemex

I've been using the "BackPorch" in Laredo for years, I'm in Monterrey and they have 2 outlets here where I can go and get my mail or packages. Never had a problem just get the po box from them and they deliver, Great people.


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## maesonna

When I buy a single book from a UK bookseller, it often arrives within 1 week, sent by regular mail. That's the speed record. Books purchased from US booksellers tend to take 5 to 6 weeks, and the slowest was about 8 weeks. I think the fastest I ever received a package from the US by regular mail was 2.5 weeks.


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## conorkilleen

I sent 2 large boxes of baby clothes to myself from my address in North Carolina. My wife is pregnant with our second daughter and we are reusing the baby clothes. I shipped them FEDEX. Well they have been stuck in customs for 2 weeks. They asked for paperwork to import as personal goods ( plane ticket, baggage ticket, passport with entry stamp, ect). After a week of back and forth they now say they cannot import them as personal goods......and if I import under another way(paying duties), I " could stand to lose a part of the shipment.". To me that tells me that the aduana is going to steal some of the baby clothes for the hassle of doing the paperwork.

My second option is to send the boxes back to a PO box in Macallen and having the boxes cross the border via land with a Mexican national. I have it worked out that to have the boxes sent back to the US and then to cross the border, send to Monterrey via Bus(like a DHL service but cheaper) it will cost me another $300 usd. The owner of my partner company had to do this when he sent items to Mexico back from his honeymoon via FEDEX....aduana did not let the "personal" items through customs for some reason.

My only fear now is that customs has already stolen some articles out of the boxes.


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## RVGRINGO

Probably; especially if "Made in China". A friend here had a few boxes sent to herself and one box contained new sheets, made in China. They arrived slashed.


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## tdemex

conorkilleen said:


> I sent 2 large boxes of baby clothes to myself from my address in North Carolina. My wife is pregnant with our second daughter and we are reusing the baby clothes. I shipped them FEDEX. Well they have been stuck in customs for 2 weeks. They asked for paperwork to import as personal goods ( plane ticket, baggage ticket, passport with entry stamp, ect). After a week of back and forth they now say they cannot import them as personal goods......and if I import under another way(paying duties), I " could stand to lose a part of the shipment.". To me that tells me that the aduana is going to steal some of the baby clothes for the hassle of doing the paperwork.
> 
> My second option is to send the boxes back to a PO box in Macallen and having the boxes cross the border via land with a Mexican national. I have it worked out that to have the boxes sent back to the US and then to cross the border, send to Monterrey via Bus(like a DHL service but cheaper) it will cost me another $300 usd. The owner of my partner company had to do this when he sent items to Mexico back from his honeymoon via FEDEX....aduana did not let the "personal" items through customs for some reason.
> 
> My only fear now is that customs has already stolen some articles out of the boxes.


If your sending them to Monterrey try the Backporch in Laredo I use them all the time, they send a truck daily to Monterrey, not very expensive, Good Luck!


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## conorkilleen

tdemex said:


> If your sending them to Monterrey try the Backporch in Laredo I use them all the time, they send a truck daily to Monterrey, not very expensive, Good Luck!


Thanks! I'll check them out. Can you PM me the information? Right now my partner company is using a guy from Reynosa that costs 500 pesos to cross with the boxes and then some other small fees to ship the boxes via bus to Monterrey. Feels a bit like smuggling but I guess this is common place for Mexican citizens to get stuff into Mexico without sending via FEDEX or UPS. I learned my lesson.


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## curiosa

tdemex said:


> If your sending them to Monterrey try the Backporch in Laredo I use them all the time, they send a truck daily to Monterrey, not very expensive, Good Luck!


Could you send me their information as well and do you know if they have a website? Thanks!


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## Guest

conorkilleen said:


> Thanks! I'll check them out. Can you PM me the information? Right now my partner company is using a guy from Reynosa that costs 500 pesos to cross with the boxes and then some other small fees to ship the boxes via bus to Monterrey. Feels a bit like smuggling but I guess this is common place for Mexican citizens to get stuff into Mexico without sending via FEDEX or UPS. I learned my lesson.


If one needs to use express to send things into MX, the only viable service is DHL.

The others - Fed-Ex and UPS - are not great here in MX. They tend to get things "stuck" in Customs and /or are just plain inept here in MX. I used DHL for both personal and business shipments and never had a problem. DHL packages were generally never opened. 

On the other hand, the majority of shipments with the other express companies had problems with paperwork or lengthy delays, and all packages were opened. DHL may be harder to find in the US now that they only deal with international shipments, but IMO it's worth the effort.


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## MJB5293

curiosa said:


> Could you send me their information as well and do you know if they have a website? Thanks!


why dont you try mail box ect they are located at 
Mail Boxes Etc. Mxico - Mensajera, empaque, embalaje, FEDEX, DHL, UPS, ESTAFETA.


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## leegleze

Since we have this notice board, I don't understand why people don't make use of it by posting for 'mules' to receive stuff in the US or Canada and bring it down for them. Most expat communities also have forums where such requests can be posted. I've lived in Mexico for almost 12 years, and the only way I get reliable delivery is if I ask Amazon (or whomever the seller is) to send it to a friend's address in Canada or the US before they come down for their vacation. They bring it to Mexico and I pick it up from them. No muss, no fuss! Forget FedEx, DHL, MBE, etc. They are expensive and untrustworthy.


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## curiosa

leegleze said:


> Since we have this notice board, I don't understand why people don't make use of it by posting for 'mules' to receive stuff in the US or Canada and bring it down for them. Most expat communities also have forums where such requests can be posted. I've lived in Mexico for almost 12 years, and the only way I get reliable delivery is if I ask Amazon (or whomever the seller is) to send it to a friend's address in Canada or the US before they come down for their vacation. They bring it to Mexico and I pick it up from them. No muss, no fuss! Forget FedEx, DHL, MBE, etc. They are expensive and untrustworthy.


The problem with that is if you don't have people visit so your only option is to have it shipped. When it's possible, it's great but otherwise, it's not an option.

I sent items to relatives in Nuevo Laredo hoping to have it mailed from there but there was so much inconsistency as to what the process was. I ended up having to send it back home and found an agent that would send it from Austin. Prior to that, I had traveled to Monterrey and shipped boxes from there inexpensively but that's no longer an option either. It's very expensive to ship. 



MJB5293 said:


> why dont you try mail box ect they are located at
> Mail Boxes Etc. Mxico - Mensajera, empaque, embalaje, FEDEX, DHL, UPS, ESTAFETA.


I'll check them out as well. Thanks!


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## casamaya

*Mexico Mail*

Hola, 
Read Where the Sky is Born: Living in the Land of the Maya,it has a funny story on
Mexico mails.

Personally, I think the person who said "sticky hands" at university was more accurate
on what could come of one's mail in Mexico. When we first moved to Quintana Roo,
our contractor (******) told us - Never have anyone mail you anything you wouldn't
want stolen. Yes, may have gotten a bit better, but for sure, it takes forever to get
anything from US. For a while it got so bad that MexPost put up signs with an
apple and a cross through it - as in - postal workers should not take mail...
good luck!


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## kcowan

I used MBE/UPS with great success until this spring when they started imposing a "tax" on my shipment for magazines I had paid for (90p per shipment). I will try DHL and mules this year.


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## traceyp

I've been living in Toluca, Mexico for the last 14 years and have just GIVEN UP on the Mexican postal system. NOTHING ever gets to me from the UK, not even greeting cards (with no money inside!). My mum is desperate to send small gifts to her grandchildren but can't afford the exorbitant prices of DHL, Fedex, etc. If anyone knows of a cheap "guaranteed" solution or regularly travels between the UK and Mexico and wouldn't mind bringing small gifts for my kids, I'd be eternally grateful!!!


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## RVGRINGO

The simple solution: Have granny send you funds by PayPal and an e-mail to tell you what she wants to give the children. Then, you go out and buy it, wrap it, put it in your mailbox and 'discover it' when the child is watching.


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## traceyp

I totally agree but my mum loves the fun of shopping for her grandkids, especially buying sweets/candies you can't get in Mexico and going to the post office to send them... You just can't get Smarties, Curly Wurlies, Maltesers and Creme Eggs in Mexico!!! We lived in Canada for a year and my mum went crazy shopping for the kids! Oh well, she makes up for it when we occasionally go and visit, especially at Christmas!


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## RVGRINGO

Customs guys all have sweet teeth.


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## traceyp

RVGRINGO said:


> Customs guys all have sweet teeth.


God moves in mysterious ways...
I went to pick up my kids from school this afternoon and one of the fathers who is a pilot told me he's going to London this week and did I want anything bringing back. He just made Grandma a very happy lady!!!


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## Isla Verde

GringoCArlos said:


> When I first came to MX, I used express delivery for Amazon shipments. Amazon and their shipping charges killed that idea. I took someone's advice here and started buying books through BetterWorldBooks, sent through the postal system with no additional shipping costs. Some of their vendors shipments do take 6 or 7 weeks to get to my home.


Amazon does go overboard with shipping charges to Mexico, so I rarely order anything from them anymore. Now it looks like I won't be ordering any more books from them since, thanks to your post, I've discovered BetterWorldBooks. I just checked out their website and found a book I've been looking for, and when I went through the check-out process learned that, indeed, there are no shipping charges for international orders! Thanks for the tip, GringoCArlos .


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## LuckyCharmz

Could just be different logistics protocols. I'm sure every country has their preferences, dynamics and such.


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## gypsymoth

We use Merkalink.com to get whatever we need, which often is from places which will not ship to a Mexican address, or to a mail drop in Texas. We have the item shipped to them; they take a fee, take care of the customs issues and from there, the item goes on to be shipped directly to our Mexican home BY UPS or Estafeta. Both have been reliable......nothing has disappeared as yet and sometimes the delivery is as short as a week from order to arrival. Worth checking out.


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