Following the elimination of the $ 42 fee, the receipt of packages in this category has grown.
With the Black Friday (Black Friday of discounts on purchases) at the doors and Christmas approaching, internet purchases are moving and the couriers they get ready to attend the dispatches of these acquisitions and the shipments made by the migrants at this time.
In the couriers They foresee that this season may have growth compared to last year. On the one hand, because the economy has been gradually reactivated; and, on the other hand, because the rate of $ 42 is no longer charged in the 4×4 mode (4 kg and up to $ 400), used to bring this type of products.
Aníbal Galarza, General Manager of Expresito, a company that has been operating since 2001, commented that people often bring toys, computers, shoes and clothing in this mode.
Companies that work as couriers they have various services. Some offer advice for the purchase, consolidate purchases into a single shipment or provide the alternative of locker service, with which the customer can send their purchases to an address in the United States and the signature courier He sends it to Ecuador.
Expresito offers its clients an address in New York or Miami. Transportation prices vary, depending on the type of merchandise. Usually in small purchases, people use the 4×4 category, where there are flat fees for bringing the package. These range from $ 32 to $ 40, Galarza said.
Amazon, eBay and Walmart are stores from which part of the purchases that are made online come from and which end up being brought by these companies.
Data from the National Customs Service of Ecuador indicate that imports under the 4×4 modality, which are in category B, between June and September 2020, reached 354,000 shipments, for an amount of approximately $ 42.7 million.
In the same period of this year, when the rate was already eliminated, 446,000 shipments were registered for an approximate amount of $ 52.8 million.
The largest imports by road courier they came from the United States, Spain and Hong Kong. The articles with the highest incidence in this type of import are textiles and footwear, according to Customs.
Before the $ 42 fee on 4×4 packages was waived, Customs collected approximately $ 4 million annually.
The companies perceive that, after the withdrawal of the tax, 4×4 shipments increased. Group Deliveries indicated that, between January and May 2021, the average monthly imports they registered was 7,456 shipments.
With the elimination of the tax, in June 4×4 imports had a growth of 83% compared to the month of May, since in that month about 14,400 shipments were made. These have been growing every month.
The growth was also evident in users, since between January and May it had an average of 6,256 users who imported under the 4×4 scheme, while in June it reported about 11,300.
This company indicated that the most imported products under the 4×4 category are clothing, vitamins and supplements, toys, watches and computers. Garments correspond to 58% of imports.
Consumer trends continue for these products, although the import of other items, such as hearing aids, small parts, books, video game consoles and speakers, is on the rise.
“The elimination of this tax allows to take advantage of the boom of electronic commerce and the possibility of importing products at better prices and that are not even found in the country ”, said the firm.
Juan Pablo Escobar, from JP Courier EC, He also comments that at this time you can see an increase in electronic products, but also clothing. This US-based startup receives purchases and ships them twice a month by air and once by sea – heavy cargo.
He receives the products at his office in Florida and then the cost of shipping is calculated by product type and weight. Then it is sent to Ecuador. On these dates it increases 20% more shipments and already drops in mid-January.
The company Tiendamania also indicated that imports by courier They increased 30% since the elimination of the 4×4 system, which, added to virtual commerce strategies, has made imports as everyday as going to the supermarket.
“In Tiendamia, which integrates the offer of the Amazon, Macy’s, eBay and Walmart platforms, there was a 450% increase in turnover until August of this year and the projections are expected to improve this month and also throughout November, especially on Black Friday… Before the elimination of the 4×4, people were forced to buy items that exceeded $ 200. This, so that the payment of the tax of $ 42 is justified. Currently, without this system on the horizon, purchases are lower, on average $ 120. This has made brands such as Cerave, Disney, Versace, StarWars or Vera Wang reach the country more easily ”, indicates the firm. (I)
To take into account
– In category B (4X4) it is not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages, used spare parts, cell phones, decoders, weapons, advertising printed matter.
-Food products, as well as vitamin supplements that exceed the weight and value of category B will require for their nationalization the presentation of the Sanitary Registry of the Ministry of Health.
– Since 2020 there are purchases that are made on international web platforms that must pay value added tax (VAT).
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