As a US-based company, you may have considered shipping your products to customers in Mexico. With a land border to the south and NAFTA allowing free trade between the two countries, e-commerce businesses can benefit greatly by selling their products internationally to customers in Mexico.
In this guide, we’ll go over the rules, rates, shipping options, and services to help you get started shipping your products to Mexico, whether you want to do it yourself or partner with a third party logistics (3PL) to pack and ship your orders.
united states carriers that ship to mexico
There are many transport companies that offer shipping services to Mexico. In this guide, we’ll cover the four major carriers: USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL. Below, we break down the differences in service levels for shipping to Mexico, including price and transit times for carriers.
Note: These are general options for consumer shipping orders. To find out what Shipbob offers when shipping to other countries like Mexico, request a quote here.
Exact shipbob rates for customers will vary, as we charge a “full cost of fulfillment” which includes picking, packing, and shipping, among other factors.
*only usps offers flat rates for shipments from the united states to mexico. All other prices were calculated using the respective carrier’s price calculators for a 2kg package as of December 2019. Exact prices are subject to change.
1. USPS
usps can ship to mexico. They offer flat rate shipping, which is a great way to forecast shipping costs. Like other carriers, their rates depend on the weight of the package and the expected delivery time.
usps can be cheaper than the other carriers, but it can also take longer to ship to mexico because the packages are transferred to the mexican postal service. transfer time can delay shipments by a few days or even weeks.
usps professionals:
- flat rate shipping
- mainly cheaper than other carriers
- ability to transport larger packages cost-effectively
- no shipping fees collection
usps cons:
- Mexican postal service transfer may cause delays
- limited shipping options
- order tracking options are limited compared to other carriers
[read more: usps mexico country conditions]
2. ups and downs
ups is an excellent option for shipping to mexico because they have a large logistics network in the us. and Mexico. They can pick up packages in the United States and ship them to addresses in Mexico in as little as two days. UPS can also be a more expensive carrier if you ship heavier items that weigh more than 10 pounds.
best professionals:
- large presence in the US and Mexico
- work with many shipping partners to reduce shipping costs
- easy to use online interface to generate shipping labels </li
- ability to transport packages of all sizes
increase counters:
- rates can be expensive with heavier packages
3. fedex
Like UPS, FedEx is an excellent option for shipping to Mexico. Because the competition between UPS and FedEx is so fierce, e-commerce companies benefit from the competition. They can pick up packages in the United States and ship them to addresses in Mexico in as little as two days. FedEx is usually more expensive than USPS and offers competitive prices with UPS and DHL.
fedex professionals:
- the great presence of usa. uu. makes it easy to pick up or drop off packages
- many shipping partners to reduce shipping costs
- easy-to-use online interface to generate shipping labels
- capability to transport packages of all sizes
disadvantages of fedex:
- rates can be expensive with heavier packages
4. dhl
dhl is one of the leading international shipping companies. There are many benefits to using DHL for packages shipped by air or sea. but ground delivery tends to be a bit slower compared to ups or fedex.
dhl professionals:
- significant international presence in over 220 countries and territories
- efficient air and ocean delivery services
- ability to transport larger packages cost-effectively
- no collection fees
dhl disadvantages:
- the limited presence of us. uu. makes package delivery more time consuming
- usually higher shipping costs
- usually more surcharges compared to other carriers
vat and other fees
even with nafta, tariffs still apply to shipments from the united states to mexico. Specifically, VAT and IEPS are what you need to consider when shipping to Mexico.
vat (value added tax)
Value Added Tax is known locally as VAT in Mexico. There is a VAT of 16% for all foreign products entering the country.
ieps (special products)
products such as tobacco, food, medicines and other specialized services are subject to a specific ieps that is designated upon arrival.
customs, handling times and delays
just like international shipping anywhere, you may find a few other things that differ in mexico than in the united states.
customs delays
Like most international countries, your shipments must clear customs before they can reach their destination. sometimes it can take up to a few weeks for customs to process a package!
drive times
Handling times differ from carrier to carrier. ups and fedex generally move faster. USPS has to transfer packages to the Mexican postal service, so delivery may take longer.
local festivals
Be sure to check ahead to see if there are any local Mexican national holidays during the time of shipment.
wide geographical area and lack of infrastructure
mexico has a wide geographic area which can make it difficult to ship to remote areas. Some small towns in Mexico lack the infrastructure for fast delivery. big cities like mexico city, guadalajara and tijuana will not have this problem.
shipbob has experience shipping to mexico
if you need help with shipping to mexico, consider working with shipbob to make shipping to mexico easy. Plus, you can offer your products to more customers!
At shipbob, we store your inventory, fulfill your e-commerce orders as they come in, offer discounts on shipping, provide an easier infrastructure for customs and tax forms, and connect you with other international partners as you go. expands to other countries.
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With Shipbob’s fulfillment logistics for packages going to Mexico, you can rest easy knowing your products are delivered to your customers.
this is why the fastest growing e-commerce companies let shipbob handle shipping to mexico and anywhere in the united states.
offer shipping to Mexican customers
Shipping to Mexico for the first time means spending a few weeks preparing forms, complying with legal requirements, and learning proper shipping procedures. but with shipbob, we can help you expand your shipping network to mexico in an easier way.
shipbob offers extensive shipping services that your in-house company may lack the resources for. We ship orders from our US warehouses to locations in Mexico, all while providing order updates and tracking numbers. You can view the status of your inventory and orders at any time with our easy-to-use dashboards and reports.
save time and money
By partnering with shipbob, you eliminate the need to manage warehouses, logistics operations, and hire labor. Shipbob can turn logistics and warehousing into a revenue generator because it can increase sales and offer the shipping options, transit times, and delivery speeds that customers in Mexico want.
You also save time when you outsource fulfillment tasks to shipbob. working with shipbob gives you time to focus on more strategic initiatives like customer service, product development, and marketing.
leverage industry experience
Running an e-commerce business is not easy. You don’t have time to become a certified warehousing and logistics expert. That’s where shipbob comes in: comprised of eCommerce professionals, we’re informed and up-to-date with the latest industry trends and intricacies, so you don’t have to be.
shipbob also has an extensive network of partners, including carrier partners, packaging providers, agencies, and more, which allows us to constantly optimize and make improvements to warehouse and logistics operations to help drive e-commerce success.
in summary
ship to mexico from usa. uu. can be an easy process, especially if associated with a 3pl shipbob. Offering your products to customers in Mexico will help you build a great foundation as you grow your eCommerce business. If you need help shipping to Mexico, find out how Shipbob can make the shipping process easier by completing the form below. .