Should I get a Nica Box?

Submitted by tacomasteve on 19 September, 2006 - 11:14.

I have read all the prior posts on the boards here and scanned the akward transexpress web site but I am still in the dark. How does NicaBox charge for parcels sent down to Nicaragua from the Fla state address and do they deal with customs?

‹ Shipping from Nicaragua Best shipping option for guitar export business? ›
( categories: )

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Another Option?

Submitted by fyl on 19 September, 2006 - 17:01.

I just tripped on Compras y Entregas which, if you concern is "getting things" looks like an alternative. You get a Florida address for free and they look, buy and ship for you. It says they will give you a free quote and there are lots of affiliates.

For freight over 100 lbs, it says $1.40/lb but it says nothing about less weight. Maybe they make their money on getting discounts (for cash?) from the vendors? Not sure but probably worth more investigation. They do have an office in Managua.

Maybe

Submitted by fyl on 19 September, 2006 - 14:15.

I have Nicabox. I had Interlink in Costa Rica. Both are TransExpress. Interlink was great. While I was officially outside their delivery area they said they would come once a week. When I started getting lots of stuff they would come more often. They also "ran a tab" where they would deal with customs and we would settle at the end of the month.

Nicabox has been, well, terrible. They don't deliver here and for the first shipment wanted something like $50 to send it up here from Managua by regular mail. We pointed out that they could send it on the bus for C$50 instead. So, that is what we do. But, for each package that has to go thru customs they call. We call. ... I would say we average six phone calls and two FAXes per package. Then, stuff actually gets put on the bus about once a month.

The two "good ways" I get things here are DHL and regular mail. DHL will deal with customs and if I just tell the local office to go for it the next call I get is when they have it here in Esteli. Easy and fast.

If I am not in a hurry, regular mail has proved to be inexpensive, reasonably fast (in Nicaragua) and reliable. Certainly the least work. When something arrives in Nicaragua it usually takes a day to get to Esteli. If it has to go thru customs, add a day. They put a note in my box, I pay them and I have it. Zero calls or extra trips.

The only big delays I have seen (which I have written about before) is stuff floating around the US for a week before it gets put on a flight. Thus, I usually get stuff in about 10 days from the US but 5 days from Europe or Australia.