Receiving Packages and Mail in Ecuador — Amazon, Casilleros, and Customs Explained

This is the single biggest lifestyle adjustment for Americans moving to Ecuador. You cannot order something on Amazon and have it show up at your door two days later. In most cases, you can't order from Amazon at all. The US postal system doesn't reliably deliver here. And when international packages do arrive, customs (SENAE) might hit you with a 42% tax.

That said, expats have figured out workarounds. Some are cheap, some are fast, and none are as convenient as Prime — but they work.

Why Standard Shipping Doesn't Work

Correos del Ecuador (the national postal service) technically delivers international mail. In practice, packages from the US take 3–8 weeks when they arrive at all. Tracking stops updating once the package enters Ecuador. Items sit in customs limbo in Guayaquil or Quito for weeks. Small envelopes (letters, documents) usually make it. Packages over 2 kg are a gamble.

Amazon ships very few items directly to Ecuador. Search for a product, enter an Ecuadorian address, and most listings show "This item cannot be shipped to your selected delivery location." Some third-party sellers on Amazon will ship internationally, but with shipping costs of $20–50 and delivery times of 3–6 weeks, it's rarely worth it.

USPS, UPS, FedEx direct: USPS is the least reliable — packages regularly vanish. UPS and FedEx deliver to Ecuador but charge $50–150+ for a small package, and you still face customs processing on the receiving end. DHL is the fastest and most reliable international courier (2–5 business days) but also the most expensive.

Solution 1: Casillero Services (Mail Forwarding)

This is how most expats get their packages. A casillero (literally "mailbox" or "locker") gives you a US shipping address — typically in Miami — where you ship your Amazon or other online orders. The casillero company then consolidates and forwards your packages to Ecuador.

How It Works

1. Sign up with a casillero service and receive a Miami address (e.g., "Your Name, 7865 NW 123rd St, Suite 4521, Miami, FL 33126")
2. Shop online using that Miami address as your shipping destination. Amazon Prime, Target, Walmart, any US retailer — they all see a domestic US address.
3. Package arrives in Miami. The casillero warehouse receives it, logs it, and notifies you.
4. Choose your shipping method — air freight (fast, expensive) or ocean freight (slow, cheap).
5. Package flies or sails to Ecuador. Air freight takes 5–10 business days. Ocean freight takes 3–6 weeks.
6. Pick up or get delivery. Most casillero services have offices in Quito, Guayaquil, and Cuenca. Some deliver to your door for an extra fee.

Major Casillero Services

Aeropost: One of the oldest and most established. Offices in Quito and Guayaquil. Air freight pricing starts around $7/lb. Reliable tracking. They handle customs clearance for you. Website and customer service in Spanish and English.

MyBox (by Correos del Ecuador): The national postal service's casillero offering. Cheapest option at roughly $5–7/lb for air freight. Delivery to any Correos del Ecuador office. Customs clearance included. Quality has improved since their 2024 app overhaul, but some expats report inconsistent delivery times.

LAAMBox: Popular with expats in Cuenca. Pricing around $6–9/lb depending on weight tiers. Cuenca office near the Feria Libre area. English-speaking staff. They'll send WhatsApp notifications when your package arrives.

DHL Express Box: Premium option backed by DHL's logistics network. Faster transit times (typically 5–7 business days from Miami). More expensive — $8–15/lb. Best tracking and most reliable delivery windows.

Compras USA / Club Correos: Budget-friendly options with offices in major cities. Pricing varies, typically $5–8/lb. Less consistent customer service but functional for routine shipments.

Casillero Costs Breakdown

A typical order (say, 5 lbs of clothing and small electronics):

Service	Air Freight Cost	Transit Time	Customs Handling
MyBox	$25–35	7–14 days	Included
LAAMBox	$30–45	7–10 days	Included
Aeropost	$35–50	5–10 days	Included
DHL Express Box	$40–75	5–7 days	Included

Ocean freight (for heavier items) runs $2–5/lb but takes 3–6 weeks.

Most services charge by weight, not dimensions, for air freight. Some have minimum charges ($5–10 per shipment). Consolidation (combining multiple packages into one shipment) is usually free and saves money.

The $400 Customs Threshold — The Most Important Number

This is the rule that governs everything about receiving packages in Ecuador.

Items valued at $400 or less per shipment: No import tax. You pay only the casillero shipping fee. This is the sweet spot.

Items valued over $400 per shipment: You pay import taxes of approximately 42% on the portion exceeding $400. This includes a 12% IVA (sales tax), a variable ad valorem tariff (5–30% depending on product category), a FODINFA fee (0.5%), and other minor charges that add up to roughly 42% total.

How this works in practice:

• You order $350 worth of goods. Total tax: $0. You pay only shipping.
• You order $600 worth of goods. Taxable amount: $200 (the portion over $400). Tax: roughly $84. Plus shipping.
• You order $1,000 worth of goods. Taxable amount: $600. Tax: roughly $252. Plus shipping.

How Expats Optimize

Split your orders. Instead of one $800 order, make two $400 orders shipped separately. Each stays under the threshold. Most casillero services support this — just ship to your Miami address in separate orders and request separate forwarding.

The threshold is per person, per shipment. If you and your spouse both have casillero accounts, that's $400 each. Some families set up accounts for each adult household member.

Declared value matters. Customs uses the declared value on the commercial invoice. If you're shipping a $350 laptop, make sure the receipt matches. SENAE does spot-check and can assess their own valuation if the declared value seems suspicious.

Category matters for tariffs. Electronics and clothing face different tariff rates. The 42% is an average — some items are higher, some lower. Clothing and shoes tend to be on the higher end. Books and educational materials are often exempt or reduced.

Solution 2: Direct Courier Shipping (DHL, FedEx, UPS)

For urgent or high-value items, direct international courier services work but cost a premium.

DHL Express: The gold standard for international shipping to Ecuador. 2–5 business day delivery from the US. Reliable tracking. They handle customs clearance. Cost: $50–150+ for packages under 5 lbs, scaling up from there. DHL has offices in every major Ecuadorian city for pickup or redelivery.

FedEx International: 3–7 business days. Similar pricing to DHL. Less consistent with Ecuador customs clearance than DHL in expat experience. Available but not the first choice.

UPS Worldwide: 3–7 business days. Similar to FedEx in price and reliability for Ecuador. UPS has fewer offices in Ecuador than DHL.

When to use direct courier: Medical devices, urgent documents, extremely valuable items, or time-sensitive deliveries. Not economical for routine shopping.

Solution 3: The Suitcase Method

Low-tech but effective. When you or someone you know visits the US, stock up.

What to bring back:

• Specialty medications (if not available locally)
• Specific electronics (particular brands, accessories)
• Clothing in specific sizes or brands
• Favorite food items (peanut butter brands, specific spices, protein powder)
• Books
• Small kitchen gadgets

Ecuador customs allows: Each arriving passenger can bring up to $400 in goods duty-free (beyond personal belongings). Anything clearly used/personal (your laptop, phone, clothes you're wearing) doesn't count toward this.

Pro tip: If you're flying back from the US with a full suitcase of goods, keep receipts in case customs asks. In practice, customs rarely stops returning residents unless you're carrying obvious commercial quantities (10 identical items, unopened retail packaging in bulk). Checked luggage goes through an X-ray scanner — officers flag things that look commercial.

Many expats plan their US trips partly around restocking.

Solution 4: MercadoLibre (Ecuador's Amazon)

MercadoLibre has grown significantly in Ecuador since 2023. It's not Amazon Prime, but it fills a lot of gaps.

What's available: Electronics (phones, laptops, accessories), clothing, household items, beauty products, auto parts, tools, and some imported brands. Selection is more limited than Amazon but expanding. Local sellers dominate, with some international sellers shipping from Colombia, Mexico, and China.

Delivery: MercadoEnvíos handles most deliveries within Ecuador. Typical delivery time is 3–7 business days for domestic orders. Shipping costs $2–8 for most items. Free shipping on orders over $20–30 from many sellers.

Payment: Credit card, debit card, or cash payment at ServiPagos, Banco del Barrio, or Mi Vecino points. MercadoPago (their payment platform) works for in-app transactions.

Pricing: Generally 10–30% more expensive than US Amazon prices, but you avoid international shipping and customs entirely. For many items, MercadoLibre is the most cost-effective option once you factor in casillero fees and potential customs taxes.

What's Actually Available Locally

Before you set up an elaborate import pipeline, check what's already here. More than you'd expect.

Supermaxi and Megamaxi: Ecuador's major supermarket chains carry many international brands. Colgate, Dove, Pantene, Campbell's (some varieties), Heinz, Hellmann's, McCormick spices, Quaker, and plenty of others. Imported items cost 30–100% more than in the US, but they're on the shelf.

DePrati: Ecuador's department store chain. Carries international clothing brands (Levi's, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Adidas), electronics (Samsung, Apple, Sony), and home goods. Prices are higher than US retail but comparable to buying the same items at a US department store (not on sale).

Sukasa and Todohogar: Home goods, kitchen equipment, bedding, towels. You don't need to import a blender or a set of towels.

Apple products: iStore Ecuador (authorized reseller) has locations in Quito and Guayaquil. iPhones, MacBooks, iPads — at prices 15–25% higher than US retail. But available, with local warranty.

The things you actually can't find locally: Specific OTC medications (some US-only brands), particular clothing sizes (above XL can be hard to find), specialty food items (ranch dressing, certain hot sauces, specific protein powders), US-specific electronics accessories, and very niche hobby supplies.

Dealing With SENAE (Customs)

If a package gets flagged by customs, here's what happens.

You'll receive a notification — either through your casillero service, by email from SENAE, or by tracking your package on the SENAE website (ecuapass.aduana.gob.ec). The notification tells you what's needed: usually an invoice, proof of payment, and sometimes a physical inspection.

For packages through casillero services: The casillero company handles customs clearance as part of their service. This is one of the main reasons to use them. They deal with SENAE so you don't have to.

For direct shipments that get flagged: You may need to go to a SENAE office (usually at the airport or in a customs zone) to provide documentation and pay taxes. Bring the purchase receipt/invoice, your cédula or passport, and patience. The process can take 1–3 hours.

Customs brokers (agentes de aduana): For large or complex shipments, hiring a customs broker costs $50–100 and saves hours of headache. They know the codes, the paperwork, and the people. Worth it for anything over $400 or unusual items.

Restricted and Prohibited Imports

Ecuador prohibits or restricts importing certain items, regardless of value.

Prohibited: Narcotics, weapons, hazardous materials, counterfeit goods, used tires, certain pesticides, pornographic material.

Restricted (require permits): Plants and seeds, live animals, meat and dairy products, some supplements (especially those containing DHEA or hormones), drones (require DGAC registration), radio equipment, some medical devices.

Heavily taxed: Alcohol (150%+ tax on imported spirits — buy local), cigarettes, luxury goods.

Electronics note: Ecuador charges additional import taxes on some electronics (phones, tablets) to protect local assembly operations. A phone imported from the US might face 15–25% additional tax on top of regular customs charges. It's often cheaper to buy phones locally.

Practical Tips

• Track everything. Use your casillero's tracking, plus the DHL/FedEx/USPS tracking, plus SENAE's tracking (ecuapass.aduana.gob.ec). Packages can sit in customs for days with no movement — tracking tells you whether it's stuck or just in queue.
• Photograph everything you ship. Before packing, take photos of contents with visible labels and serial numbers. If something goes missing or gets damaged, you have documentation.
• Avoid shipping lithium batteries by ocean freight. Most ocean freight services prohibit lithium batteries (laptops, battery packs, etc.) due to fire risk. Ship electronics via air freight.
• Consolidate smartly. Combine multiple Amazon orders at your casillero before shipping. Most casilleros hold packages for 15–30 days at no charge. Wait until you have enough to make a shipment worthwhile, but keep total declared value under $400.
• Holiday seasons are slow. October through January, casillero services get backed up with Black Friday and Christmas orders. Shipping times can double. Plan ahead.
• Insurance exists but has limits. Most casillero services offer optional insurance ($1–3 per $100 of declared value). Worth it for electronics. Claims processes can be slow, but at least you have recourse.

The Honest Summary

You'll miss Amazon Prime. Everyone does. But after the initial adjustment period, you'll develop a system that works — a combination of local shopping, casillero orders, MercadoLibre, and suitcase runs. Most expats find that after six months, they've adapted their purchasing habits enough that the inconvenience fades into the background.

The real lesson: Ecuador teaches you to need less stuff. That's not a bad thing.