For those who don't know about Costa Rica shipping services, they are courier businesses that specialize in receiving articles in the United States and other parts of the world for customers here. Upon receipt, the items are checked and then forwarded to a clearinghouse in the country where they are taken through customs.
The Correos de Costa Rica Advantage
The big difference between Box Correos and the other services is that it further forwards the imported goods to one of their 110 branches and then delivers most packages directly to a person's or company’s doorstep.
While the big-name companies also do this for receivers in the Central Valley, it's often not the case for someone living in a remote area. Correos de Costa Rica has an unmatched infrastructure: 110 branches, 18 distribution centers, 750 motorized vehicles, and over 2,000 postal workers. None of the other couriers even come close.
Getting Started with Box Correos
Sure, shipping items here costs more money, but when you need something you can't get locally, the cost is worth it. Most services offer online calculators to estimate your fees.
- You can access the Box Correos calculator at this link: https://boxcorreos.com/calcula.aspx
- To use the service, you first need a free account, which you can get here: https://boxcorreos.com/registro.aspx
A Real-World Example: From eBay to Puntarenas
Here is the full process of ordering some Silhouette glass frames on eBay and sending them to Cóbano, Puntarenas using Box Correos, including the costs and time it took.
Note: It is essential to always get a tracking number and upload it to the “Prealerts” section of your Box Correos account. Having a credit or debit card on file also speeds up the service significantly.
These are the actual steps taken by this author to test the service. Four different items were purchased and received with no glitches:
- Set up the free Box Correos account.
- Ordered the frames on eBay and used the provided Box Correos receiving address in Doral, Florida.
- Added the shipping tracking number to the "Prealerts" section online.
- The order arrived at the Florida address in three days.
- Box Correos sent an "order received" notice, assigned a local Costa Rican tracking number, and shipped the article to Costa Rica.
- The article arrived in Costa Rica in two days, cleared customs in one day, and was handed off to the internal Correos de Costa Rica mail system.
- The glass frames were received at my doorstep two days later.
Total time, not counting weekends and holidays: eight days.
The Cost Breakdown
Here were the costs for buying the glass frames and shipping them to Costa Rica:
- Cost of frames on eBay: $50
- Shipping to Doral, Florida: $5
- Customs charge (Impuestos): $15
- Shipping to Costa Rica charge: $5
- Box Correos service fee: $3
Total cost including frames: $78
Silhouette frames are impossible to obtain in Costa Rica and cost around $500 new in the United States. The used frames from eBay were in almost-new condition, so paying a total of $78 was a fantastic bargain.
Important Things to Know (The Caveats)
While the service is excellent, there are a few things to be aware of:
Communications Box Correos is not great about responding to customer emails. In an interview with an attendant in the Cóbano post office, he said:
...Box does not even write us when we write them, let alone the consumer.
Cost Calculators People often forget that shipping costs consider package dimensions, not just weight. A big, bulky package that is light may cost more than a small, heavy one. In our experience, Aeropost and JetBox’s calculators tend to be more accurate.
Customs Duties Customs duties are set by Hacienda (the tax department), and their official list is extensive. The calculators on courier websites use abbreviated versions, so the final charge can sometimes vary slightly.
Forbidden Items There are many forbidden items. Obviously, anything hazardous is prohibited, but also anything that needs a health permit cannot be imported without special permission. For example, vitamins and other food or drug items, no matter how innocent, require a permit from the health ministry and will be rejected.
The Verdict: A Game-Changer for Rural Residents
Why was Box Correos singled out for this article? Because the author lives on the Nicoya Peninsula, far from a big city. For those who live in rural districts, Box Correos is the only reasonably priced and reliable service available.
In San José, services like JetBox, Aeropost, or Xpress Box might be a better bet. But kudos to Correos de Costa Rica for offering a fantastic alternative for the digital nomads and expats who prefer to live far from the beaten path.
